Listening is a vehicle for us to share information on cochlear implants and hearing loss with hearing healthcare providers, adult CI recipients (and those exploring CI), parents and family members interested in CI, educators who work with deaf and hard of hearing children, and anyone wanting to learn more about cochlear implants. 

ACI Alliance is a not-for-profit organization created with the purpose of eliminating barriers to cochlear implantation by sponsoring research, driving heightened awareness and advocating for improved access to cochlear implants for people of all ages. There is a wealth of information on our website. 

Our work at ACI Alliance follows our mission encompassing research, advocacy, and awareness. Accordingly, Listening covers all three.

We encourage you to share sign-up details for this free e-newsletter with patients, family members, colleagues or anyone who may be interested.

📅 Mark your calendars now for CI2027 San Diego: Conference on Cochlear Implants!

Join us May 12–15, 2027, at the Grand Hyatt Hotel in San Diego, CA, for another exciting conference bringing together leaders, professionals, researchers, and advocates in the cochlear implant community.

As CI2026 Chicago has now concluded, we thank everyone who joined us for an incredible meeting. Be on the lookout — select abstracts and videos from the conference will be posted soon!

Parent/Caregiver membership is designed for parents, caregivers, family members, and loved ones of children and adults with hearing loss. This membership provides access to resources, education, advocacy updates, and a supportive community dedicated to improving awareness and outcomes for individuals with hearing loss. For only $10/year, you can help us reach more families that can benefit from our resources.

Please share this with your patients and friends!

🎉 Registration for 2026 Hear Indiana Camp is still open!

Be sure to secure your spot toady! ☀️

Many people with cochlear implants are able to appreciate and enjoy music with practice and the right strategies. Additional rehabilitation resources and auditory training programs are provided to help cochlear implant users build confidence and enjoyment with music.

ACI Alliance congratulates the student poster winners for CI2026 Chicago held last week in Chicago. The student poster competition was chaired by Michael Scott AuD and posters were reviewed by hearing health professionals across the care continuum.

Check out Hearing First's newborn screening resource. Hearing is so essential to your baby's brain development that in most states, a newborn hearing screening (NHS) happens before your baby even leaves the hospital. This screening lets you know as soon as possible if your newborn potentially has hearing loss, which is more common than you might think. Addressing hearing loss right away is critical.

The new National Geographic Society’s (NGS) Museum of Exploration opens in Washington, DC on June 26. Donna Sorkin was invited to represent ACI Alliance during accessibility testing for people with hearing loss this week to provide feedback. The NGS aim is to create inspirational experiences through storytelling and innovative design while ensuring that the power of exploration is accessible to all. Universal design was a guiding principle. The museum is extraordinary both for its engaging content and its spectacular hearing access with captioning at all exhibits in English and Spanish as well as volume control and ASL options. The auditorium was modernized and includes an induction loop to enhance listening. We are excited at the opportunity to support the NGS access efforts!

🌍 Join the World Health Organization for the global launch of WHOears — a new, free WHO app designed for hearing screening at the community and primary health care level. 

📅 Date: June 4, 2026
⏰ Time: 1:00–2:30 PM CEST
💻 Platform: Zoom

Congressional advocacy often happens behind the scenes, but some of the most important conversations are taking place now as ACI Alliance continues meeting with Members of Congress and staff serving on the Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies (LHHS) Appropriations Committees. These offices play a critical role in determining federal funding priorities, including support for the Early Hearing Detection and Intervention (EHDI) program.

At CI2026 in Chicago, the American Cochlear Implant Alliance (ACI Alliance) hosted its annual State Champions Dinner, bringing together advocates, clinicians, parents, and professionals from across the country for an evening focused on collaboration, advocacy, and action.

The meeting highlighted several key public policy priorities impacting access to hearing healthcare and cochlear implant care, including Medicaid changes, Early Hearing Detection and Intervention (EHDI) appropriations and reauthorization efforts, Medicare coverage expansion for single-sided deafness (SSD) and asymmetric hearing loss (AHL), and emerging state-level advocacy challenges.

The proposed restructuring within the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) reflects a broader federal trend toward consolidating programs and reducing what agencies describe as “duplicative” or administrative redundancy. One proposal that has raised concern is the creation of a new “Administration for a Healthy America” (AHA), which could reorganize or absorb programs currently housed across agencies such as HRSA and CDC.