Pediatric Audiology Competitive Supplement to Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental and Related Disabilities (LEND)

This notice announces the opportunity for current Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental and Related Disabilities (LEND) program recipients to apply for funding under the Pediatric Audiology Competitive Supplement to the LEND program. This supplement will support the clinical and leadership training of pediatric audiology trainees within LEND programs as well as continuing education for practicing professionals. Each recipient will train an average of 2 long-term, pediatric audiology trainees each year, for a minimum total of 10 long-term, pediatric audiology trainees by the end of the 5-year period of performance. The program aims to achieve the following goals:
• to strengthen the focus on screening, treatment, and follow-up in infants and young children who are deaf or hard-of-hearing (DHH) and who have or are at risk for autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and/or other developmental disabilities (DD);
• to increase the number of pediatric audiologists with clinical and leadership skills and expertise in delivering care to infants and young children with ASD/DD, utilizing these unique skills to work across disciplines to better serve children with hearing loss and their families; and
• to increase the Early Hearing Detection and Intervention (EHDI) systems’1 capacity to serve infants/children who are DHH and who have or are at risk for ASD/DD by providing technical assistance.