HD35 - A Study on the Special Needs of Persons Who Are Hard of Hearing
Executive Summary: In agreeing to House Joint Resolution 289, the 1989 General Assembly authorized the Virginia Department for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (VDDHH) to study the needs of persons that are hard of hearing and to evaluate available services. Specifically the resolution called for the study to examine issues of access to public accommodations, public awareness, employment, education, assistive devices and health care services. VDDHH was instructed to seek participation of other relevant state agencies and organizations in preparing recommendations for improved services and funding to achieve those improvements. The hard of hearing population is composed of those persons whose hearing is impaired to an extent that makes hearing difficult but does not preclude the understanding of spoken communication through the ear alone, with or without a hearing aid. This population includes persons who were born with some degree of hearing loss, those who lost their hearing as a result of accident or illness after acquisition of language and, increasingly, elderly persons. It is estimated that more than thirty- five percent (35%) of all persons over fifty-five (55) years of age experience some degree of hearing impairment, with that percentage increasing with age. After establishing a Task Force composed of consumers and professionals serving persons who are hearing impaired, VDDHH (with the assistance of the Task Force) developed and disseminated a survey for consumers and professionals. The survey was designed to prioritize issues affecting the hard of hearing population and rate the impact of various actions on those issues. Approximately 400 surveys were distributed and 140 of these were completed and returned. Based on an analysis of the responses, the issues identified were ranked as follows: 1. Hearing Aids and Medical Issues - including financial aspects of hearing aid purchase, audiological services, service and repair of hearing aids, and cochlear implants. 2. Public Awareness and Education Issues - including the need to build awareness of implications of hearing impairment among the general public and to build awareness of programs, devices, and legal rights among persons who are hearing impaired. 3. Assistive Devices and Other Communication Issues - including cost and availability of devices such as assistive listening systems, closed caption decoders, and alerting devices, the quality of available devices, and awareness among hard of hearing persons of the availability of these devices. 4. Educational Opportunity Issues - including the availability of quality educational programs from early childhood through adulthood, early identification, adult education opportunities, and higher educational support. 5. Employment Issues - including underemployment, equal employment opportunities, workplace relations, and legal rights. 6. Social and Mental Health Issues - including accessibility in recreational programs, mental health programs, and senior citizens programs, and family support. 7. Public Accommodation Issues - including assistive devices in public buildings such as courtrooms, enforcement of legal requirements for accessibility, and publicity of accessible facilities. While the survey responses provided valuable, practical information, VDDHH also conducted a study of current literature and other resources. The results of this research were supportive of the data collected din the survey. Some critical information is summarized in the following outline. 1. VDDHH estimates that approximately 380,000 Virginians experience some degree of hearing impairment. Of these, approximately 329,000 would be considered hard of hearing, or moderately hearing impaired. However, some research indicates that these estimates may be low. The National Center for Health Statistics states that up to nine percent (9%) of the general population, 517,870 Virginians, experience some level of hearing loss. Population estimates are based on 1986 Population Projections developed by the Tayloe-Murphy Institute. Of this nine percent (9%), approximately one percent (1%) may be considered deaf. The remaining eight percent (8%) are hard of hearing, yet proportionally fewer dollars are spent on programs for persons who are hard of hearing. 2. Assistive device demonstration centers provide consumers with the opportunity to determine the benefit of particular devices to their lives prior to purchase of those devices. The devices which are available on the market today allow hearing impaired consumers to live more independent lives. While many states have such centers established in hospitals, speech and hearing clinics or other appropriate locations, no such centers exist in Virginia. 3. The average cost per person of hearing aids, including evaluation and fitting, is approximately $1000. Current sources of financial assistance for the purchase of hearing aids are limited to certain eligible clients of the Department of Health's Children's Specialty Services and the Department of Rehabilitative Services. Additional aid is available on a limited basis from local civic organizations, but this does not represent a stable and uniform source of assistance. 4. Medicaid regulations offer states the option of providing coverage for audiological services, including the fitting and purchase of hearing aids. Currently, twenty-one (21) states offer this coverage. Virginia does not. 5. Several of the twenty-one (21) states which have offices for the hearing impaired are currently studying the service needs of this population in hopes of developing programs and many are awaiting notice of Virginia's final action resulting from this study. VDDHH currently provides a number of services which may benefit hard of hearing persons, including information and referral, Telecommunications Assistance Program (whereby amplified handsets and audible ring signalers are available to qualified applicants), and advocacy. Unfortunately, staffing and budgetary limitations have restricted the agency's ability to provide specialized programs to this large population. While the agency does respond to the needs of persons who are hard of hearing, a more pro-active stance would allow the agency to address the needs of a larger portion of this population. Conclusions Based on the analysis of the information compiled in this study, the following recommendations are offered: 1. Establish a program of services for persons who are hard of hearing with a full time program manager within the Department for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing. 2. Provide Medicaid coverage for the purchase of hearing aids for children and adults. In addition, pilot a program of financial assistance through VDDHH for the purchase of hearing aids for non-Medicaid eligible persons. 3. Establish assistive device demonstration centers through grants administered by VDDHH. |
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