Early Hearing Detection and Intervention State/Territory Program

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, through the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) and its Maternal and Child Health Bureau (MCHB), administers the Early Hearing Detection and Intervention (EHDI) State/Territory Program. This program is grounded in federal law under Title III of the Public Health Service Act and was reauthorized by the Early Hearing Detection and Intervention Act of 2022. The program represents a longstanding federal commitment to improving the health, developmental, and language outcomes of children who are deaf or hard of hearing (DHH) from birth through age three. It builds on a history of efforts to achieve universal newborn hearing screening and expands to emphasize early diagnosis, enrollment in intervention services, and long-term language acquisition outcomes. The primary purpose of the EHDI State/Territory Program is to strengthen and expand the infrastructure that ensures infants and young children who are DHH are identified early and connected promptly to appropriate care. Specifically, the program supports statewide systems to achieve the “1-3-6” benchmarks: completion of newborn hearing screening by one month of age, diagnostic audiological evaluation by three months, and enrollment in early intervention services by six months. Grantees are expected to increase system capacity to provide comprehensive services, strengthen family-to-family and DHH adult-to-family supports, enhance provider education, and improve coordination among agencies. The ultimate goal is to improve language acquisition and developmental outcomes while reducing loss to follow-up and disparities in care. The funding opportunity provides approximately $13.9 million annually to support up to 59 state and territorial EHDI programs, including states, the District of Columbia, U.S. territories, and freely associated states. Each award includes a base allocation of up to $235,000 annually, with an optional additional $75,000 available for the EHDI Innovation Project, bringing the potential maximum to $310,000 per year. The period of performance is five years, running from April 1, 2024 through March 31, 2029. Cost sharing or matching is not required. HRSA emphasizes that continuation of support depends on annual appropriations, satisfactory progress, and compliance with program objectives. Eligibility is broad and includes state governments, the District of Columbia, U.S. territories, and certain Pacific jurisdictions. Public and private entities, including community-based and tribal organizations, are also eligible to apply. HRSA encourages applications that demonstrate strong collaboration among health departments, family support organizations, providers, and early intervention systems. Applicants must demonstrate capacity to collect and report data, track language acquisition outcomes, engage families meaningfully, and integrate services with other child health and development systems. Applications were due November 6, 2023, with an expected project start date of April 1, 2024. Submissions are completed through Grants.gov, and applicants must be registered in both Grants.gov and SAM.gov systems. HRSA strongly encouraged potential applicants to attend a technical assistance webinar held in August 2023. Required components of the application include a detailed project narrative, budget and budget justification, performance objectives aligned with program benchmarks, and documentation of partnerships and letters of support. Proposals are reviewed using HRSA’s established criteria, which consider the strength of the project design, evidence of meaningful family and stakeholder engagement, organizational capacity, and the potential for measurable improvements in outcomes. Applications are evaluated competitively, and awards are made contingent on the availability of funds. Successful applicants will be required to collect and report performance data annually, participate in national EHDI learning collaboratives, and ensure alignment with HRSA’s strategic priorities for maternal and child health. This opportunity is recurring on an annual basis, consistent with HRSA’s multi-year EHDI funding cycle, with the next anticipated round expected to open in summer 2024.