SALT LAKE CITY—The Utah Department of Health has developed an innovative system for making hearing aids available for children in need. It encourages people who have hearing aids that are no longer being used to donate them to its hearing aid recycling program. No matter what their condition, the used instruments are of value. They may be reconditioned, sold for salvage, or sent to a manufacturer for credit toward the purchase of new hearing aids
One use of the recycled instruments is to give infants born with a hearing loss a good start in life. Each year, about 150 of the babies born in Utah need hearing aids, which are likely to cost $2000-$3000 apiece. Many of their families can afford to buy them, and others may qualify for assistance through Medicaid or other state agencies. However, some parents are caught in between: They make too much money to qualify for state assistance, but they face great difficulty or are unable to come up with the funds needed to purchase hearing aids. For such families, Utah’s recycling program may end up making the difference as to whether their babies are able to hear and to develop the language skills they need to reach their full potential.
Utah families who want to find out if their child qualifies for the hearing aid program should call 801/584-8215. Anyone who wants to donate a pre-owned hearing aid can call that same number for more information or to request a stamped envelope to properly enclose and protect the devices for mailing process. Donations may be sent to Children’s Hearing and Speech Services, 44 N. Mario Capecchi Drive, Salt Lake City, UT 84113.
