Services delivered: IHP American sign language service provider
Component: Early Intervention
Legislation: Child, Youth and Family Services Act, 2017
Service description
In support of delivery of the Infant Hearing Program (IHP), the IHP American Sign Language (ASL) provider supports coordination and delivery of family-centred evidence-based IHP ASL services across the province in accordance with the Language Development Services Guidelines Ontario Infant Hearing Program Version 2018.01.
People served
Services are provided to families with children from birth until a child is transitioned to school or age six. The IHP ASL provider will focus services on children confirmed with Permanent Hearing Loss (PHL) through the screening and assessment program components of the IHP and their families.
Program/service features
Delivered by a Lead Agency, the IHP ASL Provider supports families who have selected ASL as a language of communication in light of confirmed PHL in a child to gain the skills necessary to support language development in the home. This service is provided through the role of the ASL Consultant.
Specific service provided
The following program components must be delivered in accordance with the IHP Guidance Documents and Protocols, 2021 and the Language Development Services Guidelines Ontario Infant Hearing Program Version 2018.01
- provide information about language development
- identify the language development pathway
- identify the language development team for a child and their family along with continued participation using multidisciplinary collaborative approaches to service delivery
- support the creation and continued update of the Communication Development Plan (CDP) for individual children with PHL and their families
- implement language development services
- measure progress in the language development services identified in the Communication Development Plan CDP
- re-assess, re-evaluate, and re-establish goals and objectives, as needed, with the multi-disciplinary team to support the child’s transition to school
Services are child and family-centred and support the diverse needs of families in a way that is culturally safe, promotes equity, anti-racism, and anti-oppression.
Program goals
The goals of the IHP ASL Service Providers are to
- provide infants with confirmed PHL and their families with the necessary intervention services to support the development of language
- give infants and children with PHL the opportunity for the best start in life by preparing them for social and academic success to the best of their abilities
Ministry expectations
IHP services are delivered according to the protocols, guidance documents and guidelines listed or any subsequent updated versions (or any other supporting policy documents provided by the ministry)
- Ontario Infant Hearing Program: A Guidance Document, 2021 Version 2021.01
- IHP Hearing Screening Protocol and Support Document Version 2019.01
- IHP Protocol for Auditory Brainstem Response – Based Audiological Assessment (ABRA) Version 2020.01
- Protocol for Audiological Surveillance of Children at Risk for Permanent Hearing Loss Version 2019.01
- IHP Protocol for Audiometric Assessment for Children aged 6 to 60 months version 2019.01
- Protocol for the Provision of Amplification Version 2019.01
- Language Development Services Guidelines Ontario Infant Hearing Program Version 2018.02
Program targets
- 90% of children referred receive initial language assessment within four weeks
- 100% of children receiving IHP ASL services that had outcomes measured every six months
- 100% of children who are discharged to attend school with transition to school plans in place
Reporting requirements
The following service data will be reported on at an Interim and Final period. Please refer to your final agreement for report back due dates.
| Service data name | Definition |
|---|---|
| Ministry-funded agency expenditures: IHP American Sign Language Service Provider | Total ministry-funded expenses for the Transfer Payment Recipient to administer and/or deliver this service in the Funding Year (cumulative). |
| # of Individuals Referred (Total): IHP ASL SP | The total number of children referred to IHP ASL services, during the reporting period. |
| Average Age of Individuals Referred (in Months): IHP ASL SP | The average age (in months) of children referred to IHP ASL services, during the reporting period. |
| # of Individuals on Wait List (Total): IHP ASL SP | The total number of children currently waiting for IHP ASL services, following a referral, as of the reporting period. Children on a wait list are those who have not yet been assigned to an ASL Consultant. |
| Average Wait Time from Referral to Service Initiation (Average # of Days): IHP ASL SP | The average number of days waited from referral by the IHP Lead Agencies to the initiation of IHP ASL services during the reporting period. Service initiation refers to the date of the child's first appointment with an IHP ASL Consultant. |
| # of Individuals in Active Service that are in a Trial Period (Total): IHP ASL SP | The total number of children in active IHP ASL services, who are in a trial period, during the reporting period. Trial period refers to a limited period of time that a child is receiving both signed and spoken language development services provided by IHP. The purpose of the trial is to determine which language pathway a child will follow through IHP. |
| # of Individuals Referred who Received an Initial Language Assessment within Four Weeks (Total): IHP ASL SP | The total number of children referred for IHP ASL services who received an initial language assessment to establish the child’s language baseline within four weeks of receipt of the referral, during the reporting period. |
| # of Individuals Referred who Received an Initial Language Assessment (Total): IHP ASL SP | The total number of children referred for IHP ASL services who received an initial language assessment to establish the child’s language baseline, during the reporting period. |
| # of Individuals in Active Service (Total): IHP ASL SP | The total number of children in active IHP ASL services, during the reporting period. This refers to the children receiving ASL intervention services and should exclude those not in active services (e.g., on hold, waiting for services). |
| # of Individuals Served that had Outcomes Measured (Total): IHP ASL SP | The total number of children receiving IHP ASL services that had outcomes measured regularly during the reporting period. |
| # of Individuals who had their Outcomes Measured that met their Language Milestones (Total): IHP ASL SP | The total number of children receiving IHP ASL services who had their outcomes measured that met their language milestones, during the reporting period. |
| # of Individuals Discharged from IHP ASL Services (Total): IHP ASL SP | The total number of children who are discharged from IHP ASL services, for any reason, during the reporting period. |
| # of Individuals Discharged from IHP ASL Services that met their Age-Appropriate Language Milestones (Total): IHP ASL SP | The total number of children who are discharged from IHP ASL services, for any reason, who met their age-appropriate language milestones, during the reporting period. |
| # of Individuals Discharged to School Entry with Transition to School Plans (Total): IHP ASL SP | The total number of children who are discharged from IHP ASL services to attend school at either the JK, SK, or Grade 1 level, who have transition to school plans in place, during the reporting period. |
| # of Individuals Discharged to School Entry (JK, SK, or Gr 1) (Total) | The total number of children who are discharged from IHP ASL Services to enter school at either the JK, SK, or Grade 1 level, during the reporting period. |
A supplementary report providing additional information about these services may be required (reporting template and dates to be provided separately).