The Media Award was established to recognize the efforts of writers and/or producers of news features that serve to heighten public awareness of the hazards of noise. The National Hearing Conservation Association is pleased to announce this year’s winner of the NHCA Media Award:  The Department of Defense Hearing Center of Excellence (DOD HCE), Comprehensive Hearing Health Program (CHHP) for exceptional outreach and multimedia work that serves to heighten public awareness of the hazards of noise. 

The DOD established the HCE to focus on the prevention, diagnosis, mitigation, treatment and rehabilitation of hearing loss and auditory injury. The HCE was legislated by Congress in the fiscal year 2009 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) and was directed to partner with the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), institutions of higher education and other appropriate public and private entities.

The HCE is focused on increasing hearing awareness and hearing loss prevention through various multi-media tools designed to increase awareness among Service Members, Veterans and their families about hazardous noise and its effects on hearing as well as how to prevent noise-induced hearing loss. 

In collaboration with the Center of Excellence for Medical Multimedia (CEMM), educational and motivational materials are available for download via the HCE website (http://hearing.health.mil/). The selection of materials includes public service announcements, hearing health training and education videos, posters, brochures, and flip charts.

Accepting the award on behalf of the DOD HCE is Deputy Director for the Defense Hearing Center of Excellence Lynn W. Henselman, Ph.D..

Dr. Henselman has more than 30 years of combined senior executive and staff experience as a Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) audiologist, congressional and legislative affairs official, business leader in the private sector, 20-year U.S. Army officer, licensed clinical and research audiologist, and congressional committee Professional Staff Member. Dr. Henselman has expertise in Veteran and military health care and personnel programs including providing organizational leadership, program oversight, performing and overseeing research, formulating policies, developing budgets, writing/coordinating legislation, conducting investigations, and developing and executing communications strategies.

Dr. Henselman’s acceptance of the Media Award on behalf of the DOD HCE will take place at an awards luncheon during the NHCA’s 40th Annual Conference to be held February 19-21 in New Orleans, Louisiana. For more information about the NHCA Conference, "Celebrating Hearing Loss Prevention," go to http://www.hearingconservation.org.

About the National Hearing Conservation Association (NHCA)

The mission of the NHCA is to prevent hearing loss due to noise and other environmental factors in all sectors of society. NHCA's membership includes audiologists, researchers, industrial hygienists, physicians and occupational health nurses, educators, professional service organizations, safety professionals, engineers, audio professionals, students, and others who have dedicated their work to the advancement of hearing loss prevention. Visit the NHCA online at http://www.hearingconservation.org or call 1-303-224-9022. Follow the NHCA on Twitter at www.twitter.com/nhcaorg, on Facebook at http://bit.ly/vLRg5, and on LinkedIn at http://bit.ly/3X2DfT.

Click here to read: William (Bill) Murphy, Ph.D., Captain, U.S. Public Health Service, to receive National Hearing Conservation Association’s Outstanding Hearing Conservationist Award.