KY HEARS Expands Access to No-Cost Hearing Care for Hardin County Students and Families
Louisville, KY (April 27, 2026): KY HEARS, an initiative of Heuser Hearing Institute (HHI), is expanding access to vital hearing healthcare services in Hardin County by providing free, on-site hearing screenings for elementary students through partnerships with local schools and community health providers.
Hearing challenges can significantly impact a child’s ability to hear, process, and comprehend classroom instruction, making early detection critical to academic success. Over the next week, KY HEARS will deliver free, on-site hearing screenings for elementary students in Hardin County Schools, supporting early identification of hearing loss and helping reduce barriers to learning. When additional care is needed, KY HEARS can connect students and families with diagnostic testing and follow-up services at no cost to families, as state funding remains available.
KY HEARS is honored to partner with State Representative Steve Bratcher, who helped connect the program with Hardin County schools and community partners to bring these services directly to local students.
“Access to hearing care can make a meaningful difference in a child’s ability to learn, communicate and thrive. I am proud to help connect KY HEARS and Heuser Hearing Institute with Hardin County schools so students can receive these important hearing screenings and, when needed, follow-up care at no cost to their families through the KY HEARS program. This partnership is exactly the kind of practical, community-based effort that helps remove barriers and improves outcomes for Kentucky children,” said State Representative Steve Bratcher.
KY HEARS was created in 2022 to increase access to hearing healthcare across Kentucky, especially in rural and underserved communities. Through mobile clinics, permanent access points, and a dedicated traveling audiology team, the program brings services such as hearing screenings, diagnostic testing, and follow-up care closer to individuals and families across the Commonwealth.
“Every child deserves the chance to fully participate in the classroom,” said Brett Bachmann, CEO of Heuser Hearing Institute. “By bringing no-cost hearing screenings directly into Hardin County schools, KY HEARS can help identify hearing needs early and connect families with the right next steps.”
Thanks to continued support from Governor Beshear, Kentucky state legislators, including Representative Steve Bratcher, and statewide partners such as the Kentucky Department of Agriculture and the Kentucky Commission on the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (KCDHH), KY HEARS currently operates in 31 counties across Kentucky and plans continued expansion. Continued state support through the Commonwealth’s 2026–2028 budget cycle helps sustain KY HEARS’ ability to provide screenings, diagnostic testing, and follow-up care at no cost to families while funding remains available. In response to high demand for care, KY HEARS opened its first satellite office in Inez, Kentucky, in May 2025.
About Heuser Hearing Institute:
Heuser Hearing Institute (HHI) is a multi-specialty nonprofit campus dedicated to serving children and adults with disorders of hearing, balance, speech-language, and communication. The organization has served Louisville and surrounding Kentucky and Indiana communities since its founding as the Louisville Deaf Oral School in 1948.
Today, the institute offers four core programs. The Heuser Hearing & Language Academy provides preschool and kindergarten programs for children with speech and hearing challenges. Heuser Hearing Clinic is home to a full-time staff of audiologists serving patients of all ages. KY HEARS is a statewide initiative providing hearing healthcare services across Kentucky. The regional Heuser Early Intervention Program provides home-based services for infants and toddlers through the Kentucky and Indiana First Steps programs.
For more information, visit www.thehearinginstitute.org.
About KY HEARS:
KY HEARS was created by Heuser Hearing Institute to increase access to hearing healthcare across Kentucky, particularly in rural and underserved communities. The program brings hearing services directly to individuals through mobile clinics, permanent access points, and a dedicated traveling audiology team.
Now operating in 31 counties and growing, KY HEARS works to remove barriers to care by providing hearing screenings, diagnostic testing, follow-up care, and connections to hearing health resources. Through continued state support, these services are available at no cost to families while funding remains available. In 2025, KY HEARS opened its first satellite office in Inez, Kentucky, in response to high demand and need for care.
Media Contact
Jillian Wise
jwise@thehearinginstitute.org
(O) (502) 371-9932 | (C) (812) 972-6864