How can families in under-resourced communities access timely, culturally responsive hearing care for infants who are deaf or hard of hearing?

Corey Dion Lewis is joined by Pamela Rowe, MA, CCC-SLP, and Dr. Lauren Ramsey to unpack the barriers that shape early hearing care and where teleaudiology can improve access.

You will hear:

How health literacy, transportation, and mistrust delay early care
How policy and insurance shape pediatric hearing access
Why trusted relationships drive long-term engagement
Where teleaudiology fits and where it does not
Practical steps providers, advocates, and policymakers can take now

This episode is for professionals and advocates working in maternal and child health, health policy, early intervention, and community-based care.

Show Notes
0:00 – Welcome and why early hearing care is a health equity issue
1:10 – Meet Pamela Rowe and Dr. Lauren Ramsey
3:00 – The current landscape of early hearing care access
5:20 – Health literacy gaps and family navigation challenges
8:10 – Transportation and time barriers for follow-up visits
11:00 – Medical mistrust and why relationships matter
14:30 – Insurance and policy drivers of access
18:00 – What teleaudiology can solve for families
21:10 – Limits of virtual care and where in-person still leads
24:00 – Building culturally responsive systems and workflows
27:10 – Action steps for providers
30:00 – Action steps for policymakers and advocates
33:00 – What success looks like for infants and families
35:10 – Closing and how to connect

About the Guests
Pamela Rowe, MA, CCC-SLP

Speech-language pathologist, public health consultant, and advocate for equitable access to communication services
Founder of a private practice serving diverse populations

Dr. Lauren Ramsey

Public health researcher and consultant with 20+ years of experience in maternal and child health, health equity, and disparities in care access

Links and Resources
Connect with Pamela Rowe on LinkedIn
Connect with Dr. Lauren Ramsey on LinkedIn
Contact: hello@healthyprojectmedia.com
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Share this episode with one person working in maternal and child health or early intervention.

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