Mrs Suzie Costello1
1Earbus Foundation of WA, Wembley, Australia
This session introduces Earbus Foundation of Western Australia and how it collaborates with the Western Australian State Government and other providers to deliver the Newborn Hearing Screening Program under a partnership model in WA.
The presentation explores the diagnostic outcomes observed using the data collated over the three years of operation; discusses overcoming the practical challenges of operating a partnership model; provides an overview to the ‘intimate’ approach to parent management and demonstrates the cost-effectiveness of providing newborn hearing screening in this way.
The collaborative approach has ensured babies supported by this model have entered the early intervention pathway, where this has been necessary, well within three months of age. This model has application that may be beneficial to others.
Biography:
Suzie started her career working in a range of roles in the WA State Government Department of Community Services before moving interstate and internationally. Her experience has been in corporate business capacity across a number of sectors including health and community. Prior to Earbus was employed within a specialist Learning Support Unit in Edinburgh UK developing and delivering programs to children and adults with special needs and disabilities. Suzie is employed as the Newborn Hearing Screening Program Manager and is proud to be behind this stable, reliable and effective screening program for families birthing in private hospitals in WA.
