Because newborn hearing screening has become the standard of care in the United States, every state has established an early hearing detection and intervention (EHDI) program responsible for establishing, maintaining, and improving the system of services needed to serve children with hearing loss and their families. While significant developments have occurred in the last 20 years, challenges to newborn hearing screening, follow up, and early intervention still exist. In 2009, the National Center for Hearing and Assessment Management (NCHAM) initiated a national strategic planning activity to help EHDI program coordinators identify ways to improve their programs through the use of a strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT) analysis framework. A SWOT analysis, and subsequent threats, opportunities, weaknesses, and strengths (TOWS) matrix analysis, are commonly used methods of strategic planning. This article summarizes the history and status of EHDI programs to provide a context for the strategic planning process, and explains the methodology used in completing the SWOT analysis. 2. Audiological Evaluation This EHDI area covers all aspects of audiological evaluations and documentation. 3. Early Intervention This EHDI area covers all aspects of early intervention including, but not limited to, Part C and non-Part C communication options and technology options. 4. Medical Homes/ Medical Professionals This EHDI area includes the medical home and all medical professionals responsible for the continuity of care for children who have or are at-risk for hearing loss. 5. Loss to Follow-Up This EHDI area includes all issues related to loss to followup during the EHDI process (screening to identification to intervention). 6. Family Support This EHDI area includes all aspects of family support services as well as both educational materials and services that are culturally and linguistically sensitive as well as readily available. Continued Strategic Planning for EHDI Programs The results of these analyses suggest concrete ways in which the various components of an EHDI system can be improved by using opportunities to maximize strengths and minimize weaknesses, using strengths to reduce threats, and finding ways to reduce the threats to identified weaknesses. History and Status of EHDI Programs Many people have worked to reduce the age at which children with congenital hearing loss are identified since Ewing and Ewing (1944) called attention to the issue almost 70 years ago. For example, following the pioneering work EHDI Area Description 7. Periodic Early Childhood Hearing Screening This EHDI area includes all aspects of screening for hearing loss in children who passed their initial hearing screening but are at-risk for hearing loss, have an identified diagnosis that is associated with hearing loss, or are being screened to find late-onset hearing loss. 8. Professional Development This EHDI area represents all education and professional development for individuals who provide services related to universal ne...

Because newborn hearing screening has become the standard of care in the United States, every state has established an early hearing detection and intervention (EHDI) program responsible for establishing, maintaining, and improving the system of services needed to serve children with hearing loss and their families. While significant developments have occurred in the last 20 years, challenges to newborn hearing screening, follow up, and early intervention still exist. In 2009, the National Center for Hearing and Assessment Management (NCHAM) initiated a national strategic planning activity to help EHDI program coordinators identify ways to improve their programs through the use of a strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT) analysis framework. A SWOT analysis, and subsequent threats, opportunities, weaknesses, and strengths (TOWS) matrix analysis, are commonly used methods of strategic planning. This article summarizes the history and status of EHDI programs to provide a context for the strategic planning process, and explains the methodology used in completing the SWOT analysis. 2. Audiological Evaluation This EHDI area covers all aspects of audiological evaluations and documentation. 3. Early Intervention This EHDI area covers all aspects of early intervention including, but not limited to, Part C and non-Part C communication options and technology options. 4. Medical Homes/ Medical Professionals This EHDI area includes the medical home and all medical professionals responsible for the continuity of care for children who have or are at-risk for hearing loss. 5. Loss to Follow-Up This EHDI area includes all issues related to loss to followup during the EHDI process (screening to identification to intervention). 6. Family Support This EHDI area includes all aspects of family support services as well as both educational materials and services that are culturally and linguistically sensitive as well as readily available. Continued Strategic Planning for EHDI Programs The results of these analyses suggest concrete ways in which the various components of an EHDI system can be improved by using opportunities to maximize strengths and minimize weaknesses, using strengths to reduce threats, and finding ways to reduce the threats to identified weaknesses. History and Status of EHDI Programs Many people have worked to reduce the age at which children with congenital hearing loss are identified since Ewing and Ewing (1944) called attention to the issue almost 70 years ago. For example, following the pioneering work EHDI Area Description 7. Periodic Early Childhood Hearing Screening This EHDI area includes all aspects of screening for hearing loss in children who passed their initial hearing screening but are at-risk for hearing loss, have an identified diagnosis that is associated with hearing loss, or are being screened to find late-onset hearing loss. 8. Professional Development This EHDI area represents all education and professional development for individuals who provide services related to universal ne...

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Purpose: The aim of this study was to explore the path to Listening and Spoken Language Specialist (LSLS) certification from the professional's viewpoint as well as to address motivation, self-perceived gains, challenges, and barriers to certification in an international cohort with the purpose of guiding future change within the existing certification system. Method: Members of the AG Bell Academy for Listening and Spoken Language (AG Bell Academy) Global Matters Committee created an online survey disseminated by the AG Bell Academy in English and Spanish for professionals who were certified LSLSs, mentees currently pursuing the certification, and professionals interested in the certification. Participants ( N = 295) were from different parts of the world. Of the respondents, 48% reported English as their first language, 19% reported Spanish as their first language, and the remaining 33% reported one of 26 other languages as their first language. Approximately 40% of the total respondents were certified LSLSs ( n = 117), and 50% of them lived in the United States. Results: The findings indicate that certified LSLSs perceived significant growth in knowledge and skills as a result of the certification process. Personal motivation drove individuals to pursue certification. A common barrier among all participants was limited resources, such as time, funds, and access to a mentor who speaks the same language. Conclusions: There is a need for more awareness of the significant gains LSLS certification can bring to professionals. There is further need to address, minimize, and overcome perceived barriers in the process. Future similar research is warranted to explore the gains and barriers of obtaining the LSLS certification outside the English-speaking countries and in a larger, more population-based sample.

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