Deaf and Hard of Hearing Specialty Program at Minute Man Arc Early Intervention
The cornerstone of The Decibels Foundation’s work is at the Minute Man Arc Early Intervention Hearing Loss Program in Concord, MA. In 2002, Minute Man Arc collaborated with The Decibels Foundation to develop the first Early Intervention Program in Massachusetts to provide comprehensive, on-site services for children with hearing loss (ages 0-3) and their families.
This program was modeled after the highly successfully Thayer Lindsley Program for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Infants and Toddlers at Emerson College in Boston.
The Deaf and Hard of Hearing Specialty Program at Minute Man Arc Early Intervention is dedicated to providing family-centered services, information, and support.
The communication approach emphasizes listening and spoken language. Visual supports include English-based sign language, gestures, pictures and speech reading.
Communication strategies are specific to each child’s unique needs and may change over the course of the Individual Family Service Plan (IFSP) period. Strong parental involvement in all aspects of the program results in the best outcomes.
The program includes:
- A supportive parent-child group for babies and families
- A nurturing toddler playgroup that facilitates and enhances all aspects of the child's development
- A defined, sequential approach to auditory skills and a language curriculum
- Professional staff who are knowledgeable about the unique needs of children with hearing loss and who are licensed in their area of expertise
- A weekly parent support group
- A weekly sign support class.

Programs at Minute Man Arc
Parent-Child Playgroup
This is a comfortable and supportive environment in which to navigate the challenges of raising an infant or toddler with hearing loss. It provides education for parents regarding hearing loss and an opportunity to learn from each other as they move forward. The program is led by a Social Worker and a Developmental Specialist. Parents participate in the group with their child. This group is appropriate for children from birth to approximately 20 months.
Toddler Playgroup
The playgroup is a curriculum-based, dynamic, and language-rich environment with a high staff-to-student ratio. Toddler Playgroup is staffed with Developmental Specialists, Speech and Language Pathologists, a Physical Therapist and a Teacher of the Deaf. Progress is tracked according to individualized goals for each child. The sessions include child-centered play as well as directed activities intended to facilitate all areas of development, with a focus on auditory, speech and language skills.
Accommodations and classroom modifications assure the best access to speech for children with hearing loss. This includes the use of a sound field system for whole group circle, art activity, and snack time, and personal HATS (Hearing Assistive Technology Systems) for children as they approach transition out of Early Intervention. This group is recommended for children from approximately 20 months to 3 years of age. This Playgroup meets twice a week; for maximum benefit, we encourage children to attend both days.
Individual Therapy
The Decibels Foundation cuts through the confusion and connects families with medical programs, support groups, adaptive technology access, and other resources to enable growth and development.
Parent Group
The parent group meets each Wednesday during playgroup to discuss the unique issues involved in raising a child who is deaf or hard of hearing. Parent group includes parents from the Toddler Playgroup and Parent-Child Playgroup. The facilitator is a Social Worker who has significant experience working with the parents of children with hearing loss. Topics for discussion are based on the group’s preference and interests and may include language methodology, transition to preschool, amplification and technology, evaluations and therapy services. Guest speakers may be invited to share information on topics of importance to the group.
Sign Support Class
In the sign support class, parents and other caregivers learn vocabulary from the language curriculum used in the Parent Child Playgroup and Toddler Playgroup settings. Instruction into sign language is intended to support spoken language and is offered remotely.
Program Schedule
- Parent & Child Playgroup: Wednesday 9:00 AM - 10:15 AM
- Parent Group: Wednesday 11:00AM-12:30PM
- Toddler Playgroup: Wednesday and Friday 11:00 AM - 12:30 PM
- Sign Support Class: To be scheduled individually with families
Enrollment
Enrollment is initiated by parents or providers and can occur throughout the year. Children enrolled in any Early Intervention Program in Massachusetts may enroll in this specialized program upon completion of a waiver from the Department of Public Health. Inquiries should be made to Linda Roth at 978-287-7820 or [email protected].
The program is available at no cost to families of children who qualify for Early Intervention services. Funding for the program is provided by insurance companies, MassHealth and the Massachusetts Department of Public Health. The program also receives financial support from The Decibels Foundation, a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit organization which is dedicated to financially sponsoring this program and assuring that support for this population continues as children transition out of EI and into their school district.
For more information about the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Specialty Program at Minute Man Arc Early Intervention Program, please contact:
Linda Roth, Co-Director
[email protected] or 978-287-7820
Kathy Manfield, Co-Director
[email protected]
Meet the Staff the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Specialty Program at Minute Man Arc

Julia Dunning
Julia Dunning, M.Ed. is a founder of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Specialty Program at Minute Man Arc. She is a Specialty Service Provider and has worked at Minute Man Arc since 2002. She has a Master of Education in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. Julia provides individual instruction in introductory sign language to caregivers of deaf and hard of hearing infants and toddlers.
She is the parent of a child who is deaf and is the co-founder of both The Decibels Foundation and the Usher Syndrome Coalition.

Linda Roth
Linda Roth, M. Ed., is a Developmental Specialist and the co-director of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Specialty Program. She has worked at the Minute Man Arc Early Intervention Program since 2004. Linda has a master’s degree in education from Boston College. She co-leads the Parent Child Playgroup and Toddler Playgroup and manages intakes and referrals.
She was a Teacher of the Visually Impaired at Perkins School for the Blind for more than forty years.

Kathy Manfield
Kathy Manfield, MSW, LICSW is a Clinical Social Worker and has worked at Minute Man ARC Early Intervention Program since 2013. She has a master’s degree in social work from Boston College and a graduate certificate in Disability and Health from Suffolk University.
She was a 2018 Fellow with the Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental and related Disorders (LEND) Fellowship Program at the University of Massachusetts Medical School. In addition to her work in early intervention, she is a social worker in the Boston Children’s Hospital Cochlear Implant Program. Kathy is the co-director of the Specialty Service Program for Children who are Deaf and Hard of Hearing at MMA EI program and co-facilitates the Parent Child Playgroup, facilitates the Parent Support Group and provides individual social work support to families as they navigate new systems and journey through raising a child who is deaf or hard of hearing.

Marty Lapointe-Malchik
Marty Lapointe-Malchik, MED is a Teacher of the Deaf and has worked at Minute Man ARC Early Intervention Program since 2010. Her undergraduate degree is in speech pathology and elementary education. She holds a Master of Education of the Deaf from Smith College. She spent an AG Bell Fellowship year at the Tufts New England Medical Cochlear Implant Program. Marty teaches in the toddler playgroup and provides home visits to families in the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Specialty Program at Minute Man Arc.
Marty was the 2022 recipient of the Ellen Kurtzer-White Award, an award presented annually to a person who has made a significant difference in the treatment of young children who are deaf or hard of hearing.

Jessica Goncalves
Jessica Goncalves, MS, CCC-SLP is a Speech-Language Pathologist and has worked at Minute Man Early Intervention Program since 2016. Her undergraduate degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders/Deaf & Hard of Hearing Studies (minor), was completed at the University of New Hampshire. She completed her master’s degree in Speech-Language Pathology at MGH Institute of Health Professions.
Currently, Jessica provides services in the toddler playgroup, center-based speech and language therapy, service coordination and home visits for families in the Minute Man EI catchment area. Jessica is fluent in Portuguese.

Lily Feinberg
Lily Feinberg, MS, CCC-SLP is a Speech-Language Pathologist and has worked at Minute Man Arc Early Intervention since 2021. Her undergraduate degree is in Applied Psychology and Human Development from Boston College, and she completed her master’s degree in Speech-Language Pathology at Boston University.
Lily previously interned at Boston Children’s Hospital in their Deaf and Hard of Hearing Program with Denise Eng. Currently, Lily provides services in the DHH Toddler Playgroup as well as center visits for families in the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Specialty Program and at-home visits for children in the Minute Man catchment area.

Hannah Meloche
Hannah Meloche, MS, CCC-SLP is a Speech-Language Pathologist who has worked at Minute Man Arc Early Intervention since 2023.
She received her undergraduate degree in Psychology and Linguistics from the University of Michigan, then went on to get her master’s in Speech-Language Pathology at Boston University. Hannah currently provides at-home speech and language therapy for children in the Minute Man catchment area, center-based therapy for children in the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Specialty Program, and services in the Toddler Playgroup.

Sarah Shaheen
Sarah Shaheen, PT, DPT is a Physical Therapist and has been working with Minute Man Arc Early Intervention since 2016. She holds a Doctor of Physical Therapy degree from MGH Institute of Health Professions.
She has been involved in the toddler playgroup since February 2018 to help address gross and fine motor concerns and to help improve mobility and access to age-appropriate movement activities.

Honore Weiner
Honore Weiner, Ed. D, CCC-SLP has been a consultant to the Hearing Loss program since 2008 and also works with families in the transition process. She has a doctorate degree in Special Education from Boston College.
Honore has more than fifty years combined experience in program development, consultation to schools, professional training and support, student assessment and direct service for children with hearing loss. She has provided training and supervision for staff in the Specialty Service Program for Children who are Deaf and Hard of Hearing.
Support after Early Intervention
The Decibels Foundation supports children with hearing loss from infancy through high school. Dr. Honore Weiner, the foundation’s Education Specialist, works with children and families as they make their transition from Early Intervention to Preschool and on throughout their school years, upon the request of their parents.
With more than 40 years of experience in educational programming for children with hearing loss, Dr. Honore Weiner provides essential supports to not only the child and parent, but to teachers and school professionals as well.
Dr. Weiner’s consultation services may include, but are not limited to:
- Program evaluation
- Program development and management
- Inservice training for staff
- Observation and feedback meetings with administrators, teachers, specialists and support staff
- Training on specific accommodations, strategies and methods
- Discussions regarding specific issues or concerns, including changes in students’ profile, needs and services
Consultation to school programs is intended to provide information, recommendations, training and support regarding the needs of children with hearing loss, including functional assessment of the acoustic environment(s), understanding and implementation of appropriate accommodations, modifications, strategies and methodologies, consistency of implementation of approaches across contexts and settings, consideration of alternative instructional opportunities and decision-making regarding placement and services.
Dr. Weiner’s ‘go-to-site’ for high quality and comprehensive resources for both professionals and families supporting the success of children with hearing loss is Supporting Success for kids with hearing loss.