About Us
​Who We Are
Founded in 1979 by Howard E. “Rocky” Stone, the Hearing Loss Association of America (HLAA) is the nation’s leading and largest organization representing consumers with hearing loss. The programs and events we offer are designed to give people the tools they need to live more successfully with hearing loss and to show them they do not have to face hearing loss alone.

Our Mission
The mission of HLAA is to open the world of communication to people with hearing loss by providing information, education, support and advocacy
 
Information and Education 
Our primary purpose is to educate ourselves, our families, friends, coworkers, teachers, hearing health care providers, industry, government, and others about hearing loss. HLAA provides adults and children with tools for self help; sensitizes the general population about the special needs of people who have hearing loss; and promotes understanding of the nature, causes, complications, and remedies of hearing loss.
  • We provide information on many aspects of hearing loss, from technological and medical advances to coping and parenting strategies.
  • We want to help you become an informed consumer on what options are available to you to help you make the best decisions on how to deal with hearing loss.
Support
Support comes in many forms as it means something different to everyone. HLAA offers a wide range of local and national programs, events, and resources that offer something for everyone. See our programs and events page for more information on our support tools, including our national network of chapters and state organizations, Hearing Life magazine and Hearing Life e-News, the annual HLAA Convention, the Walk4Hearing, and monthly webinars.

Advocacy
​HLAA is a leading voice in improving communication access for people with hearing loss. Our advocacy efforts range from the grassroots, local level all the way up to Capitol Hill. In fact, some of the most powerful and effective advocacy efforts begin with you – the person with hearing loss.
  • We advocate for communication access in the workplace, hotels, schools, court systems, medical, and entertainment facilities. HLAA promotes new technology, medical research, and legislation that will alleviate the effects of hearing loss, and we encourage and participate in research to improve hearing aids, assistive listening devices, and other technology needs of consumers with hearing loss.
  • HLAA also promotes and encourages self-advocacy. Speak up, whether it’s at school, work, social activities or even at home. Let people know you have a hearing loss and tell them what you need to best communicate. 
HLAA, ​a ​501(c)(3) non-profit, is the nation’s leading and largest organization representing people with hearing loss.  According to the National Center for Health Statistics, 48 million (20 percent) of Americans have some degree of hearing loss. 

We are primarily a community of people who have hearing loss that impacts our lives.  We use spoken language to communicate and use hearing assistive technology (hearing aids, cochlear or Baha implants, and personal devices) to remain active in the hearing world.  "Late-deafened" means someone who has lost any degree of hearing after learning language.