https://www.oberkotterfoundation.org/b/newsletters/posts/may-2026-oberkotter-foundation-newsletterThu, 14 May 2026 12:00:00 GMT06bab2da-2c05-4686-a78f-5c27263d59c2:7dc0a595-ceec-428a-b5e6-57cc3514769fOberkotterThe Latest From the Foundation Two Weeks Remain to Apply for the Foundation’s Latest Funding Opportunity Applications close in two weeks for the Oberkotter Foundation’s current request for proposals, Hearing Habits to Optimize Device Wear Time . The Foundation is seeking proposals for projects that promote the use of hearing devices during all waking hours in infants and young children. Consistent access to language-rich listening environments is critical for children who are deaf or hard of hearing to develop listening, talking, and literacy skills. With this funding opportunity, the Foundation intends to support projects that help families establish and maintain hearing device use throughout all waking hours, to support children’s long-term listening and spoken language development. Nonprofit and tax-exempt organizations that are located and operating within the United States, with experience in early childhood hearing loss and social drivers of health access, are invited to apply. Learn More About the RFP and Application News & Events Oberkotter CEO, Dr. Teresa Caraway, Recognized for Her Impact on Pediatric Hearing Healthcare Teresa Caraway, PhD, CCC-SLP, LSLS Cert. AVT, CEO Oberkotter Foundation, received the 2026 Lifetime Achievement Award from the American Cochlear Implant (ACI) Alliance at their annual conference in Chicago. This honor recognizes Dr. Caraway’s lasting impact on cochlear implantation and dedication to advancing opportunities for children who are deaf or hard of hearing through Listening and Spoken Language (LSL). Earlier this year, Dr. Caraway was honored by the American Otological Society (AOS) with a Presidential Citation from AOS President Nancy Young, M.D., for her leadership in pediatric hearing healthcare. She was also named an EHDI Hero at the 25th annual Early Hearing Detection and Intervention Conference for her work expanding access to resources and programs that support families and professionals in improving listening and spoken language outcomes. Read More About the Awards Expanding Awareness of Newborn Hearing Health Nationwide The Starts Hear campaign was created to address the continuing challenge of loss to follow-up care after newborn hearing screening. The campaign, now in its sixth year, has reached millions of expectant parents with actionable messages about newborn hearing health, expanding awareness and guiding families on what to do if their baby does not pass a screening. In the last five years, Starts Hear has driven measurable progress: Campaign ads have been viewed 1.2+ billion times Over 700,000 hours of watch time on campaign videos 23 million emails sent to expectant and new parents Discover the ImpactNewsletterhttps://www.oberkotterfoundation.org/b/news-updates/posts/dr-teresa-caraway-given-lifetime-achievement-awardThu, 07 May 2026 14:43:00 GMT06bab2da-2c05-4686-a78f-5c27263d59c2:bd7152a2-4732-40d3-8441-b8f566d764e7OberkotterOberkotter Foundation CEO, Dr. Teresa Caraway has been presented with the Lifetime Achievement Award by the ACI Alliance. PHILADELPHIA, May 7, 2026 — Teresa Caraway, Ph.D., CCC-SLP, LSL Cert. AVT, Chief Executive Officer at the Oberkotter Foundation, has been awarded the 2026 American Cochlear Implant (ACI) Alliance Lifetime Achievement Award . The award was presented at the ACI Alliance annual conference on May 7 and recognized Dr. Caraway’s contributions to and impact on the field of cochlear implantation. A leading expert in Listening and Spoken Language (LSL), Dr. Caraway’s work in clinical practice, education, and family-centered care has helped children who are deaf or hard of hearing across the country learn to listen and talk. For over 40 years, she has spearheaded efforts to expand access to care, programs, and resources that support families and professionals in improving listening and spoken language outcomes. This spring, Dr. Caraway’s long-standing commitment to improving outcomes for children who are deaf or hard of hearing and her innovative leadership in breaking down barriers to hearing health care were also recognized by the American Otological Society (AOS) and at the 2026 Early Hearing Detection and Intervention (EHDI) Conference . In April, Dr. Caraway received a Presidential Citation from AOS for her contributions to the field of otology, the branch of medicine concerned with the study and care of the ear. The award was presented by AOS President Nancy Young, M.D., at the 159th Annual AOS Meeting. Dr. Caraway was also named an EHDI Hero at the 25th Annual EHDI Conference. The award recognized her work championing education, collaboration, and system-level change so that more children who are deaf or hard of hearing have the opportunity to reach their full potential. “These are well-deserved honors and highlight the bold leadership and undeterred commitment Dr. Caraway has brought to pediatric hearing healthcare,” says Oberkotter Foundation Board of Trustees member Cedric Pritchett, M.D., MPH. “As a trailblazer in the field, she has championed innovation, collaboration, and programs that expanded access to quality care across the country. This recognition from multiple organizations speaks to the sphere of her influence and illuminates the breadth of her contributions.” As a trailblazer in the field, Dr. Caraway has championed innovation, collaboration, and programs that expanded access to quality care across the country. Cedric Pritchett, M.D., MPH As the CEO of the Oberkotter Foundation, Dr. Caraway guides the organization’s work to fuel innovation in pediatric hearing healthcare and ensure every child who is deaf or hard of hearing has the opportunity to develop age-appropriate listening, spoken language, and literacy skills. Prior to her role as CEO, she led the launch of Hearing First, an initiative of the Oberkotter Foundation, that provides reliable, evidence-based information to educate families and professionals with the resources they need to improve listening and spoken language outcomes. Entirely free and online, Hearing First has gone on to host a professional learning community of over 15,000 members and provide over 80 research-based courses in LSL and pediatric audiology. Dr. Caraway has also led and contributed to numerous other organizations and programs that have advanced LSL outcomes. She served as the co-founder and co-executive director of Hearts for Hearing and the founding president of the AG Bell Academy for Listening and Spoken Language. Additionally, she has served on the board of Auditory-Verbal International and as a founding board member of the American Cochlear Implant Alliance. "I am deeply honored to be recognized by each of these organizations. From ACI Alliance’s initiatives to break down barriers to cochlear implantation, to the work of the American Otological Society to improve standards of care, to EHDI’s efforts to raise awareness about the importance of early detection and intervention. Each reflects a critical part of the work to support children who are deaf or hard of hearing as they learn to listen and talk, what can happen when a community comes together with a shared purpose, and the meaningful change that follows,” said Dr. Caraway. “It is a privilege to work alongside so many brilliant individuals and organizations committed to reimagining what is possible in our field to deliver meaningful impact for those who are deaf or hard of hearing and their families.” About the Oberkotter Foundation The Oberkotter Foundation helps families ensure their children who are deaf or hard of hearing have opportunities to reach their full potential through Listening and Spoken Language (LSL). The Foundation is committed to advancing science and innovation that will improve access to quality audiological and LSL services for children with hearing loss so that they develop age-appropriate listening, talking, and literacy skills. Since 1985, the Foundation has provided over $500 million in funding to improve listening, spoken language, and literacy outcomes for children with hearing loss and their families. Read more about the Oberkotter Foundation.Announcementhttps://www.oberkotterfoundation.org/b/news-updates/posts/starts-hear-campaign-marks-five-yearsWed, 15 Apr 2026 13:30:00 GMT06bab2da-2c05-4686-a78f-5c27263d59c2:94b2650a-aba1-48e1-bd43-7065ce404119OberkotterHearing First, an initiative of the Oberkotter Foundation, shares results from Year Five of the campaign dedicated to educating expectant moms about newborn hearing and next steps after failed screening. PHILADELPHIA, April 15, 2026 – Hearing First —an initiative of the Oberkotter Foundation dedicated to supporting families and professionals so children with hearing loss have the opportunity to learn to listen, talk, read, and thrive—shared the latest report from the Starts Hear awareness campaign . Starts Hear is a public health awareness campaign informing expectant parents about the importance of the newborn hearing screening (NHS) and what to do in the event of a failed screening. Despite widespread newborn hearing screenings taking place, CDC data shows that more than one-third of infants who do not pass the screening either do not receive recommended follow-up care, or the information is not reported to the state. Since 2021, Starts Hear has been reaching parents directly, empowering them to act quickly to schedule a follow-up hearing screening. “Research shows that hearing is critical to a baby’s brain development and is the foundation for listening, spoken language, and literacy,” said Dr. Teresa Caraway, PhD, CCC-SLP, LSLS Cert. AVT, CEO of the Oberkotter Foundation. “Families should feel prepared to take the next steps when their baby does not pass a newborn hearing screening, especially during such a critical window for development. Yet too many babies are not receiving the timely follow-up care they need." The Starts Hear campaign is designed to reach expectant and new parents where they are, equipping them with the knowledge and confidence to act quickly so their babies can benefit from the sounds of speech from the very beginning. Dr. Teresa Caraway, CEO With key messages that focus on newborn hearing screening (NHS), the importance of hearing for early development, and the critical next steps following a failed screening, the Starts Hear campaign has played an important role in increasing awareness among expectant and new parents. In its fifth year, the campaign continued to evolve with new strategies and expanded outreach, creating more opportunities to connect with new and expectant parents at pivotal moments: Expanded BabyCenter en Español campaign messages to reach more Spanish-speaking moms. Expert Q&A Videos appeared on Instagram and YouTube in partnership with The Bump. Launched a Hearing Hub on BabyCenter that included a curated collection of articles, videos, and resources for families to learn about the importance of newborn hearing and urgent follow-up. Over five years, Starts Hear has achieved significant impact: 1.2+ Billion total ad views 506+ Million video views 2.4+ Million visits to StartsHear.org Based on today’s science and technological advancements, the future is bright for children who are deaf or hard of hearing. Listening and Spoken Language (LSL) outcomes are not only possible, but probable, with early diagnosis, amplification, and intervention. By reaching parents before their babies are born, the Starts Hear campaign continues to shape the earliest stages of the hearing loss journey—helping families take timely, informed action when it matters most. To learn more about the Starts Hear campaign and download the Year Five Report, visit hearingfirst.org/starts-hear-awareness-campaign . About Hearing First Hearing First , an initiative of the Oberkotter Foundation , helps caring adults provide infants and toddlers who are deaf or hard of hearing with the same listening, spoken language, and literacy opportunities as their hearing peers through Listening and Spoken Language (LSL). Hearing First offers free educational resources and online learning experiences for families of children with hearing loss and professionals who seek to advance their LSL knowledge and understanding. With two online communities, the Families of Children with Hearing Loss Facebook Group and the Professional Learning Community , Hearing First also helps members connect with other adults who share their same experience. The Oberkotter Foundation is a private foundation supporting opportunities for children who are deaf or hard of hearing to learn to listen and talk for nearly 40 years. Read more about the Oberkotter Foundation.Announcementhttps://www.oberkotterfoundation.org/b/newsletters/posts/april-2026-oberkotter-foundation-newsletterTue, 07 Apr 2026 17:42:00 GMT06bab2da-2c05-4686-a78f-5c27263d59c2:2627878b-ee25-41fc-83ce-6da17fb66e41OberkotterFrom the CEO Since its founding four decades ago, the Oberkotter Foundation has partnered with organizations and individuals across the country to expand access to the care, support, and resources needed to help children who are deaf or hard of hearing learn to listen and talk. Through grants and other philanthropic investments, the Foundation has supported innovative initiatives and programs that have had a widespread impact on listening and spoken language outcomes. Continuing the legacy of driving innovation and investing in scalable and sustainable change in pediatric hearing healthcare, the Foundation launched an open request for proposals last fall. The Foundation is pleased to share the results of that request with you and announce the next funding opportunity. Supporting Navigator Programs across the Country The Foundation released a funding opportunity in October 2025 seeking proposals for navigator programs that support timely access to newborn hearing healthcare. This call for proposals generated a strong and inspiring response, reflecting both the creativity and dedication to children and their families. The Foundation has funded 14 proposals from organizations reaching communities across 13 states to establish or expand navigator programs to help families understand the importance of timely follow-up after newborn hearing screenings, navigate healthcare systems, and connect with early intervention services. View the funded programs here. Announcing a New Funding Opportunity to Increase Hearing Device Wear Time The latest funding opportunity from the Foundation, which opened today, seeks to assist families in overcoming the challenges and barriers that can prevent full-time hearing device use, so children who are deaf or hard of hearing can achieve age-appropriate spoken language and literacy milestones. Learn more about this request for proposals by clicking this link . New possibilities for children who are deaf or hard of hearing become a reality every day when we purposefully work together. I look forward to continuing our collective work as we help more children reach their full potential through listening and spoken language. Teresa H. Caraway, PhD, CCC-SLP, LSLS Cert. AVT Chief Executive Officer The Latest From the Foundation Funding Opportunity Open for Submissions The Oberkotter Foundation has released a request for proposals (RFP) that seeks to fund projects that help families establish and maintain hearing device use through all waking hours in children who are deaf or hard of hearing. Consistent exposure to language-rich listening environments is essential for children who are deaf or hard of hearing to develop listening, talking, and literacy skills, especially in their early years when the brain is rapidly developing. Yet many families still face barriers that can prevent children from using their devices full-time during this critical period. This RFP seeks to support organizations that would like to introduce or expand projects that help families overcome barriers to full-time use of hearing technology. Nonprofit and tax-exempt organizations that are located and operating within the United States, with experience in early childhood hearing loss and social drivers of health access, are invited to apply. Learn More About the RFP and Application News & Events The Oberkotter Foundation and Hearing First Share New Resources on Hearing Device Wear Time Interested in learning more about the research and resources on wear time and listening and spoken language outcomes? In the latest installment in the Foundation’s Showcase Series, Dr. Elizabeth Walker explores the research linking hearing device wear time to listening and spoken language outcomes, and how current evidence can be applied to support families in increasing device use. Watch the Recording Hearing First has released a curated collection of evidence-based resources to help families and professionals support hearing device use during all waking hours in children who are deaf or hard of hearing. This new resource collection includes videos, infographics, quick tips, e-courses, and more aimed at improving device wear time to strengthen listening and spoken language development. Explore the Resources Celebrating a Legacy of Hope and a Future of Possibilities This year, the Oberkotter Foundation continues to mark its 40th anniversary. Since 1985, the Foundation has invested in programs, research, and family-centered support that have transformed access to quality pediatric audiology and Listening and Spoken Language (LSL) services. To celebrate the collective impact of the industry over the past 40 years, the Foundation has launched an interactive timeline that explores the innovations and transformative moments that have helped unlock new opportunities for children who are deaf or hard of hearing. Explore the TimelineNewsletterhttps://www.oberkotterfoundation.org/b/news-updates/posts/funding-opportunity-for-projects-that-improve-hearing-device-wear-time-in-infants-and-young-childrenTue, 31 Mar 2026 15:19:00 GMT06bab2da-2c05-4686-a78f-5c27263d59c2:fe4fbbe6-152f-429e-bea1-63e4dc2f47e9OberkotterThe Oberkotter Foundation is requesting proposals for projects that promote the use of hearing devices during all waking hours in children who are deaf or hard of hearing. PHILADELPHIA, April 1, 2026 Today, the Oberkotter Foundation announced a new funding opportunity seeking proposals for projects that promote the use of hearing devices during all waking hours in infants and young children. With this request for proposals, the Foundation’s goal is to invest in solutions to assist families in overcoming the challenges and barriers that can prevent full-time hearing device use, so children who are deaf or hard of hearing can achieve age-appropriate spoken language and literacy milestones. Evidence shows that consistent access to language-rich listening environments is critical for children who are deaf or hard of hearing to develop listening, talking, and literacy skills. This is especially true in infants and young children, as their brain connections are forming rapidly. Research has indicated that among pediatric hearing aid and cochlear implant users, greater daily device use is associated with stronger language development. However, despite its essential impact on listening and spoken language outcomes, factors ranging from child to system-level barriers can create challenges to achieving full-time device use during this fundamental period. “There have been great advancements made to help children who are deaf or hard of hearing be identified early and access the intervention and technology they need to learn to listen and talk,” said Dr. Teresa H. Caraway, PhD, CCC-SLP, LSLS Cert. AVT, Chief Executive Officer of the Oberkotter Foundation. "But there are still many challenges facing families when it comes to helping their little ones use that technology during all waking hours." We want to find ways to support families by helping them build sustainable routines that increase wear time. Dr. Teresa Caraway, CEO With this funding opportunity, the Foundation intends to support projects that help families establish and maintain hearing device use throughout all waking hours, to support children’s long-term listening and spoken language development. Nonprofit and tax-exempt organizations that are located and operating within the United States, with experience in early childhood hearing loss and social drivers of health access, are invited to apply. Applications will be accepted from April 1 to May 29, 2026. Successful applicants will be notified in September 2026. For more information about this Request for Proposals, visit www.oberkotterfoundation.org/grants . “Research demonstrates the crucial connection between hearing device use all waking hours and the development of stronger listening and spoken language outcomes in children who are deaf or hard of hearing,” explains Andrea Dunn, AuD, PhD, CCC-A, Vice President of Programs of the Oberkotter Foundation. “With this funding opportunity, we are supporting innovative approaches to increase hearing device use, which will help more children who are deaf or hard of hearing reach age-appropriate listening, speaking, and literacy skills.” The Oberkotter Foundation is committed to providing families, healthcare professionals, and all those who care for children who are deaf or hard of hearing with the resources and support they need. This funding opportunity reflects the Foundation’s goal to advance innovative solutions to improve Listening and Spoken Language outcomes for children who are deaf or hard of hearing. About the Oberkotter Foundation The Oberkotter Foundation helps families ensure their children who are deaf or hard of hearing have opportunities to reach their full potential through Listening and Spoken Language (LSL). The Foundation is committed to advancing science and innovation that will improve access to quality audiological and LSL services for children with hearing loss so that they develop age-appropriate listening, talking, and literacy skills. Since 1985, the Foundation has provided over $500 million in funding to improve listening, spoken language, and literacy outcomes for children with hearing loss and their families. Read more about the Oberkotter Foundation.Announcementhttps://www.oberkotterfoundation.org/b/news-updates/posts/reflecting-on-40-years-of-impactFri, 06 Mar 2026 14:00:00 GMT06bab2da-2c05-4686-a78f-5c27263d59c2:538f3570-c433-4a3d-970a-540330db43d6OberkotterMildred Oberkotter was 2 years old back in 1937, when she was diagnosed as profoundly deaf, a diagnosis that, in that era, could have been limiting. But her parents, Paul and Louise , wanted their daughter “Mildie” to learn to talk. They wanted to help her access a wider world of opportunity. Paul Oberkotter's rise from clerk to CEO at United Parcel Service led to relocation several times, which allowed Louise to seek out specialists and schools that supported Mildie's success in mainstream classrooms. After Paul was transferred to New York City in the early 1940s, the family chose to settle in Long Island so that Mildie could attend a local school that supported spoken language development in a classroom with hearing peers rather than enrolling in one of the oral deaf education residential schools. The Oberkotters’ experience is the bedrock of inspiration that has fueled the Foundation’s mission: to connect families to listening and spoken language resources, training, tools, and to parents and children navigating a similar journey. In 1985, after Paul Oberkotter retired from UPS, he and Louise were planning to fund “something worthwhile” (as Mildie once described it) that would outlive them: an organization with an objective ultimately defined by their daughter. When asked for her input, Mildie suggested helping others do what her parents had done for her by supporting expanded options for oral deaf education, so that more students could benefit without moving away from home. The Foundation was launched in 1985 under the leadership of attorney George Nofer. In 1987, Mildred Oberkotter became a trustee. As a lifelong learner, she pursued careers in sales and computer programming, held degrees in psychology and social work, and was involved in classroom-level oral deaf education. The lens of her experience became the catalyst for the Oberkotter Foundation’s work and inspired four decades of Foundation funding for Listening and Spoken Language (LSL) related initiatives and programs. Throughout 40 years, the Foundation has ridden the waves of innovation in hearing healthcare, education, and technology. First by identifying a need, and then responding to that need, no matter what a family’s geographic or economic status, to give a child with deafness or hearing loss the chance to learn to listen, talk, and to reach their full potential. The Foundation has realized that vision throughout three distinct eras, spanning decades of technological transformation and adaptive leadership, while strategically planning for an innovation-driven future. Era One: Funding Listening and Spoken Language (LSL) Programs Paul Oberkotter's attorney, George Nofer, was the Philadelphia-based Foundation's first executive director and an initial Trustee. He was instrumental in establishing the Foundation's early infrastructure and focus, assisted by his colleague Bruce Rosenfield. As technology, from ever-shrinking hearing devices and more powerful hearing aids to cochlear implants, was opening wider avenues to access sound, the Foundation took action to fill critical gaps that emerged. Even as technology advanced, challenges remained for families and children to receive early detection, intervention, and access to qualified language providers and programs, including teachers of the deaf, pediatric audiologists, and speech-language pathologists to support improved listening and spoken language outcomes. When those providers and programs were in short supply, the Oberkotter Foundation moved to address that scarcity. To avoid separating children from their families to attend residential schools, as had been the model during Mildie’s childhood, the Foundation established and offered game-changing grants to more than 25 “center-based” LSL schools and programs around the country. As those LSL resources grew, the Foundation resolved to address another piece of the accessibility puzzle: a scarcity of qualified Teachers of the Deaf. In order to provide LSL options to the families who wanted it for their children, the Foundation acted to fund more university master’s and professional teacher training programs, educating LSL professionals both in the U.S. and in Canada. Early Innovation: Dreams Spoken As home video use became more widespread, the Foundation, with Mildie as a driving force, saw an opportunity to reach an even wider audience with the message of what was possible with listening and spoken language. Once again, with the aim of meeting parents and families where they are, the Foundation developed a public relations campaign that included the creation of a documentary film series, produced on VHS, called Dreams Spoken . The goal: to exponentially raise awareness of LSL through the children featured in the films whose voices clearly reflect its life-altering impact. The 1998 production, accompanied by an FAQ handbook for families, was an Oberkotter collaboration with Mildie, Bruce Rosenfield, and leading LSL pioneers. These collaborative partners, including Jean Moog, of the St. Louis-based Moog Center for Deaf Education, and Marty and Kathleen Sussman, of the California-based Weingarten Children’s Center, credited Oberkotter with its leadership in promoting LSL programs. In various Dreams Spoken scenes, a child sings “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star,” others answer their classroom teachers, and parents attest to the life-changing ordinariness of wanting their child to be able to place a restaurant order on their own. Millions of copies of Dreams Spoken videos delivered a hopeful message to families, educators, and hearing healthcare professionals through Oberkotter Foundation professional networks and conferences. The timing of the video coincided with increased availability of cochlear implants for children and an increased awareness and detection of newborn hearing loss, thanks to eventual standardization and mandates for Newborn Hearing Screenings (NHS). But the Foundation was an outlier at the time with a message backed by experience and supported by research: the earlier the awareness and intervention following identification of a hearing loss, the more successful the outcomes. Oberkotter would build on that message even further and continue to adapt in the next era. Era Two: Strategic Growth The arrival of the 21st century coincided with the beginning of the Foundation’s era of expansion. It underwent a leadership transition and entered into a strategic digital phase that would broaden its horizons and reach. Bruce Rosenfield stepped in as the Foundation’s second executive director in 2003 and became a trustee in 2005. He and associate executive director Amy Newnam renewed the Foundation’s grant-making efforts with a sharper and more strategic focus on younger children and their families. During the two decades that followed, the Foundation acted to identify and respond to the evolving needs of families and professionals, including accelerating parents’ paths to earlier hearing loss identification and intervention and identifying education gaps for teachers. Along with the greater awareness of the possibilities for children with deafness and hearing loss came the realization that sizable hearing healthcare deserts existed around the country with a shortage of professionals trained in helping families meet their children’s listening and speaking objectives. Hearing technology, while becoming increasingly sophisticated, was only one part of the equation; in backing its grantees, the Oberkotter Foundation looked to actively realize and strengthen a broader ecosystem of hearing healthcare. While the Foundation continued to fund university-trained Teachers of the Deaf, it began supplementing those efforts with training to better equip professionals to assist and work with the families. The Foundation’s LSL training programs grew to include multi-center collaborations with centers of excellence in auditory-oral communication, including universities, hospital systems, and legacy organizations partnering on best LSL practices and applications. With its family-focused mission as its guiding North Star, the Foundation also ensured that financial limitations were not an issue for families choosing LSL. That included grants to The Alexander Graham Bell Association for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing to offer financial aid to families, where Mildie was a long and active AG Bell member, including serving on the board and in financial aid roles. About a decade into the new century, as the internet became more widely available, the Foundation saw new ways to broaden its outreach to families well beyond the scope and distribution of Dreams Spoken VHS packets. The internet would allow the Foundation to democratize the availability of services, to meet families where they are across all zip codes and income levels. Mildie was an engaged proponent of the Foundation’s digital path forward; one that would empower parents with readily available tools to help boost their children’s early language learning and fill providers’ educational and credentialing requirements. Those ambitions were realized with the 2015 launch of the Foundation’s education endeavor, Hearing First , led by Teresa Caraway, PhD. For over a decade, the free, open-to-all platform has provided reliable, science-based information to educate families and professionals on what it takes for children who are deaf or hard of hearing to develop age-appropriate listening, talking, and literacy skills. Hearing First has become a resource that equips and empowers parents and professionals with the right information, in the right format, and at the right time by providing a resource library full of helpful handouts, articles, and infographics, as well as inspiring stories of hope showing what’s possible today for children with hearing loss. The website also hosts a professional learning community of over 14,000 members that fosters connections and has provided 35,000+ professionals across multiple continents with free continuing education courses focused on evidence-based protocols in LSL and pediatric audiology . Hearing First has honed its efforts and messaging to adapt to the evolving landscape. By 2011, 98% of babies were receiving newborn hearing screenings, but more than 34% of infants who failed those tests weren’t receiving the recommended follow-up care or were lost to documentation – risking detrimental delays in amplification or implantation. Once again, the Foundation saw an opening to proactively get the message across about the crucial importance of timing in making connections between sound and brain development. That message is especially empowering for parents and families whose pediatricians might not see many cases of deafness or hearing loss as part of their normal patient population – or for those who don’t register a newborn hearing loss diagnosis as a possible neural emergency. The Foundation strategically determined that a public health awareness campaign was needed and leveraged Hearing First in 2021 to launch “Starts Hear,” aimed at expectant parents. The campaign is bright, optimistic, and direct. Its messaging aimed at getting ahead of NHS screenings to provide an action-oriented timeline to parents: emphasizing that early access to sound lays the essential groundwork in a baby’s brain development, smoothing and solidifying pathways to literacy, promise, and potential. The campaign’s aim to “educate, empower and equip” parents has since drawn an impressive audience : 904+ million ad views, 300+ million video views, and 1.7+ million visitors to the StartsHear.org website. Partnerships with affiliated organizations have expanded that outreach even more. By offering click-able connection through Hearing First, beyond geography or income limitations, to factual, easily followed next steps for families confronting a child’s hearing loss diagnosis, the Foundation continues to break down barriers. Hearing First’s accessible approach empowers parents with evidence-based knowledge as a reliable source of truth, one with an even greater emphasis on science as the Foundation moves into its third era. Era Three: Innovation for the Future As it approached its 40th anniversary, the Oberkotter Foundation maintained its adaptive and robust call-and-response to an expanded LSL universe and made a pivotal move toward hearing healthcare innovation. That emphasis has evolved under the guidance of Dr. Teresa Caraway, who took the Foundation reins as its CEO in 2023. In 2024, Oberkotter announced a new Strategic Plan to guide Foundation priorities – with the overarching goal of supporting families and children. These future-centric efforts are aimed at further scaling connection and implementing systemic change through the latest related developments in science, tech, and education. The following year, as part of the Strategic Plan, the Foundation introduced a new initiative in March of 2025: The Scientific Council for Childhood Hearing , a multidisciplinary panel of leading physicians, academics, and researchers from around the world. Mildred Oberkotter, who died at age 88 in 2024 , lived long enough to endorse the panel’s creation and its strategic direction. The council’s collaborative exploration, rooted in scientific inquiry, is aimed at analyzing and addressing the effects of congenital hearing loss across multiple disciplines: audiology, medicine, neuroscience, speech pathology, literacy, deaf education, and public health. It will track the latest science and incentivize research with an underlying and unified goal of ensuring that LSL professionals and families of children with deafness or hearing loss have the most accurate, helpful, and up-to-date information. Forty years on, this latest Foundation initiative reflects a persistent purpose: to give children the best opportunity to realize their brightest academic futures, starting with sound and language-rich environments that feed brain development and language literacy. The Foundation has become an acknowledged and authoritative voice in LSL. That established authority, conveying credibility and building trust, is especially important at a time when growing online misinformation is a new and invasive breed of barrier. In this era, the Foundation’s grant-making and funding models have shifted to explore and target new directions for hearing health and intervention services. Following best practices in philanthropy, the Foundation is providing opportunities for interested parties to submit responses to published RFPs that address and propose to resolve specific barriers to services. By taking a proactive approach, grounded in science-backed discovery, the Foundation is cultivating the grant-making ground for its innovative eras of the future. Core Themes of a Legacy Mildred Oberkotter was widely acknowledged as the heart and soul of the Foundation that bears her family’s name, and that was informed by what she had encountered. “It opened the world for me that I could talk,” she once said. “I wanted deaf children to have a similar experience.” Across all of its eras, the Foundation’s strategy has aligned with her initial and ongoing priorities: keeping families intact; making services available and accessible; supplying hope, as well as fact-based support, to families navigating their children’s hearing and learning goals; and providing professionals with the necessary resources to best help guide those families. Mildred Oberkotter also set a remarkable personal example of embracing change. Although she wasn’t fitted with hearing aids until her teens, during her life she witnessed a revolution in sound sparked by smaller and more powerful devices. That revolution called for reinforcement. The Foundation she helped launch reflects her spirit and determination and has championed the growth of multiple programs and networks that have adapted and translated decades of discoveries into practice. From LSL success stories promoted through VHS documentaries to the establishment of virtual Hearing First platforms, grant funding, and scientific collaborations, the Oberkotter Foundation continues to support what’s happening now and explore the potential of what’s ahead, always informed by the latest research in children with hearing loss. Impact Over 40 Years The impact of the Foundation’s work over the past 40 years is quantifiable: more than $500 million in funding to improve listening and spoken language and literacy outcomes. That influence is reflected through its shaping of the programs, education, and resources made available to thousands of children and families, and the teachers and professionals who make a difference in their lives through early action and intervention. The ripple effect is resounding and shared through stories of LSL successes. One of many stories showcased on a Hearing First space, LSL Life , features an interview with a high school tennis coach who admits he was completely unaware of one player’s hearing loss. The reason: her parents, prompted by the early Dreams Spoken film, were inspired to pursue cochlear implantation and LSL education that resulted in that player’s fluency in the hearing world. In each of its eras, the Foundation has asked what families needed and acted to deliver resources to homes, classrooms, clinics, and doctors’ offices. Still, after 40 years, barriers to families seeking access to hearing healthcare remain. Whether societal, institutional, economic, geographic, or policy, Oberkotter continues its work to dismantle them. Through its recognized leadership, it can catalyze on-the-ground stakeholders and advocates to build on the hearing healthcare progress made-to-date. In building capacity and through strategic investment, the Foundation can also seed the unrealized science-fueled solutions of the future, grow the ranks and skill sets of professionals, and use innovation to solve obstacles. At a time of economic uncertainty, the Foundation’s unique, singular spotlight on young children’s hearing healthcare – and its importance for literacy and educational achievement – makes a compelling case: Investment in childhood hearing benefits everyone. Interact with 40 Years of Impact Discover more of the innovative and transformative moments that have helped unlock new opportunities for children who are deaf or hard of hearing using a new interactive timeline from the Foundation. Explore More Milestones Looking Ahead: What Comes Next Mildred Oberkotter’s vision lives on in the Foundation’s forward focus. While the world has changed, that resolve is unwavering. The Foundation remains committed to parental choice - that if parents want their children with deafness or hearing loss to learn to listen and talk, they will have that opportunity. Expanding opportunity beyond a family’s location or socioeconomic status to better the odds for all children means innovating to remove the obstacles that remain. Their effective removal will involve pulling multiple levers in service of innovative solutions, services, technologies, education, and transformation. The 2025 release of a Familiar Sounds Audiogram and e-book is just one recent example of cutting-edge information now available to parents – in this case, translating the testing that measures their children’s hearing loss so they can better understand and respond to the results. An October 2025 event, first in the Foundation’s “Showcase Series,” spotlighted how educational collaborations across the state of Georgia, supported initially by Oberkotter funding, are working to improve literacy outcomes for students with deafness and hearing loss. The Oberkotter Foundation is continuing to meet the moment. Late in life, as witness to the Foundation’s origin story and initial eras of change, Mildred Oberkotter described a more promising future for children with deafness or hearing loss. That future was no longer defined; the horizon had become so broad it was almost boundless. The future, she accurately predicted, is now truly “wide open.” Open to possibility. Open to potential. Open to dream.Announcementhttps://www.oberkotterfoundation.org/b/news-updates/posts/the-oberkotter-foundation-welcomes-sarah-sommerTue, 03 Mar 2026 22:08:00 GMT06bab2da-2c05-4686-a78f-5c27263d59c2:0807b948-71e9-450b-bc71-d300fd068bbcOberkotterSarah Sommer, a leader in digital marketing and engagement, brings over two decades of experience to the Oberkotter Foundation building online strategies to improve access to care and services for individuals with hearing loss. PHILADELPHIA, March 5, 2026 — Sarah Sommer joined the Board of Trustees of the Oberkotter Foundation on March 1, 2026, the Foundation announced. Ms. Sommer’s experience adds to the Foundation’s leadership as they champion work that fuels innovation in pediatric hearing healthcare and ensures every child who is deaf or hard of hearing has the option to develop age-appropriate listening, spoken language, and literacy skills. On the Board, Ms. Sommer joins Bruce Rosenfield, former Executive Director of the Foundation, David Pierson, Lydia Denworth, and Dr. Cedric Pritchett. The Foundation’s Board of Trustees is responsible for setting strategic direction, maintaining good governance practices, and providing financial oversight to ensure the Foundation continues to fulfill its mission. “The Foundation is identifying and championing innovative solutions to the challenges and barriers facing children who are deaf or hard of hearing and their families,” Teresa H. Caraway, Ph.D., Chief Executive Officer of the Oberkotter Foundation. Ms. Sommer brings a wealth of experience identifying issues within healthcare systems and using the latest digital communications technologies and strategies to deliver practical solutions to the public. We are delighted that she will be joining a dedicated group of Trustees, who are committed to advancing the Foundation’s mission. Teresa H. Caraway, Ph.D. A leader in digital marketing and engagement, Ms. Sommer currently serves as the Vice President of Digital Engagement at Geisinger. Geisinger is among the nation’s leading providers of value-based healthcare, serving people in urban and rural communities across central and northeastern Pennsylvania. Prior to her time at Geisinger, she directed digital strategies at Boston Scientific Corporation. In addition to her professional expertise, Ms. Sommer brings lived experience that reflects the communities the Foundation serves, as she is profoundly deaf and uses bilateral cochlear implants. Ms. Sommer combines her first-hand experience in listening and spoken language with her industry-leading knowledge of digital strategy to provide innovative leadership to organizations that advance opportunities for individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing. Her service has included board roles at the Alexander Graham Bell Association, the former Helen Beebe Speech and Hearing Center, and mentorship as an Advanced Bionics cochlear implant ambassador. A graduate of Princeton University, Sommer earned her MBA from Harvard Business School, where she received the Horace W. Goldsmith Fellowship for achievements in social enterprise. She also studied as a Fulbright graduate student at the University of Canterbury in New Zealand, completing graduate work in education with distinction. “Ms. Sommer’s expertise in driving innovation and digital engagement will be a tremendous asset as we continue to evolve the Foundation’s work and expand our reach to support more children who are deaf or hard of hearing and their families,” said Lydia Denworth, a member of the Oberkotter Foundation Board of Trustees. “By combining professional excellence with her own personal experience, she not only strengthens our capabilities as a board but also embodies the opportunities and successes we believe should be open to every individual who is deaf or hard of hearing. We look forward to having her insight, leadership, and example helping to shape the work of the Foundation.” About the Oberkotter Foundation The Oberkotter Foundation helps families ensure their children who are deaf or hard of hearing have opportunities to reach their full potential through Listening and Spoken Language (LSL). The Foundation is committed to advancing science and innovation that will improve access to quality audiological and LSL services for children with hearing loss so that they develop age-appropriate listening, talking, and literacy skills. Since 1985, the Foundation has provided over $500 million in funding to improve listening, spoken language, and literacy outcomes for children with hearing loss and their families. Read more about the Oberkotter Foundation.Announcementhttps://www.oberkotterfoundation.org/b/events/posts/wear-time-eventFri, 13 Feb 2026 16:32:00 GMT06bab2da-2c05-4686-a78f-5c27263d59c2:fc7b55d3-81f9-4566-b5ba-a21da58f41cdOberkotterWebinar | 43 min watch Explore How Hearing Device Wear Time Impacts Listening and Spoken Language Outcomes Evidence shows that wearing hearing devices for all waking hours during the first few years of life significantly affects spoken language development in children who are deaf or hard of hearing. The Oberkotter Foundation Showcase – Hearing Device Wear Time to Improve Listening – explores the link between consistent device use and listening, talking, and literacy outcomes for children who are deaf or hard of hearing. In this webinar, Dr. Elizabeth Walker explores the research on hearing device wear time, the factors that impact device use, and the opportunities to support families in identifying barriers and promoting device use throughout all waking hours. Watch the showcase to hear Dr. Walker discuss: The current research linking hearing device wear time to listening and spoken language development. How the current evidence on wear time can be applied to inform family-centered intervention and support strategies that increase device use. Watch now Download Transcript Watch the Webinar We have an opportunity to find solutions to support families in overcoming the challenges they face to increase device wear time to all waking hours. By deepening our understanding of this topic and learning from one another, we can help more children who are deaf or hard of hearing thrive and reach their full potential. Dr. Teresa Caraway, CEO, Oberkotter Foundation Featured Speakers Elizabeth Walker , Ph.D., CCC-A/SLP, Associate Professor, University of Iowa Speaker Dr. Walker is an associate professor and Dean’s Scholar in the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders at the University of Iowa and Director of the Pediatric Audiology Laboratory. Her NIH-funded research focuses on pediatric aural habilitation, specifically examining malleable factors that relate to individual differences in listening and language outcomes for children who are deaf or hard of hearing. She has published over 50 peer reviewed articles, is the recipient of two Editor’s Awards from ASHA journals, and has co-authored a textbook on Pediatric Amplification. She currently serves on the ASHA Board of Directors as Audiology member at large. More Resources Looking for more resources on hearing device wear time? Check out this selection of curated resources from Hearing First to support parents and professionals in improving device use. Get the Resourceshttps://www.oberkotterfoundation.org/b/news-updates/posts/inaugural-showcase-to-feature-literacy-effortsTue, 07 Oct 2025 13:00:00 GMT06bab2da-2c05-4686-a78f-5c27263d59c2:f9d98b62-de6c-43be-b760-0267b27bba4bOberkotterThe Oberkotter Foundation Showcase Series shares impactful work reducing barriers, improving access to care and resources, and helping children with hearing loss reach age-appropriate listening, talking, and reading milestones. PHILADELPHIA, October 7, 2025 On October 14, 2025, the Oberkotter Foundation will host its inaugural Showcase Series event, which features impactful work that is advancing opportunities for children who are deaf or hard of hearing. The first showcase event – Georgia: Struggle. Common Ground. Progress . – will feature a powerful story of how the state of Georgia is introducing initiatives to improve literacy outcomes for children who are deaf or hard of hearing through collaborative efforts of nonprofits, advocates, and policymakers. The event will take place online at 1:00 PM Eastern Standard Time. Registration is now open at www.oberkotterfoundation.org/events. For 40 years, the Oberkotter Foundation has collaborated with organizations, parents, professionals, educators, and more to drive initiatives that help children who are deaf or hard of hearing have opportunities to reach their full potential through Listening and Spoken Language (LSL). The Showcase Series will serve as a platform to amplify the work of those who are driving progress by sharing insights from their efforts with a goal of inspiring new ideas to improve outcomes for children who are deaf or hard of hearing. “There is so much work being done to reduce barriers, raise awareness, increase access to care, and create new opportunities for children who are deaf or hard of hearing,” says Teresa Caraway, PhD, CCC-SLP, LSLS Cert. AVT, CEO, Oberkotter Foundation. “The Showcase Series aims to break down the silos and create a knowledge exchange between the committed individuals and organizations doing this work." By creating a platform to share the efforts, impact, and insights of others, the Foundation hopes to inspire new and innovative thinking, helping every child with hearing loss access the care and resources they need to listen, talk, and thrive. Dr. Teresa Caraway, CEO At the Showcase event on October 14, Kelly Jenkins, Program Manager of the Access to Language Program out of the Atlanta Speech School, will share how the state of Georgia is leveraging parent navigator programs, mobile audiology services, and data-driven advocacy to help children with hearing loss be identified sooner, supported faster, and set on a path to reach third-grade-reading levels by the time they reach third grade. Spearheaded by the Atlanta Speech School and supported by funding from the Oberkotter Foundation, the Access to Language program in Georgia has brought together collaborative partnerships to foster meaningful, lasting changes and successfully help more children who are deaf or hard of hearing meet age-appropriate learning and literacy benchmarks. “The progress we have made reflects years of collaboration and a shared commitment to helping children with hearing loss reach their full potential,” explains Kelly Jenkins. “Together, we have connected groups across the state of Georgia to create a sustainable system that will ensure children who are deaf or hard of hearing are included in efforts to improve literacy outcomes. That means they are identified earlier, supported sooner, and set on a path to lifelong learning." To learn more about the progress being made in Georgia and the Oberkotter Foundation Showcase Series visit oberkotterfoundation.org/events . About the Oberkotter Foundation The Oberkotter Foundation helps families ensure their children who are deaf or hard of hearing have opportunities to reach their full potential through Listening and Spoken Language (LSL). The Foundation is committed to advancing science and innovation that will improve access to quality audiological and LSL services for children with hearing loss so that they develop age-appropriate listening, talking, and literacy skills. Since 1985, the Foundation has provided over $500 million in funding to improve listening, spoken language, and literacy outcomes for children with hearing loss and their families. Read more about the Oberkotter Foundation.Announcementhttps://www.oberkotterfoundation.org/b/news-updates/posts/new-funding-opportunity-for-family-navigation-programsWed, 01 Oct 2025 13:00:00 GMT06bab2da-2c05-4686-a78f-5c27263d59c2:9f894c56-687b-4b71-98f8-dbea32f024c7OberkotterThe Foundation is requesting proposals from organizations seeking to expand or establish navigator programs to achieve positive outcomes for children who are deaf or hard of hearing. PHILADELPHIA, October 1, 2025 — Today, the Oberkotter Foundation announced a new funding opportunity and is seeking proposals for navigator programs that support timely access to newborn hearing healthcare. Grants will be awarded to organizations introducing or expanding navigator programs, particularly in underserved communities. The Foundation’s goal is to assist families in achieving and accelerating early hearing detection, identification, and intervention benchmarks to promote the development of age-appropriate spoken language and literacy milestones for children who are deaf or hard of hearing. The Joint Commission on Infant Hearing (JCIH, 2007) states that infants should receive a hearing screening by 1 month, a diagnostic evaluation by 3 months, and be enrolled in early intervention by 6 months. Navigator programs can provide family-centered support to help reduce barriers to hearing care by supporting families through the complex process of early hearing detection and intervention. However, according to the CDC, of the 98% of newborns in the U.S. who receive a newborn hearing screening, only 40% of those needing further evaluation receive it by 3 months, and just 41% are enrolled in early intervention by 6 months. These delays can have long-term impacts, as early hearing experiences are essential for the development of listening and spoken language skills. Navigators play a critical role in helping families understand the importance of timely follow-up after newborn hearing screenings, navigate healthcare systems, and connect with early intervention services. “Today, the possibilities are limitless for children who are deaf or hard of hearing when they are identified early, fitted with appropriate hearing technology, and enrolled in early intervention,” said Teresa H. Caraway, PhD, CCC-SLP, LSLS Cert. AVT, Chief Executive Officer of the Oberkotter Foundation. “Every day, children with hearing loss are developing age-appropriate listening, talking, and reading skills; however, access to care is not equal for all families.” Navigator programs are a way to help connect families quickly with the necessary care that we know helps children who are deaf or hard of hearing learn to listen, talk, read, and thrive. Dr. Teresa Caraway, CEO Non-profit, 501(c)(3) organizations within the United States serving families of children who are deaf or hard of hearing are invited to apply. Applications will be accepted from October 1 to November 28, 2025. Successful applicants will be notified on February 27, 2026. Click here to view the Request for Proposals. The Oberkotter Foundation believes that families of children with hearing loss should have timely access, complete information, and appropriate intervention services. This funding opportunity reflects the Foundation’s strategic commitment to increasing nationwide access to pediatric hearing healthcare, Listening and Spoken Language (LSL) services, and family support. “Achieving positive listening and spoken language outcomes for children who are deaf or hard of hearing depends on families having access to accurate information, receiving clear and consistent communication, and a shared commitment of support from the professionals working with them,” explains Andrea Dunn, AuD, PhD, CCC-A, Vice President of Programs of the Oberkotter Foundation. “Navigators support and empower families of children who are deaf or hard of hearing, connecting them with timely, high-quality hearing healthcare and intervention services that lay the groundwork for them to reach their full potential.” About the Oberkotter Foundation The Oberkotter Foundation helps families ensure their children who are deaf or hard of hearing have opportunities to reach their full potential through Listening and Spoken Language (LSL). The Foundation is committed to advancing science and innovation that will improve access to quality audiological and LSL services for children with hearing loss so that they develop age-appropriate listening, talking, and literacy skills. Since 1985, the Foundation has provided over $500 million in funding to improve listening, spoken language, and literacy outcomes for children with hearing loss and their families. Read more about the Oberkotter Foundation.Announcementhttps://www.oberkotterfoundation.org/b/events/posts/showcase-georgiaWed, 01 Oct 2025 12:45:00 GMT06bab2da-2c05-4686-a78f-5c27263d59c2:50caedd0-4d27-403a-9c7c-852eeb25ee7fOberkotterWebinar Oct. 1, 2025 40 min watch Kelly Jenkins Speaker Webinar Learn how Georgia is Reducing Barriers to Care to Improve Literacy Outcomes How are children who are deaf or hard of hearing being identified sooner, supported faster, and set on a path to reach third-grade reading levels by the time they reach third grade in the state of Georgia? What started as a concept has turned into a statewide effort with sustained funding thanks to the collaborative efforts from nonprofits, supporters, and policymakers. The Oberkotter Foundation Showcase – Georgia: Struggle. Common Ground. Progress. – explores exactly how efforts in Georgia are helping children who are deaf or hard of hearing overcome barriers to care as part of a statewide initiative to improve literacy outcomes. Kelly Jenkins, Program Manager of Access to Language, shares how groups are leveraging parent navigator programs, mobile audiology services, and data-driven communications to help children with hearing loss reach age-appropriate listening, spoken language, and literacy milestones. Watch the recording to hear Kelly discuss strategies and lessons learned from Georgia, including: Fostering collaboration across stakeholder groups to increase impact. Collecting and leveraging data to communicate the needs of children who are deaf or hard of hearing and their families. Educating policymakers and other groups using data to ensure that supports are in place to improve literacy outcomes for children who are deaf or hard of hearing. Watch now Download Transcript Watch the Webinar This is a powerful example of how collaboration and sustained effort can bridge key gaps in early hearing screenings, audiology services, and early intervention to improve literacy outcomes for all children. Our colleagues in Georgia have created a model for how data, collaboration, and communication can drive meaningful policy change. Dr. Teresa Caraway, CEO, Oberkotter Foundation Featured Speakers Kelly Jenkins , Program Manager, Access to Language Speaker Kelly is an advocate and policy strategist with a focus on advancing equity for children who are deaf or hard of hearing. She has authored and successfully championed multiple pieces of legislation in Georgia and has co-authored the Report on Language and Literacy Outcomes for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Children in Georgia, presented annually to the Governor and General Assembly for the past six years. Kelly holds a B.A/ from Davidson College and an M.B.A from Emory University. She currently leads grant-funded initiatives focused on expanding language access and educational opportunity, bringing together legislative insight, systems-level strategy, and an unwavering commitment to impact. Kelly is the program manager of Access to Language, operated out of the Atlanta Speech School and funded in part by the Oberkotter Foundation. The goal of this program is to break down barriers for children who are deaf or hard of hearing in Georgia.https://www.oberkotterfoundation.org/b/newsletters/posts/october-2025-oberkotter-foundation-newsletterWed, 01 Oct 2025 12:45:00 GMT06bab2da-2c05-4686-a78f-5c27263d59c2:ef25494f-069d-4ae3-85a8-223abf1c1f5bOberkotterFrom the CEO This month marks 40 years since Paul and Louise Oberkotter, guided by the hearing loss journey of their daughter Mildred (Mildie), set out to ensure that children who are deaf or hard of hearing could reach their full potential through listening and spoken language. From that inspiring beginning, countless families, professionals, and partners have joined together to open a world of new possibilities for children who are deaf or hard of hearing. This moment is more than just a milestone in the Foundation's timeline. It's also an opportunity to further the mission and take action to create the future we all envision for children with hearing loss—a brighter future without barriers, filled with opportunity to develop age-appropriate listening, talking, and literacy skills. A Legacy of Hope Over the past four decades, the Foundation’s philanthropic funding and grant investments have been a catalyst to empower parents and the professionals who support them to reach the dreams they have for their children to listen, talk, read, and thrive just like their hearing friends. Because of the combined efforts of many, more families now have access to the knowledge, resources, and services their children need to reach their full potential. A Future of Possibilities As we honor the Oberkotter legacy and look ahead to a bright future for children with hearing loss, the Foundation has two opportunities to share with you: a funding opportunity to support family navigator programs and a new platform to spark ideas and share lessons learned from across our field. Request for Proposals Today, the Oberkotter Foundation announced a new funding opportunity and is seeking proposals for navigator programs that support timely access to newborn hearing healthcare. The Foundation's goal is to assist families in achieving and accelerating early hearing detection, identification, and intervention benchmarks to promote the development of age-appropriate spoken language and literacy milestones for children who are deaf or hard of hearing. Learn more about the request for proposals. Request for Proposals Showcase Series The Oberkotter Foundation is launching a Showcase Series to highlight innovative and impactful projects in communities across the country that are maximizing listening and spoken language outcomes and strengthening our shared work. The Showcase kicks off with a webinar - Georgia: Struggle. Common Ground. Progress. - on October 14 to share the collective efforts in the state of Georgia to improve literacy outcomes for children with hearing loss, including new legislation, programs, and initiatives. Register for the Showcase This year is also meaningful as we mark 10 years of families and professionals coming together through Hearing First, a subsidiary of the Foundation that overcomes geographical barriers by providing LSL knowledge, resources, education, and connections available anytime, anywhere online. This 40th anniversary is both a reminder of our purpose and a call to not only envision, but also to actively build, a future where every child with hearing loss has equal access to the care and opportunities they deserve. The journey forward is one we all share, and I look forward to the next chapter of partnership, possibility, and progress for children with hearing loss. Read more about the Foundation's 40 years of impact here. Teresa H. Caraway, PhD, CCC-SLP, LSLS Cert. AVT Chief Executive Officer The Latest From the Foundation Request for Grant Proposals to Support Navigator Programs The Oberkotter Foundation has released a request for proposals that seeks to fund navigator programs that support timely access to newborn hearing healthcare. Early identification and intervention for children with hearing loss is critical to achieve age-appropriate listening and spoken language outcomes. The JCIH (2000) states that infants should receive a hearing screening by 1 month, a diagnostic evaluation by 3 months, and be enrolled in intervention by 6 months. Despite these recommendations only 40% of babies who need further evaluation after a hearing screening receive it by 3 months and just 41% are enrolled in early intervention by 6 months (CDC, 2024). Navigators can play a critical role in helping families understand the importance of timely follow-up after newborn hearing screenings, navigate healthcare systems, and connect with early intervention services. This RFP seeks to support organizations introducing or expanding navigator programs, particularly in underserved communities. Non-profit, 501(c)(3) organizations within the United States serving families of children who are deaf or hard of hearing are invited to apply through November 28, 2025. Learn More About the RFP and Application Here News & Events Oberkotter Foundation Showcase | Georgia: Struggle. Common Ground. Progress. Join the Foundation for a live webinar to learn how collaboration across the state of Georgia has improved literacy outcomes for children who are deaf or hard of hearing. On October 14, the first event in the Foundation's new Showcase Series will explore how the state of Georgia is introducing initiatives to improve literacy outcomes for children who are deaf or hard of hearing through the collective efforts of nonprofits, advocates, and policymakers. Learn how the state of Georgia is leveraging parent navigator programs, mobile audiology services, and data-driven advocacy to help children who are deaf or hard of hearing be identified sooner, supported faster, and set on a path to reach third-grade-reading levels by the time they reach third grade. Event Details Oct. 14, 2025 | 1 pm ET Presentation by | Kelly Jenkins, Program Manager, Access to Language Moderator | Dr. Teresa Caraway, CEO, Oberkotter Foundation Register to AttendNewsletterhttps://www.oberkotterfoundation.org/b/news-updates/posts/oberkotter-foundation-marks-40-years-of-supporting-listening-and-spoken-languageWed, 01 Oct 2025 12:45:00 GMT06bab2da-2c05-4686-a78f-5c27263d59c2:241a47f0-7326-426a-93e5-55f7e3c6c38eOberkotterWith a legacy of leading innovation and breaking down barriers, the Foundation looks to a future where every child with hearing loss has the opportunity to reach their full potential through listening and spoken language. PHILADELPHIA, October 1, 2025 Today, the Oberkotter Foundation marks the beginning of its 40 th anniversary, a milestone that reflects four decades of impact in expanding what’s possible for children who are deaf or hard of hearing and their families. Since its founding in 1985, the Foundation has invested in pioneering programs, research, and family-centered support that have transformed access to quality pediatric audiology and Listening and Spoken Language (LSL) services. As part of the 40 th anniversary, the Foundation is reflecting on its legacy of hope, honoring its mission to support children with hearing loss, and committing to bold new actions that will help shape a future where every child has the opportunity to listen, talk, read, and thrive. A 40-Year Legacy of Hope and Vision The Oberkotter Foundation’s story began long before its formal founding, with Paul and Louise Oberkotter’s determination to support their daughter, Mildred “Mildie” Oberkotter who was diagnosed as profoundly deaf in the 1930s. At the time, they sought a path to ensure Mildie could learn to talk and participate fully in the hearing world. Decades later in 1985, Paul and Louise decided to create the Oberkotter Foundation to provide support for children who are deaf so they could learn to listen and talk. Since its founding, the Foundation has provided more than $500 million in philanthropic funding and grant investments as a catalyst for change to improve early intervention services for children with hearing loss and their families. "The Oberkotters had a vision for what the future could be for children with hearing loss, and from that initial desire to do something worthwhile, the ongoing impact has been nothing short of incredible,” explains Bruce Rosenfield, Trustee and former Executive Director of the Oberkotter Foundation. The Foundation’s initiatives and investments have been game-changers in opening the door of opportunity for children with hearing loss so they can reach their full potential. Looking ahead, the future is wide open. Bruce Rosenfield Pioneering Solutions and Expanding Access Throughout its 40 years, the Foundation has embraced innovative approaches, programs, and resources to break down barriers and increase access to care, helping families have the information and care needed to support their child with hearing loss. The Foundation’s investments helped establish 25 Listening and Spoken Language (LSL) programs throughout the U.S. to help families more easily access LSL and pediatric audiology services directly in their communities. In 1998, the Foundation released the Dreams Spoken documentary film series and resources to show families what is possible for their child to listen and talk with early intervention and appropriate support. Since 2015, Hearing First , an educational initiative of the Foundation, has supported thousands of families and professionals through resources, learning, and community. Starts Hear National Awareness Campaign has reached millions of parents with information about the Newborn Hearing Screening and the link between hearing and development. As a result of Foundation investments, more children than ever before now have access to programs and services to achieve listening and spoken language outcomes. “Reflecting on the Foundation’s beginning 40 years ago inspires the future the Foundation is working toward as we continue the vision from the Oberkotter family. The Foundation wants to lead the way and embrace collaborative efforts so that no matter where a child lives or the socioeconomic status of their family, they have the opportunity to learn to listen and talk,” shares Teresa H. Caraway, PhD, CCC-SLP, LSLS Cert. AVT, Chief Executive Officer of the Oberkotter Foundation. “The Foundation will continue to fund and support innovative initiatives that will transform pediatric hearing healthcare, bridging the gaps in care so that every child with hearing loss has the opportunity to develop age-appropriate listening, spoken language, and literacy skills.” Looking Ahead: A Future of Possibilities Ahead of its 40 th year, the Foundation embarked on a bold new chapter with a focus on advancing science and innovation to create a more inclusive and supportive future for children with hearing loss. The strategic plan, announced in 2024, commits the Foundation to advancing science and innovation, raising awareness about newborn hearing healthcare, expanding equitable access to audiology and LSL services, and strengthening knowledge and connections among families and professionals. As part of the Foundation’s commitment to collaboration and innovation, the Scientific Council for Childhood Hearing was established in 2024. The council brings together global experts to deepen understanding about childhood hearing loss by analyzing the science of listening, language, and literacy for children who are deaf or hard of hearing. Looking ahead, the Foundation will continue to partner with individuals and organizations to develop innovative approaches and expand access to outcomes in listening and spoken language. Together, these efforts will continue the legacy of hope sparked by one family’s journey to help create limitless futures for children who are deaf or hard of hearing and their families. About the Oberkotter Foundation The Oberkotter Foundation helps families ensure their children who are deaf or hard of hearing have opportunities to reach their full potential through Listening and Spoken Language (LSL). The Foundation is committed to advancing science and innovation that will improve access to quality audiological and LSL services for children with hearing loss so that they develop age-appropriate listening, talking, and literacy skills. Since 1985, the Foundation has provided over $500 million in funding to improve listening, spoken language, and literacy outcomes for children with hearing loss and their families. Read more about the Oberkotter Foundation.Announcementhttps://www.oberkotterfoundation.org/b/newslettersMon, 29 Sep 2025 18:13:00 GMT06bab2da-2c05-4686-a78f-5c27263d59c2:7b534936-a530-4ca8-8422-55a77ebd327chttps://www.oberkotterfoundation.org/b/eventsMon, 29 Sep 2025 18:12:00 GMT06bab2da-2c05-4686-a78f-5c27263d59c2:6f158b1c-2e22-4bff-8ab5-019163cd9e45https://www.oberkotterfoundation.org/b/newsletters/posts/june-2025-newsletterTue, 17 Jun 2025 18:19:00 GMT06bab2da-2c05-4686-a78f-5c27263d59c2:1e7c8038-945b-40b7-be5e-230b90570406OberkotterFrom the CEO Today, we find ourselves in a dynamic and evolving time—full of potential, yes, but also filled with unknowns. In moments like these, the Oberkotter Foundation remains firmly grounded in our mission: to help families ensure their children who are deaf or hard of hearing have opportunities to reach their full potential through listening and spoken language. This year, the Foundation has continued work from the strategic plan and deepened its commitment to supporting both families and the professionals who serve them by addressing some of the long-standing barriers to care. This includes efforts to reduce obstacles to critical information, increasing knowledge and connection; champion cross-collaboration across pediatric audiology, Listening and Spoken Language (LSL), and early childhood development; strengthen awareness of the newborn hearing screening; and find meaningful solutions for all children and their families. As a private family foundation, the Oberkotter Foundation does not engage in lobbying or commenting on specific legislation, yet we remain steadfast in our commitment to work collaboratively for a more inclusive and supportive future for children and their families As this newsletter highlights, you can see how the work of the Foundation has been evolving—not just to lead, but to collaboratively work alongside professionals and partners with a shared purpose. That spirit of collaboration was fully evident in the first gathering of the Scientific Council, a group of esteemed experts dedicated to analyzing the science of listening, language, and literacy for children who are deaf or hard of hearing. The meeting was charged with inspiration, as they shared their dedication to advancing science and innovation to improve outcomes for children with hearing loss and shape the path ahead. I'm hopeful for what it means for the future. In the coming days, let's stay focused and work hard to maximize LSL outcomes for little ones touched by hearing loss and their families. I look forward to the days ahead and all we will accomplish together. Teresa H. Caraway, PhD, CCC-SLP, LSLS Cert. AVT Chief Executive Officer Read More About Our Commitment to the Future Science & Innovation A Big First Step for the Scientific Council The Oberkotter Foundation recently held its first in-person meeting of the Scientific Council for Childhood Hearing in Washington, D.C. This first meeting brought together a remarkable group of experts from across the globe to analyze the science of listening, language, and literacy for children who are deaf or hard of hearing. The exchange of ideas was not only enriching, it was a reminder of the power of collaboration and the shared purpose that brought us together. More than anything, it affirmed how vital a strong scientific foundation is to guiding families and shaping meaningful progress for the future We look forward to sharing more in the coming months as the Council continues its work. Learn More About the Scientific Council Bringing Clarity to the Audiogram with a Standardized Tool For decades, familiar sounds audiograms (FSAs) have helped families visualize what their child can—and cannot—hear. But until now, there has never been a standardized, research-based version that professionals could trust universally. In early 2025, the Foundation’s initiative Hearing First released a new Familiar Sounds Audiogram, created in collaboration with Dr. Lisa Davidson and Dr. Rosalie Uchanski following their 2023 landmark study analyzing inconsistencies across 36 audiograms in the field. This new tool directly addresses those inconsistencies to bring clarity, accuracy, and consistency to a critical conversation between families and professionals. In short, the FSA is more than a resource—it’s a conversation starter, a decision-making guide, and a powerful tool for empowering families from the very beginning of their LSL journey. The new Audiogram, accompanying eBook, and research addendum directly reflect the Oberkotter Foundation’s strategic priority to strengthen family and professional knowledge and accelerate the translation of hearing science into everyday practice. Hear from Dr. Teresa Caraway, CEO, and Dr. Jace Wolfe, Senior Vice President of Innovation, as they expand on why this resource represents a game-changing step forward for pediatric audiology and family-centered hearing care. Read About the New Familiar Sounds Audiogram Learning from the Start The early days following the identification of a child’s hearing loss can be full of questions, uncertainty, and information overload for families. That’s where First LSL Lessons comes in. Created by Hearing First, First LSL Lessons was developed in response to what parents said they needed most when they learned of their child’s hearing loss: clear direction, practical next steps, and reassurance that they’re not alone. Whether used independently by families or integrated into practice by professionals, First LSL Lessons supports the development of a child’s early auditory and language skills while building the confidence and competence for families of children with hearing loss. The Foundation continues in its commitment to empower families at the beginning of their journey by placing essential knowledge in their hands so they can navigate early decisions with clarity and confidence. First LSL Lessons is already making a difference. Families are using First LSL Lessons to get started teaching their child spoken language through listening while professionals are using First LSL Lessons in their practice models and service systems for their intervention planning. Explore Why First Steps Matter Most News & Headlines National Public Health Awareness Campaign The Starts Hear awareness campaign is now in its fifth year and going strong. Created to address a persistent public health challenge—loss to follow-up after newborn hearing screening—the campaign connects directly with expectant parents through digital platforms and delivers clear, actionable messages about newborn hearing health, brain development, and the importance of early intervention. In just four years, Starts Hear has delivered measurable impact: Ads viewed nearly 1 billion times Campaign videos viewed more than 300 million times 12.7 million emails sent to expectant & new parents These numbers reflect more than reach; they reflect lives touched, families empowered, and a rising awareness of what to do when a baby doesn’t pass a hearing screening. Read More About Year FourNewsletterhttps://www.oberkotterfoundation.org/b/news-updates/posts/first-lsl-lessonsMon, 16 Jun 2025 17:00:00 GMT06bab2da-2c05-4686-a78f-5c27263d59c2:f982d17f-1490-4a66-8412-ddd232235025OberkotterAs part of its strategic plan , the Oberkotter Foundation is committed to increasing access to services and support as well as expanding knowledge and skills among families. For the Foundation, the focus has been, and continues to be, equipping families and caregivers with the right information at the right time, while supporting the professionals who partner with them. Hearing First , an initiative of the Oberkotter Foundation, has created an innovative solution to help families get started on the Listening and Spoken Language (LSL) path right away with quality, timely information after learning their child is deaf or hard of hearing. First LSL Lessons is a free, easy-to-use tool designed to empower families with clear, sequential steps they can take to develop their child’s listening, talking, and literacy skills. Meeting Busy Families Where They Are Today’s families are busier than ever. A 2023 Pew Research study found that 84% of families report feeling rushed for time. Between work, commutes, parenting, and managing family schedules, it can be difficult for new parents to find time for anything else. When a child is identified with hearing loss, there is an additional layer of complexity and urgency for families with diagnostic and audiology appointments, new technology, unfamiliar terms, and emotional overwhelm. The Oberkotter Foundation has heard first-hand from families and the professionals who serve them that parents can find it challenging to know where to begin and how to move forward with confidence, especially in those early days of uncertainty. Recognizing this need for clarity and support early on, the Oberkotter Foundation identified a critical gap: families need a reliable starting point with clear, actionable steps, trustworthy information, and accessible guidance. First LSL Lessons stands in that gap – building on the Foundation’s 40 years of dedication by supporting professionals and empowering families with the knowledge, confidence, and tools they need to help children with hearing loss thrive. Easy-to-Use Resources for All Families The 12 curated lessons inside First LSL Lessons are accessible online and designed to reach families anywhere, with a user-friendly experience on both desktop and mobile devices. The flexible learning content is broken down into small sections that are easy to digest and easy to implement in families’ daily routines, so parents can go at their own pace and learn in the way that works best for them. The Oberkotter Foundation’s commitment to breaking down barriers and increasing access among all families by creating quality resources offered at no cost is the driving force behind the approachable lesson structure and organized design. Whether used independently by families or as a resource integrated into a provider’s practice, First LSL Lessons was created to put trusted knowledge directly into the hands of families. This approach supports both sides of the caregiving relationship by offering professionals a ready-to-use tool while giving families the confidence and clarity to take daily, meaningful action from the start. Step-By-Step Guide for Families Navigating Their Baby’s Hearing Loss Developed by certified Listening and Spoken Language specialists, First LSL Lessons brings together proven strategies and techniques in an easy-to-understand way to deepen parents’ knowledge and skills in supporting their child’s listening and spoken language development. Each lesson is thoughtfully designed based on best practices in adult learning: short, easy-to-follow segments under 20 minutes, enhanced with videos of real examples of LSL strategies in action, printable handouts and checklists, helpful visuals, and interactive features. Lesson topics include: Hearing Devices and Wear Time How to Talk and Read to Baby Building Language Understanding the Audiogram LSL Strategies And more A Game-Changing Entry Point for Families New to the LSL Journey Founded upon the Oberkotter Foundation’s long-standing vision for the future and belief that every child with hearing loss can learn to listen and talk when given the right support early, First LSL Lessons gives parents an entry point that cuts through the noise, builds confidence, and fosters competence. Grounded in decades of research and real-world outcomes, these lessons teach families not just what to do, but why it matters for their child’s development. First LSL Lessons brings together quality LSL resources in one place, organized in a sequential, step-by-step order that families can easily follow to grow their knowledge for raising their child to learn to listen and talk – all driven by the goal of unlocking new opportunities for children who are deaf or hard of hearing. To learn more about family learning with Hearing First and First LSL Lessons, visit HearingFirst.org/Lessons.Family Supporthttps://www.oberkotterfoundation.org/b/news-updates/posts/putting-the-research-into-practice-with-a-new-familiar-sounds-audiogramTue, 10 Jun 2025 14:00:00 GMT06bab2da-2c05-4686-a78f-5c27263d59c2:fe3f9beb-7267-43e1-ae04-93e85cb8466aOberkotterFor decades, familiar sounds audiograms (FSAs) have been used to help families understand what their child with hearing loss can—and cannot—hear. Yet despite their popularity, these audiograms have varied widely in form and accuracy, leading to confusion among parents and professionals alike. In 2023, a landmark study on common sounds audiograms offered analysis and recommendations on the many FSAs, concluding that the inconsistencies highlight the need for a standardized, research-based tool that provides accurate and consistent information for both professionals and families. Aligned with the Oberkotter Foundation’s strategic plan to strengthen family and professional knowledge and accelerate the translation of hearing science into everyday practice, Hearing First released a new Familiar Sounds Audiogram in early 2025. This updated tool—developed in collaboration with study leaders Dr. Lisa Davidson and Dr. Rosalie Uchanski—is grounded in rigorous research and designed to bridge the understanding gap between audiological results and everyday sound access. It brings much-needed standardization to the field, ensuring that no matter where families receive care, they are introduced to the same evidence-based, common-language resource. By helping parents better understand their child’s hearing, the new FSA empowers them to make more informed decisions about their child’s care—decisions that can have a lasting impact on developmental outcomes. More than a tool, it’s a critical support for families and a catalyst for stronger partnerships between audiologists and parents. Now, Oberkotter Foundation’s CEO, Dr. Teresa Caraway, and Senior Vice President of Innovation, Dr. Jace Wolfe expand on why this resource represents a game-changing step forward for pediatric audiology and family-centered hearing care. Why was there a need to create an updated Familiar Sounds Audiogram? Dr. Wolfe: The new Familiar Sounds Audiogram directly addresses the inconsistencies found in 36 existing versions across the field. In their research, Dr. Uchanski and Dr. Davidson revealed that these earlier audiograms differed significantly in the types of sounds included, the range of speech represented, and the positioning of specific speech sounds, which can lead to misunderstandings for parents that could affect critical decisions about hearing technology and intervention. The new audiogram and accompanying eBook It is built on the most up-to-date knowledge of speech acoustics, providing a science-backed, standardized format that professionals can use with confidence. It clearly delineates not just the audibility of speech sounds, but also highlights the regions of speech that contribute most to clarity and prosody, helping families visualize how their child’s hearing loss may affect the understanding speech. Why did the Oberkotter Foundation and its initiative Hearing First take on the endeavor to create a new familiar sounds audiogram? Dr. Caraway: The Foundation is resolute in making evidence-based information accessible for all families, and these tools do just that. While Hearing First had published a Familiar Sounds Audiogram and eBook in 2021, with the new research available, it became clear that an update was necessary. The opportunity to collaborate with the lead researchers from the 2023 study meant that we could ensure families can access accurate information grounded in research as they make decisions for their child’s hearing loss. What makes this version different from other ones? Dr. Wolfe: In 2021, Hearing First released a Familiar Sounds Audiogram and accompanying eBook that were developed in collaboration with Dr. Carol Flexer based on the latest research available at that time. Downloaded over 19,000 times, the eBook proved to address a need in the industry by offering family-friendly, research-based explanations to the audiogram and what it can tell families about their child’s hearing. Once Dr. Davidson and Dr. Uchanski released their new study, it became apparent that the audiogram and eBook needed an update to align with the latest research. The new FSA is backed by current research in speech acoustics. We intentionally included a clearly defined “speech region” with markers that denote the portion of the speech region that makes the largest contribution to the clarity of speech and the portion to contributes more to prosody region, so families can visualize not just what their child can detect, but how much clarity and meaning they’re receiving from speech. The audiogram shows the Ling 6 Sounds – "m,” “oo,” “ah,” “ee,” “sh,” and “s” – because those represent the range of frequencies and intensities that matter most for spoken language development. The audiogram excludes environmental sounds like vehicles or music due to their broad, variable acoustics, which lack consistent data. In contrast, the included speech sounds are based on well-defined research specifying the acoustics of an adult female voice at one meter. This resource is meant to start a meaningful conversation with families, not to overwhelm. How does this tool support professionals working with families? Dr. Wolfe: It brings consistency to the field. Audiologists, educators, and early interventionists can all rely on the same, science-based visual to guide their discussions. It’s especially helpful when introducing new families to the concept of audiograms, which can be incredibly technical and intimidating at first. The accompanying eBook provides more detailed explanations in parent-friendly terms, making it a powerful tool for professionals to have in their practice. The eBook can guide conversations and help frame important decisions about hearing technology so professionals can reinforce why early and consistent device use is critical for Listening and Spoken Language (LSL) development. What does the new Familiar Sounds Audiogram mean for families on the LSL journey? Dr. Caraway: It means empowerment. Parents are their child’s first and most important teachers, and this tool helps them understand how to make the most of everyday interactions—talking, reading, singing, and playing—to build spoken language skills. When families understand their child’s hearing test results and how they connect to speech access, they’re better equipped to partner with professionals and advocate for their child. That collaboration is what leads to the best outcomes. The Familiar Sounds Audiogram empowers families with clear, accurate information, which will hopefully position them to support their children to develop age-appropriate LSL and literacy skills. The Familiar Sounds Audiogram and eBook from Hearing First aims to be a unifying resource for our field as consistency and accuracy are essential for families and professionals alike. These tools should empower families with clear, evidence-based information and strengthen the partnership between professionals and parents as we strive to ensure that every child with hearing loss has the best possible opportunity to develop age-appropriate listening, talking, and literacy skills. Learn more and access the new audiogram and eBook at HearingFirst.org/Audiogram .Science and Researchhttps://www.oberkotterfoundation.org/b/news-updates/posts/starts-hear-awareness-campaign-four-years-of-successTue, 08 Apr 2025 13:30:00 GMT06bab2da-2c05-4686-a78f-5c27263d59c2:7838d198-3d65-4824-8e4e-ca671329baabOberkotterHearing First, an initiative of the Oberkotter Foundation, shares results from Year Four of the campaign dedicated to educating expectant moms about newborn hearing and next steps after failed screening. PHILADELPHIA, April 8, 2025 – Hearing First —an initiative of the Oberkotter Foundation dedicated to supporting families and professionals so children with hearing loss have the opportunity to learn to listen, talk, read, and thrive—shared the latest report from the Starts Hear awareness campaign . Starts Hear is a public health awareness campaign informing expectant parents about the importance of the newborn hearing screening (NHS) and what to do in the event of a failed screening. According to 2022 reporting from the CDC , more than 34% of infants who do not pass the screening either do not receive recommended follow-up care or the information is not reported to the state. Since February 2021, the campaign has been addressing the concerning trend of lack of follow-up and delayed care after a failed NHS by reaching expectant parents directly and empowering them to take immediate action if their baby does not pass the NHS. “At Hearing First, we know how important it is to communicate to families directly about the importance of their baby's hearing and acting urgently. When the CDC shares just how many infants are not receiving the care they need during the critical brain development window, it only amplifies the need,” said Teresa Caraway, PhD, CCC-SLP, LSLS Cert. AVT, CEO, Oberkotter Foundation. The Starts Hear campaign focuses on educating and empowering expectant parents so they can feel confident in their next steps and follow-up quickly after a failed screening. Dr. Teresa Caraway, CEO With key messages about newborn hearing screening (NHS), why hearing is important, and what to do following a failed NHS, the campaign has been effective in increasing awareness. In its fourth year, Starts Hear introduced new ways to expand the campaign: BabyCenter en Español: The Spanish campaign enabled important messages to reach even more expectant and new moms. Point of Care Signage: The campaign met new and expecting parents where they’re spending time—in ob-gyn and pediatrician offices—with QR codes to give parents easy access to this critical information. Ask an Expert: Through our partners, parents had the opportunity to submit their questions about newborn hearing and receive real-time responses from qualified professionals. The introduction of new tactics alongside the optimization of ongoing efforts, the fourth year of the campaign showed increased success with more impressions and more completed video views compared to any previous year of the campaign. Meanwhile, cumulative results highlight the success of the campaign in reaching new and soon-to-be moms, such as: 904+ Million total ad views 300+ Million video views 1.7+ Million visitors to StartsHear.org Based on today’s science and research, the future is bright for children who are deaf or hard of hearing. Listening and Spoken Language (LSL) outcomes are not only possible, but probable, with early diagnosis, amplification, and intervention. By emphasizing the message of early action following a failed screening, the Starts Hear campaign aligns with the guidelines set forth by the Joint Commission on Infant Hearing , or JCIH. Those guidelines outline that a child needs to receive a hearing screening by one month of age; a hearing evaluation and diagnosis of hearing loss by three months of age; and enrollment into early intervention by six months of age to optimize Listening and Spoken Language outcomes. By bringing awareness to parents before their baby arrives, the Starts Hear campaign is helping move the needle and shifting what the early stages of the hearing loss journey look like for families. To learn more about the Starts Hear campaign and download the Year Four Report, visit hearingfirst.org/starts-hear-awareness-campaign . About the Oberkotter Foundation Hearing First , an initiative of the Oberkotter Foundation , helps caring adults provide infants and toddlers who are deaf or hard of hearing with the same listening, spoken language, and literacy opportunities as their hearing peers through Listening and Spoken Language (LSL). Hearing First offers free educational resources and online learning experiences for families of children with hearing loss and professionals who seek to advance their LSL knowledge and understanding. With two free online communities, the Family Support Community and Professional Learning Community , Hearing First also helps members connect with other adults who share their same experience. The Oberkotter Foundation is a private foundation supporting opportunities for children who are deaf or hard of hearing to learn to listen and talk for nearly 40 years. Read more about the Oberkotter Foundation.Announcementhttps://www.oberkotterfoundation.org/b/news-updates/posts/jace-wolfe-marion-downs-awardThu, 27 Mar 2025 17:00:00 GMT06bab2da-2c05-4686-a78f-5c27263d59c2:1ff29c59-7687-41c5-ad1c-85dcacf75b53OberkotterDr. Wolfe is recognized with the prestigious award for his exceptional contributions to pediatric audiology and the impact his work has made on the profession. PHILADELPHIA, March 27, 2025 — Jace Wolfe, Ph.D., CCC-A, Senior Vice President of Innovation at the Oberkotter Foundation, has been awarded the 2025 Marion Downs Award for Excellence in Pediatric Audiology by the American Academy of Audiology. The award was presented during the American Academy of Audiology’s annual conference, the largest gathering of hearing and balance healthcare professionals in the world. As an audiologist and a leader in the field of pediatric audiology, Dr. Wolfe’s research, teaching, and clinical service have had a significant impact on pediatric audiology worldwide, particularly in delivering coordinated audiology and Listening and Spoken Language (LSL) intervention to young children and their families. Dr. Wolfe's dedication to family-centered pediatric audiology is an inspiration. He has made it his life’s work to ensure all children have access to sound, knowing how critical it is for early childhood development. Dr. Teresa Caraway, CEO Dr. Wolfe joined the Oberkotter Foundation, an organization dedicated to helping families ensure their children who are deaf or hard of hearing have opportunities to reach their full potential through listening and spoken language, in 2023 as Senior Vice President of Innovation. In this role, Dr. Wolfe leads the Oberkotter Foundation’s Science and Innovation initiatives to advance and inform the science of hearing loss, translating science into practice to improve Listening and Spoken Language (LSL) and literacy outcomes for children who are deaf or hard of hearing nationwide. "Dr. Wolfe's dedication to family-centered pediatric audiology is an inspiration. He has made it his life’s work to ensure all children have access to sound, knowing how critical it is for early childhood development,” said Teresa H. Caraway, Ph.D., Chief Executive Officer of the Oberkotter Foundation. “His leadership, research efforts, and commitment to pediatric audiology have made a meaningful difference in listening and spoken language outcomes for children with hearing loss. This honor is well-deserved by our colleague and friend, and we are privileged to call him our teammate." Prior to joining the Oberkotter Foundation, Dr. Wolfe spent two decades serving families and leading a team of clinical audiologists. He played a key role in creating collaborative partnerships within the industry to advance hearing technology and audiological practices for children and adults. Earlier this month, the Oberkotter Foundation announced the formation of its Scientific Council for Childhood Hearing , a new initiative dedicated to analyzing the science of listening, language, and literacy for children who are deaf or hard of hearing. Dr. Wolfe serves as the Council Chair. “It is a tremendous honor to receive this award. I am humbled to be recognized in the same company as past recipients and to be standing on the shoulders of industry giants, such as Marion Downs,” said Dr. Wolfe. I’m proud to work among the dedicated people within this industry who work tirelessly for children with hearing loss to reach the positive outcomes we know are not just possible but probable today. I couldn’t be more excited for all the possibilities that lie ahead for the field of pediatric audiology.” About the Oberkotter Foundation The Oberkotter Foundation helps families ensure their children who are deaf or hard of hearing have opportunities to reach their full potential through Listening and Spoken Language (LSL). The Foundation is committed to advancing science and innovation that will improve access to quality audiological and LSL services for children with hearing loss so that they develop age-appropriate listening, talking, and literacy skills. Since 1985, the Foundation has provided over $500 million in funding to improve listening, spoken language, and literacy outcomes for children with hearing loss and their families. Read more about the Oberkotter Foundation.Announcement