The Vermont Early Hearing Detection & Intervention Program (VTEHDI) works with hospitals and other community providers, such as early head start, homebirth midwives and primary care professionals to provide newborn and early periodic hearing screenings. The program provides support, training, and care management to families and their babies, and to community providers. These partnerships ensure timely referrals for diagnostic testing and early intervention services.

As part of Children with Special Health Needs, VTEHDI provides support, training, and care management for families and their babies, hospitals, and community providers. VTEHDI works with state and national agencies and organizations to achieve the National EHDI goals.

All babies born in Vermont are offered a newborn hearing screening by their birth facility or midwife. Hearing screenings are available for newborns that did not have a newborn hearing screening or did not pass the first screening at all Vermont birthing hospitals, pediatric audiology practices, some primary care practices and by midwives. Hearing screening results are sent to VTEHDI by hospitals, midwives, primary care providers and audiologists. These providers also send high-risk information on each baby related to late onset hearing loss. VTEHDI provides families and providers follow-up recommendations for on-going hearing health care based on identified risk factors.

All Vermont newborns and their families.

Newborn hearing screening focuses on identifying hearing loss early. Catching problems sooner rather than later can make a big difference in a child's development. Studies have shown that important language skills are learned before the age of 3 because hearing and learning language are closely tied together.