DorlandHealth

In this sit-down with an industry leader, we direct the spotlight to Donna Wallace, MSW, LCSW, who developed a family counseling program with a preventive orientation to address the social and emotional needs of students who are deaf or hard of hearing in Broward County, Fla., schools. In addition, Donna has a private practice serving adults who are deaf. Anne Llewellyn talked with Donna about her work. Ms. Wallace may be reached at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Q: Can you share your role as a social worker in this specific segment of health care?

A: Social workers show up in a variety of settings these days — in hospitals, nursing homes, mental health agencies, schools and businesses. As the world becomes more complex and demanding, the pressure to stay the course and to produce as much or more than those around us intensifies. This is especially true in our schools. The job of educators is to prepare the leaders of tomorrow. Federal legislation in the guise of “No Child Left Behind” attempts to ensure that all children are educated and ready for the challenges ahead.

Q: What’s at stake with conditions like those you see in the Broward School System?

A: Children with special needs present unique challenges. Depending on the disability, children with special needs may require a variety of support services to ensure that they are not left behind. Deaf and hard of hearing children most often need support services to access the academic curriculum and to address specific areas impacted by hearing loss, which affects approximately 17 in 1,000 children under the age of 18.

Approximately two out of every 1,000 children in the United States are born deaf or hard of hearing. Ninety percent of these children are born to hearing parents, the majority of whom have never known anyone with a hearing loss. Given the low incidence of this handicapping condition, it might be safe to assume that the level of services in place to assist these families would be minimal. This assumption would be incorrect.

Q: What services are available?

A: In Florida, state law requires that all newborns be screened for hearing loss. If a loss is identified, parents are referred to an audiologist for a follow-up screening. A documented hearing loss in an infant triggers referrals to hearing specialists, who are usually certified educators in the field of deaf education. These educators provide information regarding hearing loss to the families.After these initial contacts, a referral is made to the Department of Education (DOE), and the child is evaluated for eligibility in the deaf and hard of hearing program. The Individual Family Service Plan (IFSP) documents this eligibility, and the DOE provides services for the child from birth through two years of age.

The most advanced school systems recognize that it takes a team effort to address the needs of parents as well as the child with hearing loss. Best practice models most often include clinical social workers as well as teachers. Social workers provide emotional support for families as they become experts in navigating the system in place to meet their child’s educational needs. In addition to working with individual families, social workers establish and facilitate parent groups to promote networking and reduce the sense of isolation parents so often feel.

Q: What is a typical process you might see?

A: The work of educating a child with hearing loss begins early. Hearing loss impacts language development and speech. Language helps to ensure socialization and sound mental health. In essence, language is our connection to the world. The impact of hearing loss becomes most evident as a child approaches his or her third birthday. Delays in language and speech development may persist despite early intervention and hearing aids or cochlear implants.

Prior to age three, the deaf or hard of hearing child is evaluated and an Individual Education Plan (IEP) is written. This document assures a Free and Appropriate Education (FAPE) to a child with a disability under the Individuals with Disability Education Act (IDEA). Then, the best placement to address the areas of need identified in the evaluation is determined. Parents are not required to send their child to school at age three, but most choose to do so in an effort to bridge the gap created by the hearing loss.

 

Students with hearing loss often present as immature and impulsive, having missed the social cues so easily accessed by hearing children.

Preschoolers may receive counseling as a related service in the IEP to address social and emotional needs. Counseling is most often provided in a small group setting with a clinical social worker skilled in working with deaf or hard of hearing individuals. These professionals work closely with parents and teachers to help ensure a successful school experience for the child with hearing loss.

Clinical social workers will continue to provide supportive services as the student progresses from elementary grades to middle school. Students with hearing loss often present as immature and impulsive, having missed the social cues so easily accessed by hearing children. A deaf or hard of hearing child in middle school may present with identity issues impacted by the hearing loss. These students are seen in individual or group counseling sessions facilitated by a social worker.

High school is most often the area where the hearing loss is confronted again by both parents and their child, as the student begins the huge transition to the world of work or post-secondary education. Social workers provide that “go to” place for these students as they struggle with all of the issues of young adulthood.

Q: In summary, can you describe this specific role?

A: Clinical social workers in the field of deaf education are unique individuals with specialized training in deaf culture and skills in manual communication. They recognize the challenges faced by the newly identified deaf or hard of hearing child, and they work to provide the support needed to ensure that those challenges are successfully met.