Louisiana Advisory Council for the Early Identification of Deaf and Hard Of Hearing Infants

The Louisiana Advisory Council for the Early Identification of Deaf and Hard of Hearing Infants was established in 1992 through R.S. 46: 2261-2267 within the Louisiana Department of Health to support the Bureau of Family Health, Louisiana Early Hearing Detection and Intervention Program in the early identification of infants who are deaf and hard of hearing. The Advisory Council ensures all infants who are deaf or hard of hearing (D/HH) receive appropriate and timely services. For all children born in Louisiana, these services include hearing screening, rescreening, and diagnosis when indicated. Learn more by visiting the Louisiana Early Hearing Detection and Intervention Program webpage.

The advisory council serves newborns and young children identified as deaf or hard of hearing and their families by shaping public policy, providing oversight, and ensuring the effective implementation of laws and regulations.

The advisory council’s vision, which aligns with the Joint Committee on Infant Hearing’s 2019 position statement, is to ensure children identified as deaf or hard of hearing have access to hearing screening, diagnosis, referral to early intervention, and family-to-family and deaf adult-to-family support.

Responsibilities of the Louisiana Advisory Council for the Early Identification of Deaf and Hard of Hearing Infants

  • Advise and recommend risk factors or criteria for infants who are likely deaf or hard of hearing and infants who may develop a progressive hearing loss.

  • Advise the office as to hearing screening, setting standards for the program, monitoring and reviewing the program, and providing quality assurance for the program.

  • Advise the office as to integrating the program for early identification of infants who are deaf or hard of hearing with existing medical, audiological, and early infant education programs.

  • Advise the office as to materials to be distributed to the public concerning infants who are deaf or hard of hearing.

  • Advise the office on the implementation of the program for early identification and follow-up of infants susceptible to a hearing disability, infants who are deaf or hard of hearing, and infants who are at risk of developing progressive hearing loss.

Goals and Priorities of the Louisiana Advisory Council for the Early Identification of Deaf and Hard of Hearing Infants

  • Develop strategies to reduce newborn hearing screening reporting inaccuracies, loss to follow-up, and loss to documentation, late or no enrollment in early intervention, and improve timeliness of reporting screening, diagnostic testing, amplification fitting, and enrollment in early intervention.

  • Create a plan to improve healthcare access for newborns who need additional testing after a newborn hearing screening, babies who need diagnostic testing after an outpatient rescreen, and support for freestanding birth centers to screen or connect delivered babies to initial screening.

  • Study and improve education programs that help prevent language delay and deprivation in babies who are deaf or hard of hearing.

Membership

The Advisory Council consists of 14 members, with 12 appointed by the Governor, subject to Senate confirmation, as outlined in the statute. To apply or nominate someone for a seat on this advisory council, please email [email protected].

Member Name Member Seat
Ashley Argrave Smith School teacher or administrator certified in education of the deaf
Debbie Cowan Audiologist with extensive experience in evaluating infants
Paul Remedios Pediatrician
Caitlyn Robinson Representative of the State Department of Education designated by the Superintendent of Education
Susannah Boudreaux Representative of the Office of Public Health designated by the Assistant Secretary of the Office
Jana Broussard Representative from the Louisiana Commission for the Deaf
Natalie Delgado Representative from the Louisiana Association of the Deaf
John Carter Otolaryngologist or otologist
Cynthia Voelker Neonatologist
Jill Hudson Parent of a child who is deaf or hard of hearing using total communication
Lauren Jones A person who is deaf
Shannon Thibodeaux A hospital administrator
Marissa Ramos Speech-language pathologist
Kristen Williams Parent of a child who is oral deaf or hard of hearing

Meeting Information: Schedule, Agendas, and Minutes

The Louisiana Advisory Council for the Early Identification of Deaf and Hard of Hearing Infants is required to hold at least one regular meeting each quarter, as stated in statute. To request an accommodation for a public meeting hosted by the Louisiana Advisory Council for the Early Identification of Deaf and Hard of Hearing Infants, please email [email protected]. Accommodations include, but are not limited to, requests for interpreters, accessible seating, large print, virtual attendance, captioning or CART services, large-print, and more.

Meeting Schedule

2025 Meetings

2024 Meetings
2023 Meetings
2022 Meetings

For more information, contact the Bureau of Family Health Louisiana Early Identification of Deaf and Hard of Hearing Infants Advisory Council Facilitator:

[email protected] | (504) 568-2876
Louisiana Early Hearing Detection and Intervention Program Manager

Surgeon General Evelyn Griffin, MD

Secretary Bruce D. Greenstein

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