More Arizona Children with Hearing Loss to Benefit from Expanded Early Intervention and Hearing Healthcare Services

Desert Voices opens enrollment for the upcoming school year while preserving the 27-year legacy of the Hear for Kids program, strengthening access to life-changing care and education for families across Arizona.

PHOENIX, July 29, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- One simple hearing screening can change the course of a child's life. For thousands of Arizona families, those first few days after birth bring unexpected questions, uncertainty, and the need to make critical decisions about their child's future. What happens next can shape a lifetime of communication, learning, and connection.

Today, Desert Voices is helping ensure more Arizona families have access to the support, resources, and specialized early intervention that can make all the difference. Arizona's leading nonprofit provider of listening and spoken language education for children who are deaf or hard of hearing announced two significant milestones that will expand access to life-changing services across the state. As the organization opens enrollment for the upcoming school year, it has also assumed leadership of the Hear for Kids program, preserving a 27-year legacy of providing hearing healthcare to Arizona children.

For more than three decades, Desert Voices has helped thousands of Arizona children who are deaf or hard of hearing develop the listening and spoken language skills needed to thrive in school, at home, and throughout life. Today, the organization continues to build on that legacy by expanding access to both hearing healthcare resources and specialized early education for families across Arizona.

Together, these efforts strengthen the continuum of care for children with hearing loss—from early access to hearing technology through specialized education and family support during the critical years of language development.

An estimated two to three out of every 1,000 babies in the United States are born with detectable hearing loss in one or both ears, making early identification and intervention essential. Research consistently shows that children who receive timely hearing healthcare and specialized early education are more likely to develop age-appropriate language, succeed academically, and build the communication skills needed to thrive throughout life.

"Every family deserves access to the resources and support that give their child the best possible start, " said Kristen Levi, Executive Director of Desert Voices. "By preserving Hear for Kids while welcoming new families into our programs, we're strengthening the support available to Arizona children from the moment hearing loss is identified through the critical early years of development. Every child deserves the opportunity to reach their full potential, and every family deserves to know they don't have to navigate that journey alone."

Founded in 1998, Hear for Kids has helped provide more than 4,000 hearing aids to Arizona children whose families otherwise may not have had access to this critical technology. Under Desert Voices' leadership, the program will continue its mission while expanding opportunities for families to access additional educational and developmental services through a trusted statewide organization. The transition is made possible through the continued support of Vitalyst Health Foundation, ensuring uninterrupted assistance for Arizona families.

Desert Voices has empowered children who are deaf or hard of hearing to develop listening and spoken language through evidence-based early intervention, speech-language therapy, preschool education, and family-centered support. Serving children from infancy through kindergarten, the organization partners closely with families to help children build the communication skills and confidence needed to succeed in school and beyond.

With enrollment now open for the upcoming school year, Desert Voices is ensuring more Arizona children have access to the specialized education and early intervention that research shows can change the trajectory of a child's development. By combining exceptional early education with expanded access to hearing healthcare resources, Desert Voices continues its mission of ensuring every child has the opportunity to listen, learn, communicate, and thrive.

Families interested in learning more about enrollment or the Hear for Kids program are encouraged to visit www.desert-voices.org or contact Desert Voices directly. Interviews and tours can be arranged.

 Media photos: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1NXVFSwFaHlMXLWAhOzBZCnyF6xnYawCn

About Desert Voices
Founded in 1990, Desert Voices is Arizona's premier nonprofit organization dedicated to teaching children who are deaf or hard of hearing to listen and speak. Through evidence-based early intervention, speech-language therapy, preschool education, family coaching, and community outreach, Desert Voices empowers children to develop listening and spoken language while providing families with the tools and support they need to succeed. Learn more at www.desert-voices.org.

Media Contact
Colltey Bunjovac
[email protected]

Desert Voices
Kristen Levi
[email protected]

SOURCE Desert Voices