Community Outreach
The Center for Hearing and Communication offers indirect and direct support for people who are hard of hearing, deaf, and deaf-blind in their struggles to gain communication and other access in places of public accommodation, the workplace, and government facilities. We offer programs designed to educate both consumers and the general public, providing information needed to make access a reality.
Working with coalitions of organizations representing people who are deaf and hard of hearing on the local, state, and national level, as well as working independently, the Center provides vital input on issues related to people with hearing loss to Federal, State and Local government offices, by responding to requests for written comments, by providing public testimony, conducting workshops and initiating as well as supporting proposed legislation.
Consumers, organizations and businesses are encouraged to contact us for information, referral, training, and for direct assistance at (917) 305-7809 or aboyle@chchearing.org.
Mobile Hearing Test Unit
The Center operates a Mobile Hearing Test Unit that takes to the streets of NYC to promote hearing health through hearing loss detection, prevention, conservation, and education. To date, over 250,000 infants, children and adults have had a hearing screening on board our Mobile Hearing Test Unit.
We invite individuals, foundations, and other organizations to become a sponsor of the Mobile Unit and bring hearing healthcare to your employees or local community.
- Employee Benefit: Offer hearing screenings as a valuable hearing health benefit to your employees or members of your organization. Detecting hearing loss will benefit employee communication and productivity.
- Community Outreach: Sponsor the Mobile Unit to visit schools, health fairs, community events, city parks and any other citywide destinations. Disseminate information on company products while offering a community service, display corporate signage, and take advantage of this press worthy story – pitch media surrounding the sponsorship.
- Project PATH (Preschool Access to Hearing): Through generous foundation and private support, the Center launched a program in 2005 to screen preschoolers for hearing loss. To date, more than 11,000 preschoolers have been screened throughout underserved New York City neighborhoods. Early diagnosis and treatment of hearing loss is critical to successful development of a child's linguistic, cognitive, social, and emotional skills. With early intervention and timely treatment, every New York City child can have the opportunity to realize his or her full potential.
Learn more about the Mobile Hearing Test Unit.
Advocacy
The Center for Hearing and Communication offers indirect and direct support for people who are hard of hearing, deaf, and deaf-blind in their struggles to gain communication and other access in places of public accommodation, the workplace, and government facilities. We offer programs designed to educate both consumers and the general public, providing information needed to make access a reality.
Working with coalitions of organizations representing people who are deaf and hard of hearing on the local, state, and national level, as well as working independently, CHC provides vital input on issues related to people with hearing loss to Federal, State and Local government offices, by responding to requests for written comments, by providing public testimony, conducting workshops and initiating as well as supporting proposed legislation.
Consumers, organizations and businesses are encouraged to contact us for information, referral, training, and for direct assistance.
We'd like to acknowledge the significant contribution made by a.b.c./advocates for better communication in the area of advocacy for the communication needs of the 38 million Americans who have a hearing loss. This volunteer group, allied with CHC, has advocated for people with hearing loss since 1991. Members work for hearing access in many areas including phones, TV, theaters, movies, restaurants, hospitals, museums and travel locally, throughout the US and overseas. "For Consumers with Hearing Loss: A Kit for Better Healthcare Access" can be downloaded using the link at the bottom of this page. For more information about a.b.c.'s activities go to a.b.c. Reports. Please address your consumer advocacy questions to aboyle@chchearing.org.
Hear Again by Arlene Romoff
Hear Again: Back to Life with a Cochlear Implant is must reading for hearing healthcare professionals, students and consumers interested in learning about hearing loss and cochlear implants.
Arlene Romoff's remarkable story begins with the onset of hearing loss at the age of twenty with no known cause or cure at that time. A gradual descent into deafness follows until hope emerges in the form of a new, cutting-edge technology: the cochlear implant. In Hear Again, Arlene shares her extraordinary story with exceptional insight, candor and humor.
Hear Again is available for purchase at the Center for Hearing and Communication with all proceeds going to CHC.
Click here to read reviews and purchase this book.
The Marjorie Carr Adams Center
for Public Information on Hearing and Deafness
The Marjorie Carr Adams Center for Public Information on Hearing and Deafness, integral to CHC’s Public Education Department, helps people connect to vital information around issues of hearing health, and the programs and services of the Center for Hearing and Communication. Tens of thousands of inquiries from professionals, families, and individuals seeking information and guidance about hearing loss and hearing health come from across the country and around the world, and every single query receives a response. Whether it is communication accessibility, ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) entitlements, education advocacy, or healthcare access and emergency planning, thousands of people annually gain help and hope through the Center’s public education workshops, seminars, hearing health fairs, inservice presentations, and community outreach efforts.
We respond to inquiries about hearing loss, including media requests, by phone, mail and email daily. A public education helpline - (877) 544-4327 - makes it easy to access information, support, and education. You'll find our website is a rich educational resource for information on hearing health and hearing conservation.
Center for Healthcare Access
The purpose of the Center for Health Care Access (CHCA) is to ensure that health and mental health care facilities and services are accessible to people who are hard of hearing, deaf or deaf-blind. CHCA is a service of the Center for Hearing and Communication and was established in 1995 under a grant from the New York State Department of Health.
Is your health care facility accessible to people who are hard of hearing, deaf or deaf/blind? Accessibility is a basic need and right, not a privilege!
Is Your Healthcare Facility Accessible?
Healthcare Provider Multimedia Training Program
"For Consumers with Hearing Loss: A Kit for Better Healthcare Access" - This kit includes information about consumer's hearing accessibility rights, the equipment and services you are entitled to receive, and how to access them. Includes communication tips sheet, over-the-bed placard, instructions sheets and more. Click below to download this valuable resource tool.
"Hearing Healthcare Program for Medical Facilities" - This kit is designed for use by healthcare facilities to make their premises accessible to persons with hearing loss. Click below to download.
| Attachment | Size |
|---|---|
| Consumers_with_Hearing_ Loss_Healthcare_Access_Kit.pdf | 208.69 KB |
| Hearing_Healthcare_Program_Medical_Facilities.pdf | 250.5 KB |
