1. NCDB Early Intervention & Referral EHDI and Self-Assessment Guide
Washington State Deaf-Blind Project and our Partners in Early Intervention
For the NCDB Webinar Series on EI & R, Megan Cote.
Co-Presenting with Joanne from Wyoming.

2. WA State Self-Assessment
We are identifying our birth-to-three year olds.
Results likely are based on ongoing work in early intervention (EI) for birth-to-three year olds who are deaf/hard of hearing and blind/visually impaired.
Can connections with the EHDI system enhance early identification and referral of deaf-blind babies?
WA Self Assessment: We did the self-assessment as an internal program activity only, so no formal action plan. Answer to the last bullet: We trust so!

3. Connections Between State Deaf-Blind Projects & State EHDI Programs
Connections Between State Deaf-Blind Projects & State EHDI Programs. . . May Feel Like a Stretch
Collaborative relationships can take years to nurture and develop.
What can your State DB Project bring to the EHDI table?
What training activities and product development does your State EHDI Program fund?
What we have learned from our 15+ year collaboration with our State EHDDI program?
What lessons learned might apply to other states? (It WILL be very different in each state, depending on DB Project, EHDI resources and priorities; etc.)

4. Bring Deaf-Blindness Content to the EHDI Table
EHDI stakeholder meetings and conferences
EHDI training opportunities on:
early identification of hearing loss
best practices for EI strategies
EHDI products (e.g., Best Practices; Parent Notebook)
Include information on high-risk factors, identification, and referral of infants/toddlers with dual sensory loss.
Invite yourself to the table, commit to participating and doing the work, advocate for content on deaf-blindness in meetings, trainings, products.
P.S. Katie: I’m presenting at the Eastern WA and Western WA EHDDI Conferences in March and April: “Identifying Babies At Risk for Combined Hearing Loss and Visual Impairment.”

5. Nurture State Partnerships
In addition to working with our WA Dept. of Health/Genetic Services (home of EHDDI), we are:
Collaborating with B-3 DHH State Coordinator and B-3 BVI State Coordinator;
Developing a “Practice Guide” for our Lead Part C Agency (Services to DHH,BVI, and DB B-3);
Collaborating with School for Deaf, School for Blind, Department of Services for the Blind, Office of DHH Services.
Note: ESIT Practice Guide – Sensory Disabilities will be available on the WSDS website within a month or two.

6. Examples: How Our WA State Deaf-Blind Project Jumps on Other Bandwagons (with EHDI Support)
These are all projects that were funded at least partially by the Dept. of Health EHDDI program.

7. SKI HI Trainings in WA State (funded by EHDI and lead Part C agency)
Manuals 1 & 2
Debby Lively & Paula Pittman
Three six-day SKI-HI trainings funded by DOH EHDDI and our lead Part C agencies, as well as other partners. Contained content on deaf-blindness. Follow-up conference presentations included case studies including DB children.

8. Spring Family Weekends for Deaf/HH (and now, Deaf-Blind) Children & Families
The B-3 program was funded for many years by the DOH EHDDI program.

9. Spring Family Weekend: 2013

10. Baby Jamborees for Blind/VI (and Deaf-Blind) Children & Families
All Baby Jamborees (four to date) included at least one, and usually two or three, children who were later—as a result of our meeting them here—identified as eligible for our deaf-blind project services.

11. Some of our B-3 Team Members!
Nancy Hatfield and Corbin
WEIC: Albuquerque 2015
What a great group to collaborate with!