Please join us on for a
special strategy and planning meeting for HLA-RI:
Saturday March
7th,
2 –
4pm
Warwick Public Library, Sandy Lane,
Warwick, RI,
We have been working with
Ed Ogiba, the Director of Chapter Development for Hearing Loss Association of
America, to better understand how we can operate as both a state entity
(influencing hearing access throughout Rhode Island) and as a chapter
(organizing activities for our members).
At our strategy and planning meeting we will redesign HLA-RI to be more
effective as an organization, brainstorm ideas on how to solicit more
participation, and plan our 2015 program.
Below is some background
on how we can operate as a state organization and as a chapter. If you have ideas on how we can do both
of these, please join us at the meeting.
If you cannot attend, please feel free to share your thoughts and ideas
with the steering committee by sending an email to HLARhodeIsland@aol.com
--- State Organization ---
As a state entity, we
want to support the 4-prong mission of HLAA:
1)
Advocacy: select HLAA policy initiatives to implement in
RI
Previously we have been
successful in implementing initiatives related to hearing aid insurance, newborn
screening, T-coil awareness, and requiring political ads to be captioned if a
candidate uses state funding for their campaigns. We will review the current HLAA advocacy
agenda and decide which area to focus on.
The top issues currently include hearing health care awareness and
affordability, hearing accessible venues, captioning quality, hearing aid
compatible and captioned telephones, hearing assistive technology, emergency
preparedness, and communication access in the workplace. Do any of these topics resonate with
you?
2)
Awareness: make hearing loss an issue of
state-wide concern
Previously we have
coordinated efforts with state organizations and state agencies to make sure
that hearing loss issues are part of the state-wide agenda. We have staffed tables at town and state
health fair events, made presentations, participated in committees, and many
other activities to promote awareness about hearing loss and HLAA. We will review what we are currently
doing and decide if there are additional ways that we can promote awareness
about hearing loss throughout RI.
3)
Education: provide information on how to
improve the quality of life for people with hearing
loss
Previously we have
provided information on our website and through our email list. We have also used educational programs
at meetings to provide information about technology and coping strategies. HLAA has an educational program that
includes webinars and course offerings.
We will review how we currently doing and decide if there are additional
ways that we can provide education about hearing
access.
4)
Fundraising: raise money to support planned
programs
Previously we have raised
funds through generous donations from our members and our participation in the
New England Walk4Hearing. As we
develop plans for 2015, we will also identify fundraising needs and
opportunities.
--- Chapter Organization ---
As a chapter, we want to
organize meetings and activities for our HLA-RI members. We have had many chapter meetings with
interesting and informative speakers over the last 25 years since our Self Help
for the Hard of Hearing Sargent Chapter was formerly recognized in 1989 when we
were located in Providence and later moved to Warwick. We have also organized social events
including dinner socials and the annual sailing trip.
If we transition HLA-RI
into a state organization and a chapter, will this make it easier for people to
engage in the activities they are interested in? Will this help us both advance hearing
access throughout the state and organize activities of interest to our
members? Come join us to brainstorm
our future.
We hope to see you on March
7th!
There will
be CART.
