State Funding Resources
Audiology Services and Hearing Aids
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State agencies and programs provide services to residents of their state. The Department of Health and Human Services has low income guidelines utilized by state agencies for eligibility for services.
Medicaid
Medicaid is a state administered program. Each state sets its own guidelines regarding eligibility and services. Learn more about your state Medicaid program by contacting the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.
Many groups of people are covered by Medicaid. Even within these groups, though, certain requirements must be met. These may include your age, whether you are pregnant, disabled, blind, or aged; your income and resources (like bank accounts, real property, or other items that can be sold for cash); and whether you are a U.S. citizen or a lawfully admitted immigrant. The rules for counting your income and resources vary from state to state and from group to group. There are special rules for those who live in nursing homes and for disabled children living at home.
The Hearing Loss Association of America (formerly Self Help for the Hard of Hearing or SHHH) also has information regarding Medicaid contact information state by state.
Title V Programs
Every state and the District of Columbia has a Title V Program for Children with Special Health Care Needs (CSHCN) that is funded, in part, through the Federal Title V Maternal and Child Health Block Grant. Title V (five), provides funds to states to develop and operate public health care programs for certain children with special health care needs as well as to establish other programs to promote the health of low income mothers and children, including hearing aids.
For a state-by-state directory, see the Directory of State Title V CSHCN Eligibility Criteria and Scope of Service.
The National Assistive Technology Technical Assistance Partnership (NATTAP)
NATTAP provides referrals to state programs for technical assistance in areas related to universal design, state procurement actions, and funding of assistive technology. For a state-by-state directory, contact the NATTAP.
1700 North Moore Street, Suite 1540
Arlington, VA 22209-1903
703-524-6686 (Voice)
703-524-6630 (Fax)
703-524-6639 (TTY)
E-mail: resnaTA@resna.org
State Rehabilitation Services
State Vocational Rehabilitation Programs
If you need a hearing aid or similar device to help you perform your job or obtain employment, contact your local state vocational rehabilitation office. The Rehabilitation Council has state-by-state listings for Vocational Rehabilitation Programs.
The Laurent Clerc National Deaf Education Center
The Laurent Clerc National Deaf Education Center maintains listing of statewide services for people who are deaf and hard of hearing. The 2006 version of the list identifies two different types of statewide services: (1) commissions or state offices mandated to serve people who are deaf and hard of hearing, and (2) state coordinators of rehabilitation services for people who are deaf.
Louisiana Commission for the Deaf
The Louisiana Commission for the Deaf (LCD) was established by RS 46:2351 of the Louisiana Legislature in 1980 to promote, coordinate and facilitate accessibility of all public and private services to Deaf people, Deaf/Blind people, hard of hearing and speech impaired people. Some of the responsibilities of the LCD also include: advocating for the needs and rights of deaf people; developing and implementing a statewide program to insure continuity of services to deaf people; informing deaf citizens, parents, and families of the availability of programs and services for deaf adults and children at all levels of state and local government. For additional information regarding programs, please go to the LCD website.
Administration for Children and Families
The Administration for Children and Families (ACF) is a federal agency funding state, territory, local, and tribal organizations to provide family assistance (welfare), child support, child care, Head Start, child welfare, and other programs relating to children and families.
Actual services are provided by state, county, city and tribal governments, and public and private local agencies. ACF assists these organizations through funding, policy direction, and information services. Go to the ACF website for a listing of state programs for individuals with developmental disabilities.
Other Resources
Names of programs can also vary from state to state. Find local departments in the government listing in the phone book or search the Internet using the following search terms:
- Department of Public Health: Commission for Handicapped Children
- Commission for Deaf and Hard of Hearing People (Council for the Hearing Impaired, Office of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, etc.)
- Department of Health
