SD EHDI Collaborative

02/20/2026

Nice work Michigan!

Putting the "Universal" in Newborn Hearing Screening: An audiologist co-creates a program to equip midwives with screening equipment, flagging hearing issues that may otherwise be missed. Read more in The Leader: https://at.asha.org/US

02/10/2026

South Dakota has a similar process, leading to the inclusion of universal newborn hearing screening in South Dakota, beginning in June 2024.

The Minnesota Newborn Screening Program tests around 60,000 babies per year for signs of more than 60 health conditions. These conditions, listed in the Minnesota Newborn Screening Panel, include genetic disorders such as phenylketonuria, hearing loss, critical congenital heart disease, and the infe...

02/09/2026

Thank you Dr. Miller and SDSD for educating our future professionals!

SDSD audiologist Dr. Kristine Miller had the opportunity to present to graduate students in the Audiology for Speech Language Pathology course at the University of South Dakota. She covered topics such as hearing screenings and FM systems. It was a wonderful experience to engage with future speech-language pathologists and share valuable insights from her experience in audiology. The session highlighted the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration between audiologists and speech-language pathologists in supporting individuals with hearing and communication needs.

02/06/2026

Rapid City area folks

🍕🎉 Rapid City area! Family Fun Night with SDSD & SDDROP!
Join us for pizza 🍕, great company 🤝, and bingo 🎯 — all the good stuff in one night.

💙 Bring the whole family and come hang out with us!

Pizza 🍕 ✔️
Friends 🤗 ✔️
Bingo 🎯 ✔️
Sounds like a perfect night! ✨

We can’t wait to see you there! 😊

Please RSVP by filling out the Google form below:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSf_XRhAyhvQamsgpgK4uvflvFfoNKaP-piMwUqvV8kNgEosnA/viewform

02/06/2026

A healthy start begins prenatally.

Make plans now to join us on February 10 for the monthly ECCS Touchpoints webinar. This month's presentation is "BabyReady in South Dakota: How Enhanced Medicaid Prenatal Care Delivers Better Beginnings" presented by Valerie Kelly, SD Department of Social Services.

https://sdcpcm.com/events/eccs-touchpoints-0210/

In this presentation, Valerie Kelly, Program Manager, demystifies South Dakota’s BabyReady program—Medicaid’s enhanced approach to prenatal and postpartum care. She’ll cover the “why” behind the model, the “how” of clinic enrollment and care coordination, and the early signals of impact on maternal and infant outcomes. Attendees will see what implementation looks like on the ground, barrier-reduction strategies, and cross-sector partner roles.

01/23/2026

Start planning for the summer!

SDSD is thrilled to share registration is open for our Hands in Motion Summer Program!
Register here: https://forms.gle/VrNKQTZFgmzV5vqFA

The program will run from July 6 – July 31, Mondays through Fridays, 8:30-11:30 in Sioux Falls at John Harris Elementary. Your child does not have to attend the whole month – sign up for whatever works for their summer schedules.

This program is an opportunity for students who are Deaf and Hard of Hearing ages 2 through 5th grade to see and hang out with others who are just like them. Classrooms are led by Teachers of the Deaf with support from support staff with Deaf and Hard of Hearing experience.

Research shows that programs like this are important because they give students the chance to meet peers who communicate like them, helping them feel a sense of belonging and pride in who they are. Seeing other children who are D/HH and adults helps them build a strong self-identity and understand that they are not alone.

If your child is older, we welcome teens to volunteer to be that role model for the students. Reach out if your teen would be interested in volunteering for a day.

Reach out with any questions! Looking forward to another great summer!

01/12/2026

Tomorrow, Tuesday January 13th!

Make plans to join us for the first ECCS Touchpoints webinar of 2026! On January 13, join us online for "Safe Sleep" presented by Laurel Rick, SD Department of Health.

https://sdcpcm.com/events/eccs-touchpoints-0113/

01/12/2026

An exciting professional development opportunity is available through a collaboration with the University of South Dakota (USD) and the South Dakota DeafBlind Project. During the Spring of 2026, offering Communication Strategies and Life Planning for Success. The courses will run from January 6 - April 14, 2026.

Course 2: Communication Strategies. The key principle of this course is that all students communicate. This course includes content from the following Open Hands, Open Access modules: Touch for Connection and Communication, Understanding Communication Principles, Emergent Communication, Progressing from Non-symbolic to Symbolic Communication & Complex Language, Introduction to Sign Language & Braille, Concept Development and Responsive Environments and Calendars.

This course will combine weekly online learning with four synchronous meetings. Meetings will be on Tuesdays from 6 -8 PM CST on the following dates: January 6, February 3, March 3, and April 7.

Course 4: Deafblindness: Life Planning for Success. The course provides an overview of curricular options and instructional strategies to promote student success in school and beyond, and to ensure that all students successfully transition from school to adulthood. The course includes content from the following Open Hands, Open Access modules: Transition to Adulthood and Community Living, Self-Determination, Social Skills and Peer Relationships, Sexuality, and Collaborative Teaming and Family Partnerships. The course focuses on fully integrating the module content above to prepare students who are deafblind to be actively engaged in communities of their choice.

This course will combine weekly online learning with four synchronous meetings.
All meetings will be on Tuesdays from 6 - 8 PM CST on the following dates: January 13, February 10, March 10, and April 14.

Register here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/professional-development-concentration-in-deafblindness-tickets-1787125202589?aff=oddtdtcreator

Professional Development Series for Educators and Related Service Providers. Concentration in Deafblindness & High Intensity Support Needs

01/11/2026

Applications due 1/16.

📣 A new offering from CPCM's Early Childhood Comprehensive System Collaborative!

🚸 For all who work with and care for young children — early educators, human service professionals, health care providers, early intervention specialists, and parents.

💻 Growing Together is an eight-week, online master class designed to deepen professional understanding of child development through exploratory practice — a reflective, inquiry-based approach to learning from one’s own experiences. Participants will engage in meaningful self-study and shared inquiry to collectively explore essential questions about children, families, and their own professional identities.

Applications are now being accepted, with the course set to begin in March. Learn more at https://sdcpcm.com/eccs/growing-together-master-class/.

01/11/2026

Children's Day at the capitol January 21st and 22nd in Pierre.

01/10/2026

An upcoming event for those in the Pine Ridge area with young children.

Free car seat distribution in Pine Ridge!

Safety first! 🚗 Great Plains Generational Health Programs and OST Childcare are teaming up to provide free car seats to families in Pine Ridge, SD. Join us on January 15th, 2026, from 2:00pm to 4:00pm at the Health Administration Building next to the airport. Car seats will be distributed during provider check disbursement times. Don’t miss this opportunity to keep your little ones safe on the road!

01/09/2026

Great education for parents and those who work with young children!

Make plans to join us for the first ECCS Touchpoints webinar of 2026! On January 13, join us online for "Safe Sleep" presented by Laurel Rick, SD Department of Health.

https://sdcpcm.com/events/eccs-touchpoints-0113/