The “Guide-By-Your-Side” Program

1. The “Guide-By-Your-Side” Program -One Year in Review-March 3-5, 2005National EHDI Conference

2. Wisconsin • 23rd Largest State • 72 counties • Total Population:5,427,299 • Live Births: 68,510 • SE Region: 2,020,318 • N + W Region: 560,788 NORTHERN WESTERN NORTHEASTERN SEastern Southern

3. The Need • Many Early Intervention Providers have little or no experience working with very young children who are deaf or hard of hearing and their families. • Parents want immediate contact with another parent.

4. B-3 Consultants Early Intervention Parents Guide-By-Your-Side Program Bottom’s-up Approach

5. CHL Form initiates simultaneous referrals Guide-By-Your-Side Program Early Intervention Introducing Guide-By-Your-Side Contacts family within 24 -48 hrs Contact with family happens within first month Joint visit occurs whenever possible

6. Program Fundamentals • Core Fundamentals • Unbiased Support and Information • Cultural Sensitivity • Direct Communication • Flexibility • Links to Resources

7. Parent Guides can help... Goal 1: Provide parents with the opportunity to establish asupportive relationship with an experienced parent of a child who is deaf /hard of hearing soon after they learn of their child’s hearing loss.

8. Parent Guides can help... Goal 2: Provide an understanding of the unique needs of infants who are deaf or hard of hearing. Goal 3: Provide unbiased information regarding communication options. Goal 4: Link families to resources available locally,regionally, and statewide.

9. Parent Guides can help... Goal 5: Ensure that families are linked to their county Birth to 3 Program or local school district. Goal 6: Ensure that families are connected to other parent to parent resources. - Parent guides are NOT advocates. Parent Guides can connect families with the WI Chapter of Families for Hands and Voices for advocacy or on-going parent to parent support.

10. Program Statistics 2004 30 referrals 16 active cases 10 closed cases 4 “lost” cases

11. Program Successes Guide Perspective: -trainings and case conferences -new families know GBYS -high level of comfort -ability to provide emotional support -ability to link families to resources -ability to impact the system

12. Program Successes Family Perspective: -Guide is a parent, not another professional -flexibility, i.e. meeting in family’s home in the evening or over the weekend -high level of comfort -information and insights always very helpful -Guides return with more information -Guides provide a “light at the end of the tunnel”

13. Program Challenges Guide Perspective: -timeline -WE-TRAC delays -lack of statewide resource knowledge -phone cards / payment for phone calls -payment for travel -limited to six hours

14. Program Challenges Family Perspective: We would like on-going visits with our Guides!

15. Future Directions • Continued recruitment and retainment • On-going training for Parent Guides • Develop GBYS policies and procedures manual • Continue to challenge systems and boundaries • Provide technical assistance to other states

16. What families say… “As soon as she walked through the door and we saw her understanding smile we felt immediately at ease.” “Our Guide is like a light at the end of the tunnel…a promise that everything will be alright.”

17. WESP-Outreach Program Birth-6 Services Coordinator / GBYS Program Coordinator Sally-Ann Anderson Phone: (608) 266-7032 Fax: (608) 267-3746 sally-ann.anderson@wesp-dhh.wi.gov Program Contacts • WSB Program Director Elizabeth Seeliger Phone: (608) 267-9191 Fax: (608) 267-3824 seeliel@dhfs.state.wi.us

18. Works for Families! The Guide-By-Your-Side Program...