HRSA Earliest Interaction

Earliest Interactions is a Maine Educational Center for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing HRSA (Health Resources & Services Administration)grant-funded program which supports families of children who are deaf and hard of hearing throughout their journeys, from screening to diagnosis to early intervention and beyond. Our goal is to facilitate positive early interactions for families. Our program supports families through the process of hearing screening, diagnosis, and into early intervention in order to optimize their child’s language, literacy, cognitive, social, and emotional development.

Earliest Interactions website:https://earliestinteractions.com/

HRSA Grant Focus: April 2020 – March 2024

• AIM 1 – By March 2024, MECDHH/GBSD’s Supporting 1-3-6 and Family Engagement in Maine’s Newborn Hearing Program will increase by 1% from baseline per year, or achieve at least a 95% screening rate, whichever is less, the number of infants that completed a newborn hearing screen no later than 1 month of age.
• AIM 2 – By March 2024, MECDHH/GBSD’s Supporting 1-3-6 and Family Engagement in Maine’s Newborn Hearing Program will increase by 10% from baseline, or achieve a minimum rate of 85%, the number of infants that completed a diagnostic audiological evaluation no later than 3 months of age.
• AIM 3: By March 2024, MECDHH/GBSD’s Supporting 1-3-6 and Family Engagement in Maine’s Newborn Hearing Program will increase by 15% from baseline, or achieve a minimum rate of 80%, the number of children who are deaf or hard of hearing who are enrolled in Early Intervention services by 20% from 7 to 8.

Using data collected from year 1 as baseline data:

• Increase by 20% from baseline the number of families enrolled in family to family support services by no later than 6 months of age.
• Increase by 10% the number of families enrolled in DHH adult-to-family support services by no later than 9 months of age.
• Increase by 10% the number of health professionals and service providers trained on key aspects of the EHDI program. 

*Click here to read the Earliest Interactions Press Release.