Upcoming Webinar: Creating Authentic Partnerships: Parents and Professionals
Presented by: Heidi Klomhaus and Lylis Olsen
When: August 12, 2021 | 11:00 am - 12:00 pm MT
Description
When parents and professionals view one another as equal partners, an authentic partnership can develop through true collaboration. This is beneficial for everyone involved and can result in some amazing outcomes that would not be possible alone. Collaboration between Parent Leaders and EHDI professionals requires respect, trust, and a consistent and mindful effort to communicate. This results in opportunities for improving programs and systems together. These are important elements of partnership in the co-production of services that are designed to meet the unique needs of families with children who are deaf or hard of hearing from the diverse and cultural populations in your state or territory. Heidi and Lylis will discuss how Arizona EHDI has evolved, how parent partnerships are viewed, the level of parent leader involvement, and how parents have moved from a seat at the table to leading at the head of the table.
Responding to a global pandemic showed the entire EHDI system what the team was capable of accomplishing. This presentation will discuss how relationships and trust lead to a coordinated, comprehensive response in meeting the unique needs of diverse, cultural populations.
Primary Audience
Family leaders, family-based support organizations, Deaf-based organizations, EHDI program staff, EHDI systems stakeholders, and Pediatric Healthcare Professionals.
Presenters
Heidi Klomhaus holds a Certificate in Deaf Studies, an AAS in Sign Language Interpretation and a BA in Interdisciplinary Studies-Public Administration. She serves as Executive Director and Guide By Your Side Coordinator of Arizona Hands & Voices. Being Hard of Hearing herself, with severe hearing loss, led her to attending college and pursuing studies in the Deaf world. During that time, her youngest child was born Hard of Hearing, giving Heidi a new direction in life. Knowing there were opportunities to make a difference in her own daughter's journey led her to Arizona Hands & Voices where she is now making a difference in the lives of Deaf/Hard of Hearing children and their families statewide.
Lylis Olsen is a pediatric audiologist with a master's degree in public health. She has worked with the EAR Foundation of Arizona for 22 years on implementing and improving newborn and early childhood hearing screening through various projects as the State Early Hearing Detection and Intervention Coordinator. Lylis is also the program manager for HEAR for Kids, a grant and donation funded program to help families pay for evaluations, loaner, and permanent hearing aids. She feels that her mission is to remove obstacles and clear the path for parents to help their children reach their potential.
