The Connecticut State Department of Public Health’s Early Hearing Detection and Intervention Program (EHDI) was first authorized in 2000. Since then, many programs and guidelines have been established to identify children with hearing loss and provide intervention services as early as possible. According to their website, CT’s EHDI mission “is to ensure that all Connecticut-born infants receive the appropriate hearing screenings, congenital Cytomegalovirus (cCMV) screenings, diagnostic hearing evaluations, and intervention services to maximize developmental outcomes without bias towards communication modes and methods”. This year, Connecticut is one of the top in the nation for meeting the benchmarks of newborn hearing screening by one month old, hearing diagnosis by three months old, and enrollment in early intervention by six months old. This success would not be possible without the work of health care members across the state of CT, including our own Dr. Yanaway, who puts in countless hours to ensure CT children are receiving the services they need to reach their full potential. Included in the EHDI task force is representation from the Department of Public Health, deaf/blind program, birth-three program, physicians and many more.

Connecticut has a history of meeting benchmarks and even being a top state in the country for their screening percentages. Connecticut’s 2020 EHDI records show that CT had a 99.2% screening rate of all babies born in CT. Following birth, only 0.8% are lost to follow up. Out of the 50 states and seven territories listed, CT is tied for 3rd place in the percentage of babies screened for hearing loss at birth. Currently, EHDI is working on aligning the CT documents and protocols with the 2019 recommendations from the Joint Commission on Infant Hearing (JCIH) under the HRSA Grant, which they received in April 2020 and covers work through March 2024. The goals for this grant include a 95% screening rate no later than one month old, 85% diagnostic evaluation by three months old, and 80% enrollment in Early Intervention by six months old. Additionally, they are aiming at strengthening family support and utilizing adult Deaf/Hard of Hearing mentor programs.