Infant Hearing Program Service Providers

Regional Infant Hearing Program

All of Ohio’s 88 counties are serviced by nine grant-funded projects called the Regional Infant Hearing Programs (RIHPs). These programs assist families in connecting with audiologists and community resources to ensure early identification of hearing loss. They work with county Help Me Grow programs (Ohio’s Part C program for birth to 3) to provide specialized early intervention services for infants and toddlers who are deaf or hard of hearing.

All services provided by the RIHPs are family centered and are most often home based. There is no charge to the family. The services are designed to meet the family’s concerns, needs and priorities and include:

• Assessing communication function
• Providing weekly home visits to teach families activities to do with their infants and toddlers during daily routines and play to foster communication skills
• Making appropriate referrals to outside sources such as speech-language pathologists, audiologists and physicians as needed
• Working with county Help Me Grow programs to ensure that all families receive Part C (birth to age 3) services
• Educating and supporting parents to become empowered advocates for their children
• Providing information on available resources for children with hearing loss after the age of 3 years
   

For more information about the RIHPs please contact the Ohio Department of Health, Infant Hearing Program at the contact information listed on the main program page or contact the RIHP in your region.

Last Updated: 2/15/05

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