Hearing Assessment Program

Overview

This grant opportunity was announced as part of the 2018-19 Federal Budget. The Hearing Assessment Program is a component of the Indigenous Australians’ Health Programme. The grant will operate over four years from 2018-19 to 2021-22. The objective of the grant opportunity is to improve the ear and hearing health of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children by:- providing diagnostic hearing assessments and recommendations for follow-up treatment for children in the years prior to primary school;- contributing to strengthening ear health surveillance in primary health care services; and- increasing community awareness about the importance of ear and hearing health. The expected outcomes of the grant opportunity include:- a reduction in the long-term effects of ear disease through early medical treatment and early referral for specialist and surgical treatment, rehabilitative hearing services and speech and language support;- a reduction in time between hearing loss identification and first hearing consultation by Australian Hearing; - lowering the age at which hearing aids are fitted for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children; and- an increased capacity within primary health services to identify, manage and monitor ear health in accordance with clinical care guidelines on the management of otitis media in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander populations.