The Ministry of Education is taking a closer look at Hearing Health Care in the BVI, in an effort to enhance the lives of deaf and hard of hearing people. This week Education officials met with Mr. Bud Watson of Canadian International Hearing Services (CIHS) and were able to discuss how the Canadian company can assist the Education Department with training, equipment and guidance.
      Services offered by CIHS include training local personnel in the evaluation of hearing loss; providing free hearing aids to needy persons who could benefit from amplification and establishing effective hearing conservation programs in the work place.
     According, to Mr. Watson there are four areas within Hearing Health Care that his company focuses on when they offer training opportunities. Those areas are identification (screening for potential hearing loss), assessment, management and advocacy (telling people how to protect their hearing).
     
     Additionally Mr. Watson, visited students with hearing difficulties at their perspective schools and observed their behavior as well as their environment. Based on observation he noted the need for another technician to assist Ms. Livia Hodge of Allied Health, who currently works in Hearing Health Care. Mr. Watson also proposes the services of an Audiologist for one week each year and assistance for teachers who work with the deaf.
     One of the main objectives of CIHS is to get the hearing impaired to communicate orally as much as possible, which they believe will help to bridge the communication gap in the community. For more information on the services offered by CIHS, visit their website at www.c-i-h-s.com.