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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D">FYI<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif""><br>
</span><b><span style="font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Kentucky Education and Workforce Development Cabinet</span></b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif""><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Office of Vocational Rehabilitation<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">NEWS RELEASE
</span></b><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">
<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:15.0pt"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Contact: Jason Jones, (859) 552-3012
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><b><span style="font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">New program gives the gift of hearing<span style="color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></span></b></p>
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<i><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">SHARP to collect, refurbish and distribute used hearing aids for those in need<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
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<b><span style="font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:15.0pt"><b><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">FRANKFORT, Ky.</span></b><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""> (Oct. 8, 2014) — A new state program is collecting used hearing aids to refurbish
and distribute to Kentuckians who have hearing impairments and need assistance.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The Kentucky Assistive Technology Service (KATS) Network’s Statewide Hearing Aid Assistance and Reuse Program (SHARP) is accepting hearing aids of any age
or condition. Donors can call the KATS Network at 1-800-327-5287 to request a self-addressed stamped envelope or drop hearing aids off at a participating collection center.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";color:black">“We are excited about this new program and the potential impact it can have for people who are hard of hearing. There’s no way to gauge the
importance of being able to communicate with those around you and simply put, these devices are not affordable to everyone. This program, hopefully, will make these devices more accessible to Kentuckians who otherwise may not have the resources necessary to
obtain them,” said Jimmy Brown, KATS Network director. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Medicare and most health insurance plans do cover hearing aids. The average cost of one new hearing aid is about $3,000, said Brown.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";color:black">“By the end of last year, the number of Kentuckians who were deaf or hard of hearing was nearly 695,000, or close to 20 percent of the population. Not all of those people would
need a hearing aid, but a large percentage would,” said Brown.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";color:black">Donated hearing aids will be evaluated and either refurbished to like-new condition with a one-year warranty, or used for parts. Refurbished hearing aids will be provided to
individuals who qualify through a statewide network of participating hearing health professionals. Recipients will be responsible for covering the cost of the audiologist fees such as exams, fittings and follow-up visits.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";color:black">The KATS Network, which is in the Kentucky Office of Vocational Rehabilitation (OVR), is working with hearing health professionals and Starkey Hearing Technologies, a hearing
aid manufacturer, to establish the new program.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";color:black">Kentuckians who need assistance getting hearing aids can contact the KATS Network for a list of available hearing aids and/or participating hearing health professionals. For
more information about the program, contact the KATS Network at 1-800-327-5287.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";color:black">Hearing aid donations can be dropped off at any OVR local office or the following Independent Living Centers or KATS Network Regional Assistive Technology (AT) Resource Center.
To contact the OVR office nearest you, call 1-800-372-7172 (V/TTY) or go to </span>
<span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><a href="http://ovr.ky.gov/"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">http://ovr.ky.gov/</span></a></span><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";color:black">.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The Center for Accessible Living - Louisville<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">501 S. 2nd St, Suite 200<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Louisville, Kentucky 40202-1864<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Bluegrass Technology Center<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">409 Southland Drive
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Lexington, Kentucky 40503
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The Center for Accessible Living – Murray<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">1051 N. 16th St., Suite C<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Murray, Kentucky 42071<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Carl D. Perkins Vocational Training Center<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">5659 Main St.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Thelma, Kentucky 41260
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Disability Resource Initiative<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">624 Eastwood St.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Bowling Green, Kentucky 42103<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Enabling Technologies of Kentuckiana (enTECH) at Spalding University<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">901 S. Third St.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Louisville, Kentucky 40203
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Independence Place, Inc.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">1093 S. Broadway, Suite 1218<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Lexington, Kentucky 40504<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Redwood Assistive Technology Center<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">71 Orphanage Road
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Ft. Mitchell, Kentucky 41017
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Independence Place of the Cumberlands<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">60 Mackey Ave.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Williamsburg, Kentucky 40769<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Western Kentucky Assistive Technology Center (WKATC) at Wendell Foster's Campus<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">815 Triplett St.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Owensboro, Kentucky 42302
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Independence Place of Ashland<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">2932 Winchester Ave.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Ashland, Kentucky 41101<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<b><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";color:black">(30)<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
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<span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The Kentucky OVR assists Kentuckians with disabilities to achieve suitable employment and independence. The office employs approximately 140 rehabilitation counselors in more than 50 offices covering all 120
counties in Kentucky. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
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