The Oticon Foundation, Copenhagen, Denmark , has announced the award of a $94,000 grant to The CARE Project. The grant will be used to expand training, direction, and implementation of adjustment counseling strategies to ten state-level early hearing detection and intervention (EHDI) programs. It will enable the nonprofit organization to provide professional training for individuals who bring services to families with children, birth to age three years, who are deaf and hard of hearing. The grant will also fund direct counseling workshops for parents in conjunction with the EHDI programs.
“Oticon is committed to providing a better future for every child with hearing loss,” says Oticon President Peer Lauritsen. “By supporting the work of The CARE Project, the Oticon Foundation will help to bring the training and support that professionals, parents, and other caregivers require to provide children with hearing loss with the opportunities they need to achieve their full potential.”
Johnnie Sexton, AuD, the founder and executive director of The CARE Project says, “Through multimedia counseling and instructional materials developed in partnership with our media director, Xris Kessler, The CARE Project aims to help ease the emotional journey and grieving process observed in families who have learned their child is deaf and hard of hearing.”
Sexton first initiated an adjustment counseling program for parents and families with children who are deaf and hard of hearing in 2009. Since that time, The CARE Project has partnered with a variety of agencies across the US and is now recognized as a leader in family support strategies and professional education on the topic of adjustment counseling.
Source: Oticon
