2027 Early Hearing Detection & Intervention Conference
March 22-24, 2027 • Bellevue, WA
3/17/2026 | 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM | Breaking Silos, Building Bridges: Uniting EHDI and Part C in North Dakota | Clearwater
Breaking Silos, Building Bridges: Uniting EHDI and Part C in North Dakota
This session will highlight ND's efforts to break down programmatic silos and build sustainable partnerships between EHDI and Part C. Participants will explore how intentional collaboration, structured communication, and shared tools such as visual flowcharts, referral guidance, and MOU's, have support a more unified approach to serving children with hearing differences. The session will also cover lesson learned from engaging diverse stakeholders, including service providers, families and state agencies, to improve timely identification and referral practices. Attendees will leave with practical strategies to strengthen cross-system partnerships in their own states, supporting improved outcomes for infants and toddlers with hearing concerns and their families.
- Identify strategies for fostering collaboration between EHDI and Part C systems through intentional communication, shared tools, and formal agreements.
- Analyze lessons learned from engaging families, service providers, and state agencies to improve timely identification and referral practices for infants and toddlers with hearing differences.
- Apply practical strategies to strengthen cross-system partnerships in participants’ own states to enhance outcomes for children with hearing concerns and their families.
Presentation:
View Presentation File
Handouts:
Handout is not Available
Transcripts:
CART transcripts are NOT YET available, but will be posted shortly after the conference
Presenters/Authors
Joyal Meyer
(Co-Presenter), ND Department of Health Newborn Screening, jbmeyer@nd.gov;
Joyal Meyer serves as the Newborn Screening and Follow-up Director within the ND Department ofHealth and Human Services. Ms. Meyer has been employed with the department since 2011 and hasserved families who have children with special health care needs, including infants diagnosed withgenetic/hereditary disorders or hearing loss. Ms. Meyer is a member of the Title V Maternal and ChildHealth Block grant team and is responsible for the overall program function, policies and legislativeresponsibilities for newborn screening. Ms. Meyer also serves as the State Early Hearing Detection andIntervention (EHDI) coordinator and has been working with the EHDI program since 2015.
ASHA DISCLOSURE:
Financial -
No relevant financial relationship exists.
Nonfinancial -
No relevant nonfinancial relationship exists.
AAA DISCLOSURE:
Financial -
No relevant financial relationship exists.
Nonfinancial -
No relevant nonfinancial relationship exists.
Jerusha Olthoff
(Co-Presenter), ND EHDI / NDCPD / MSU, jerusha.olthoff@minotstateu.edu;
Jerusha Olthoff, MSM, is the ND EHDI Program Director. She has worked with the program for the past 18 years. She began her career with the ND EHDI program as a data/follow-up coordinator and became the Program Director in 2015.
ASHA DISCLOSURE:
Financial -
No relevant financial relationship exists.
Nonfinancial -
No relevant nonfinancial relationship exists.
AAA DISCLOSURE:
Financial -
No relevant financial relationship exists.
Nonfinancial -
No relevant nonfinancial relationship exists.
Jordan Anderson
(Primary Presenter), ND Part C EI Specialist, joaanderson@nd.gov;
Jordan Anderson is the Early Intervention Specialist for the State of North Dakota, where she focuses on enhancing services for children and families through collaboration, program development, and professional training. With over eight years of experience as an Early Interventionist and two years as a program director, Jordan brings a wealth of knowledge to the field. She is also a part-time instructor at the University of North Dakota, teaching courses in Early Childhood Special Education and Autism Spectrum Disorder, and is currently pursuing a Doctorate in Educational Leadership at the University of North Dakota.
ASHA DISCLOSURE:
Financial -
No relevant financial relationship exists.
Nonfinancial -
No relevant nonfinancial relationship exists.
AAA DISCLOSURE:
Financial -
Financial relationship with EHDI, State of ND Special Health Services, State of ND Part C, North Dakota Center for Persons with Disabilities..
Nature: Employment.
Nonfinancial -
No relevant nonfinancial relationship exists.
Shelby Clark
(Co-Presenter), ND EHDI/NDCPD/MSU, shelby.l.clark@minotstateu.edu;
Shelby Clark is an early intervention speech-language pathologist for the Minot Infant Development Program (MIDP) at the North Dakota Center for Persons with Disabilities (NDCPD). Ms. Clark has worked with MIDP since 2019 and joined the North Dakota Early Hearing Detection and Intervention (EHDI) team in 2023. Ms. Clark is a Minot State University graduate, holds the Certificate of Clinical Competence from the American Speech Language Hearing Association, and maintains state speech-language pathology licensure in North Dakota, Missouri, and Wisconsin. She completed the Utah Regional Leadership and Education in Neurodevelopmental Disabilities program in 2023 and has extra training in pediatric feeding disorders and sensory processing.
ASHA DISCLOSURE:
Financial -
No relevant financial relationship exists.
Nonfinancial -
No relevant nonfinancial relationship exists.
AAA DISCLOSURE:
Financial -
No relevant financial relationship exists.
Nonfinancial -
No relevant nonfinancial relationship exists.
Christine Brigden
(Co-Presenter), ND EHDI/NDCPD/MSU, Christine.Brigden@minotstateu.edu;
Ms. Brigden has worked in various roles for the State of North Dakota for over 24 years. She joined NDCPD in 2012 as a research associate and is an ND-licensed Baccalaureate Social Worker. Since 2017, she has been an ND EHDI Follow-up Coordinator, ensuring timely hearing care and access to EI Services. She has worked to improve care coordination and service for DHH children and their families.
ASHA DISCLOSURE:
Financial -
Nonfinancial -
AAA DISCLOSURE:
Financial -
Nonfinancial -