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Many people are unaware, but the ability to hear affects one’s capacity to earn money. A 2004 study showed definitively that one’s income relates to one’s ability to hear. By helping and supporting the children’s fund and other programs, you are making an investment right back into this community. You are providing a child with a better future - one not impeded by a world of silence. What’s more your financial support of CBHC allows the agency to provide many preventative programs and presentations that help educate people to the dangers of noise exposure. Forty percent of hearing loss is preventable - and through our outreach to the community we can bring that message to a generation - that now more than ever is surrounded by loud noises. Interestingly the CBS Evening News recently reported on this very fact, take a moment to follow the link and watch the rest of the story.

Recently, the Journal of the American Medical Association released a landmark study that looked at hearing loss among children. The findings of this report were grim. Children in the study ages 13 - 19 years of age had a 30 percent increase in hearing loss over the past 10 years. And the Baby Boomer Generation, the first generation exposed regularly to gas operated yard equipment, rock concerts, and gridlock traffic, are beginning to turn to hearing assistance to address their loss.

As hearing loss is on the rise funding to support the community services of Constance Brown are on the decline. Medicaid has now altogether stopped purchasing hearing aids for those it insures. This effectively halted assistance for anyone who was poor from getting hearing aids. Fortunately for some who qualify, CBHC’s Adult Hearing Services Assistance Fund provides help. This program is largely funded through CBHC’s own funds and through the support of donors. Last year 21 percent of the budget was dedicated to help support the poor and under served receive the hearing care they needed. That translated into 800 families receiving hearing health care and over 50 adults receiving hearing aids. But as we look to the future with this unprecedented loss, we look to the community to help support this needed program.

Constance Brown Hearing Centers (CBHC) leads the charge in identifying and treating children’s hearing loss in Southwest Michigan. Last year, CBHC provided oversight for the 1,586 newborn hearing screenings conducted at the Borgess Medical Center. In addition, CBHC provided 165 free newborn hearing re-screening tests for infants who failed the initial hospital test or for patients whose insurance would not cover the screening in the hospital.

The Children's Hearing Services Assistance Fund, a program of CBHC, supported by local foundations and donors, helped over 30 children receive hearing aids this past year. If this is still not sinking in, why it’s so important to children's hearing think about this: That’s 30 lives that have been altered for the better - 30 children whose course may take a different one now that their hearing loss has been identified and treated. Still not convinced, well think about this number - 440,000. That is the number in dollars that is saved in education costs over a K-12 eduction when a child's hearing loss is identfied and treated early. So your gift of $100.00 could pay for a hearing test for a child. Your gift of $500 could purchase a new hearing aid for a child. Imagine how many more we could help if you supported the fund today. If you would like more information on how critical hearing loss is to the development of a child click here . If you would like to make a gift to the fund click here