Author: Ryan Hill
Governor Roy Cooper, surrounded by advocates and DSDHH Director Jan Withers on the left and DHHS Secretary Mandy Cohen on the right, proclaimed September as Deaf Awareness Month in North Carolina during a Sept. 5 ceremony at the Executive Mansion.
Sept. 11, 2018 — With hearing loss on the rise as baby boomers enter their 60s and 70s, Governor Roy Cooper proclaimed September as Deaf Awareness Month in North Carolina during a brief ceremony Sept. 5 attended by advocates for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing at the Executive Mansion.
Hearing loss affects more people every year, with the number in North Carolina expected to increase from 1.2 million counted in 2015 to 1.65 million by 2030.
“Deaf, Hard of Hearing, and Deaf-Blind North Carolinians are very appreciative of the support provided by Governor Cooper and DHHS Secretary Mandy Cohen in removing barriers to effective communication and in promoting full accessibility to all aspects of society, including public services and private businesses,” said Jan Withers, Director of the Division of Services for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing.
Hearing loss is detected in 16 of every 10,000 babies screened for the disorder. Eighty-eight facilities across North Carolina provide hearing screening services, screening more than 99 percent of infants. More than 200 infants are diagnosed with hearing loss each year, and close to the same number are affected by the time they enter school.
Learn more about services offered by DSDHH at www.ncdhhs.gov/divisions/dsdhh.