Hearing First, a nonprofit dedicated to providing resources, support, and stories of hope for families with a child who is deaf or hard of hearing and seeking a Listening and Spoken Language (LSL) outcome, has received two 2021 WebAwards from the Web Marketing Association.
Starts Hear, a national public health awareness campaign and website created in partnership with FiveStone, reaches expectant parents across the US with messages about the Newborn Hearing Screening (NHS) program, the importance of hearing for brain development, and the importance of early follow-up should their baby fail the NHS. The campaign website StartsHear.org won the 2021 WebAwards Best Advocacy Website award.
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Hearing First’s website, Hearingfirst.org, was updated earlier this year in partnership with Modern Climate to help provide families with the information and resources needed to navigate a hearing loss diagnosis and the journey that follows.The website aims to educate families about what’s possible, empowers them to choose LSL for their child, and equips them with the tools they need to teach their child to listen and talk. The Web Marketing Association recognized the website with an Outstanding Website award.
“We’re honored that the Web Marketing Association has recognized Hearing First with these awards and encouraged to know that our efforts are making an impact in the lives of families of children with hearing loss,” said Dr Teresa Caraway, PhD, CCC-SLP, LSLS Cert. AVT, CEO of Hearing First. “We’re extremely grateful for the opportunity to work alongside our partners and colleagues to empower families by providing them with accurate information and helpful resources so that they can choose the path and reach the outcome that best fits their family and the dreams they share for their child.”
Hearing First provides free resources and materials for families of children with hearing loss and the professionals who serve them through its websites, online communities, and free learning opportunities. The Family Support Community and private families-only Facebook group helps families connect in a free, safe space to find support from others on this journey as they ask questions, share difficulties, and celebrate wins.
The Professional Learning Community is a dedicated space for more than 6,000 professionals to connect with other colleagues from across the globe, and Hearing First’s year-round learning experiences give professionals the chance to earn free CEUs to stay on the forefront of best practices. Hearing First is dedicated to helping ensure that all children born in the United States benefit from the availability of a newborn hearing screening, the advances in technology, and the early learning services in their communities to power their potential.
Source: Hearing First
