Hearing Aid Bank
About The Hearing Aid Bank Program
In line with the goals and vision of the Communication Sciences and Disorders department, the Hearing Aid Bank (HAB) Program is designed to provide exceptional service and donated hearing aids to those in the community. Financial donations as well as donations of usable hearing aids and associated products from individuals, community audiologists and dispensers, and organizations are encouraged and needed to continue this mission! Incoming donations are cleaned, verified, and reprogrammed to meet the individualized needs of any patient.
Student clinicians engaged with the Hearing Aid Bank are able to reflect on and practice cultural humility and investigate their own ideas of patient-centered care when financial barriers are removed from working with hearing aids.
We appreciate your consideration in supporting the Clinics and the Hearing Aid Bank Program’s efforts to assist community members in need and provide the best technology to our clients. If you are interested in supporting this important mission, consider donating.
How to Apply
We have made some changes to how patients are accepted into our Hearing Aid Bank program further reducing barriers to hearing healthcare. For private pay patients, costs of technology have also been reduced for all devices. To hear more about our pricing, please call the clinic at 360-650-3881 to make an appointment for a hearing aid consultation.
The Hearing Aid Bank program is designed to provide donated hearing aids at no fee to the patient.
To qualify for consideration into the program, you must:
- Be 18 years or older
- A Whatcom or Skagit County resident
- Otherwise not eligible for hearing aids through another service such as Veteran’s Affairs, Medicaid, Labor and Industries, Indian Health Services, etc.
- Complete and return the required paperwork: Audiology Adult Case History form and HAB Addendum
Approval for the provision of hearing aids is contingent on a balance of available inventory, scheduling needs of the clinic, and the educational needs of the student clinicians. You may also be asked for a referral/endorsement from another healthcare provider and/or provide medical clearance for hearing aids from a physician.
Once accepted, you are required to attend the following appointments: (no-show or cancellations to any of these appointments could disqualify you from receiving services)
- Hearing aid consultation
- Hearing aid fitting
- Hearing aid 2-week follow-up
- Hearing aid 1-month follow-up
Recommendations are also encouraged for the following appointments:
- Hearing aid annual follow-up (*At two-year follow-up patient may be considered for new hearing aids)
- Hearing aid follow-up appointments for routine maintenance and cleaning every 6 months.
How to Donate Hearing Aids or Equipment
If you have hearing aids and/or associated equipment and would like to learn more about how to donate them, please call (360) 650-3881 for information.