Hearing Loss Association of California Renamed to Hearing Loss Association of America, California State Association, Inc.

Online, January 4, 2014 (Newswire.com) - The Hearing Loss Association of America (HLAA, formerly Self Help for Hard of Hearing People of SHHH) is the nation's leading organization representing people with hearing loss. Headquartered in Bethesda, Maryland, HLAA is a national and international, non-sectarian, educational organization for people with hearing loss, their relatives, and their friends. HLAA provides hearing loss education, support, and advocacy and works on raising public awareness about hearing loss and eradicating the stigma associated with hearing loss.

The Hearing Loss Association of America, California State Association, Inc. (HLAA-CA), formerly Hearing Loss Association of California (HLA-CA), was founded by various HLAA/SHHH California leaders in 1989. HLAA-CA is affiliated with the Hearing Loss Association of America (HLAA). In addition to the state-level HLAA-CA, currently California has nineteen HLAA local chapters, as of October 2013.

Both HLAA and HLAA-CA are 501(c)(3) tax-exempt, nonprofit organizations.

The new name, Hearing Loss Association of America, California State Association, Inc. (HLAA-CA), aligns HLAA-CA with the HLAA national brand, strengthens HLAA-CA's name recognition, and unifies HLAA-CA's identity with the HLAA national organization, HLAA chapters, and other HLAA state organizations. Furthermore, the new name recognizes HLAA as a single entity with many chapters and state associations.

HLAA-CA's mission is to open the world of communication to people with hearing loss by providing information, education, support, and advocacy. HLAA-CA publishes a newsletter four times a year, sponsors a state conference, offers community outreach on hearing loss related issues, and serves HLAA local chapters throughout California.

Contact: Zina Jawadi, HLAA-CA Secretary, [email protected]