Hearing Loss Association of America (Official Page)

03/30/2026

Last week, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) released its inaugural Strategic Plan for Disability Health Research. HLAA has had direct input into this policy at the highest levels through Executive Director Barbara Kelley’s service in the NIH Disability Health Research Working Group of the organization’s Council of Councils. We are confident this strategic plan is designed in a way that promotes innovative, responsible, person-centered research to effectively support the health needs, goals and well-being of all people with disabilities in the United States.

Learn more: https://dpcpsi.nih.gov/disabilityhealthresearch/strategicplan

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is pleased to share the NIH Strategic Plan for Disability Health Research FY26-FY30.This new plan provides a comprehensive roadmap to advance innovative, responsible research that promotes the health and well-being of Americans with disabilities.

03/27/2026

We’re coming to Westchester/Rockland! Go the distance for hearing health as we celebrate our community at the Walk4Hearing. Rally your friends, family and supporters for a day of family fun activities and fundraising for local hearing health programs. Mark your calendars for May 17th and sign up today: https://ow.ly/Nnu550YzUgH

03/26/2026

Even though Early Bird registration ended last week, you can still save your spot at the Convention through May 18 at https://cvent.me/NMoYMx.

Want to join us for the Convention, June 10-12? Today's the last day to get Early Bird rates! Register by 11:59 p.m. EDT at hearingloss.org/convention

Save on the full program or single day passes, plus special hotel room rates ($199/single or double) and reduced parking fees ($20/overnight or $15 day). We'll see you in Louisville!

03/25/2026

The 2026 Walk4Hearing is underway. Go the distance for hearing health with us!

Since 2006, HLAA’s Walk4Hearing has brought together individuals and families with hearing loss in support of local programs across the U.S. People of all ages enjoy fun activities, explore assistive technologies and raise funds and awareness in their communities. Grab your friends, join (or start) a team and participate with our nationwide community in action!

Find a Walk: walk4hearing.org/find-a-walk

03/24/2026

Want to know the story behind Auracast broadcast audio? HLAA's Industry-Consumer Alliance for Accessible Technology (ICAAT) Tech Forum shared this recent article detailing its development, evolution and applications, from the Bluetooth Special Interest Group blog:
https://allianceforaccess.org/announcement/history-and-development-auracast-broadcast-audio

03/20/2026

Spring is heating up with the 2026 HLAA Walk4Hearing, hearing health legislation, our annual convention and new webinars! 🎉 Read and subscribe to our monthly Hearing Life e-news: hearingloss.org/e-news

03/16/2026

Want to join us for the Convention, June 10-12? Today's the last day to get Early Bird rates! Register by 11:59 p.m. EDT at hearingloss.org/convention

Save on the full program or single day passes, plus special hotel room rates ($199/single or double) and reduced parking fees ($20/overnight or $15 day). We'll see you in Louisville!

03/09/2026

Get excited about heading to Louisville! If you haven't registered for the HLAA 2026 Convention, you've got just one week left to earn big savings on registration. Meet your people in an environment built to support your full access and engagement, June 10-12. Register by March 16 for early bird rates!

Experience the HLAA 2026 Convention—an inclusive, hearing-accessible event to learn, connect, and celebrate with our nationwide hearing loss community.

03/06/2026

HLAA and the American Cochlear Implant Alliance were proud to give the inaugural Champion for Hearing Health Award to Congressman Tom Barrett (R-MI) and Congressman Mike Thompson (D-CA) during a World Hearing Day event supported by Cochlear Americas. The ceremony featured testimony from veteran William Howard and was a timely reminder that hearing health is *not* a partisan issue. Indeed, it is a human issue that touches millions of Americans.

Public policy improvements, led by attentive legislators like our honorees, must be a tool advocates use to address and improve hearing health at all ages. We thank the congressmen for their leadership on this issue.

03/03/2026

Five million children and teens aged 6 to 19 in the U.S. (1 in 10) have hearing loss, and many more are at risk due to unsafe noise exposure, according to The American Speech-Language-Hearing Association.

That’s why this year’s World Hearing Day theme, "From communities to classrooms: hearing care for all children” is so important. If you’re the parent of a child with hearing loss, you can find resources and support from HLAA at: hearingloss.org/parents


World Health Organization (WHO) World Hearing Forum

03/03/2026

Happy World Hearing Day! HLAA is joining the World Hearing Forum in highlighting the need for health care that supports the 95 million+ children aged 5 to 19 with hearing loss around the globe.

Our HLAA Hearing Loss 101 Toolkit includes key facts and stats about hearing health and prevalence from kids to seniors, and will soon be updated with more resources for parents: hearingloss.org/hearing-loss-101


World Health Organization (WHO) Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME)

03/02/2026

Do you ever feel shame, fear or doubt because of hearing loss? That's stigma rearing its ugly head...but you're not alone in facing it. Watch this powerful presentation by motivational speaker Ibrahim "Ib" Dabo at our 2025 Research Symposium* in Indianapolis.

Ib shared his own experience facing down stigma and the 5 things he did to overcome it. We hope you find them useful, too.

*HLAA’s Research Symposium is supported, in part, by a grant from the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders, National Institutes of Health (Award Number R13DC017913).