Effective April 21, 2009, the League for the Hard of Hearing will be known as the Center for Hearing and Communication.   This nonprofit organization, established in 1910 for the purpose of improving the quality of life for individuals with hearing loss, remains deeply committed to its original mission.

By highlighting the inter-relationship between hearing and communication, the Center for Hearing and Communication has the opportunity to bring its world-class clinical services to a growing population of families and individuals in need of hearing health services. Executive Director Laurie Hanin explains, “The services we provide, including hearing testing, hearing aid fitting, speech therapy, and mental health counseling, are critical in ensuring that individuals with hearing loss have what they need to succeed in every area of their lives – at school, at work, and in their interpersonal relationships. Effective communication is the key to success in all of these realms.   With the assistance of our expert staff and the use of state-of-the-art technology, our clients improve every aspect of their lives – making phone calls, going to the theater, taking part in a business meeting, or simply being part of the conversation around the dinner table.  As always, the services we provide benefit people regardless of their mode of communication.”

The Center for Hearing and Communication (CHC) will continue to be an educational resource for consumers and healthcare professionals seeking guidance and information about hearing loss and hearing conservation.  There are over 31 million people in the United States with hearing loss, and exposure to loud noise is one of the leading causes of hearing loss. CHC conducts free hearing screenings on Wednesdays and Thursdays at its Manhattan location at 50 Broadway, by appointment, and our licensed audiologists have screened over one-quarter of a million New Yorkers on our mobile audiology testing vans.

CHC is founder of International Noise Awareness Day which this year takes place April 29, 2009 and promotes awareness of hearing health and the dangers posed by exposure to noise.   On that day from 9am to 3pm, CHC will provide free hearing screenings to the public at City Hall and the Greenmarket at Union Square aboard its Mobile Audiology Units.

The Center for Hearing and Communication’s mission is to improve the quality of life for infants, children and adults with all degrees of hearing loss.  We accomplish our mission by providing hearing rehabilitation and human services for people who are hard of hearing or deaf, and their families, regardless of age, ability to pay, or mode of communication, and by striving to empower consumers to achieve their potential.