Texas Hearing Institute

What Texas Hearing Institute does

Texas Hearing Institute (legal entity: The Center for Hearing and Speech) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit pediatric hearing care organization founded in 1947 and headquartered at 3100 Shenandoah St. in Houston, Texas, within the Texas Medical Center. The organization provides a vertically integrated continuum of care for children with hearing loss from birth through age 21, spanning the Audiology Department (diagnostic testing, hearing aid fitting, cochlear implant programming and mapping, osseointegrated bone conduction solutions, newborn screening follow-up, and Auditory Brainstem Response testing), Speech Therapy Services (including Listening and Spoken Language therapy, aural rehabilitation, and teletherapy via HIPAA-compliant video since 2009), the Melinda Webb School (specialized early childhood education for children ages 18 months to 6 years preparing them for mainstream kindergarten), Youth Programs (Project T.A.L.K. summer camp and Project L.E.A.D. teen leadership), and Family Support Services. In 2025 it opened Houston's first in-house 3D printing earmold lab for custom pediatric hearing devices. Operations extend beyond the Houston main campus to a Fort Bend County location in Stafford and a Lufkin/Pineywoods partnership with Audiological Services, reaching more than 9,000 children annually across 70 Texas counties and several Louisiana parishes.

The underlying technology stack is clinical and educational rather than software-driven: FDA-approved cochlear implants, osseointegrated bone conduction devices (titanium posts or magnetic systems), pediatric hearing aids, ABR diagnostic equipment, and HIPAA-compliant teletherapy video. The 2025 3D printing earmold lab adds digital custom manufacturing capability. Service delivery is highly human-capital intensive, relying on a multidisciplinary team of audiologists, speech-language pathologists, Teachers of the Deaf, and certified auditory-verbal therapists, supported by a Doctor of Audiology Externship Program and training partnerships with more than ten universities including Vanderbilt, Columbia, NYU, and University of Houston.

The revenue model is a hybrid of clinical service fees, Melinda Webb School tuition (with 60% of students on financial aid), school district contract services, and substantial philanthropic support. Fundraising operates through annual fund donations, planned giving, corporate sponsorships, and a calendar of signature events including the Hear With You! Gala, Los Juegos de la Paloma Clay Shoot, and Dink For a Difference! Pickleball Tournament. The organization maintains a no-turn-away financial policy: 42% of families served have incomes at or below the federal poverty level, and a Financial Support Program for Hearing Aids subsidizes device costs. Go-to-market is community-led and referral-driven, with primary acquisition channels being ECI referrals, healthcare provider referrals, school district contracts, and direct appointment requests, complemented by community outreach including free hearing screenings in Title 1 schools.

Name

Texas Hearing Institute

Legal name

The Center for Hearing and Speech

Website

https://texashearing.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1947

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Texas Hearing Institute is a Houston-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit providing pediatric audiology, speech therapy, Listening and Spoken Language therapy, early childhood education (Melinda Webb School), and family support for children with hearing loss from birth to age 21, serving more than 9,000 children annually across 70 Texas counties.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Pediatric Hearing Healthcare & Spoken Language Education

NAICS

Offices of Physical, Occupational and Speech Therapists, and Audiologists (621340)

SIC

Services-Health Services (8000), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Audiology & Hearing Services (ENT-Affiliated) (HLAKAMAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Deaf/Hard of Hearing & Vision Services (Audiology, Interpreting, Orientation & Mobility) (EDAJAKAI), Audiology & Hearing Diagnostic Centers (HLAFAKAH)

Keywords

• Pediatric audiology services
• Speech therapy programs
• Cochlear implant services
• Hearing aids fitting
• Spoken language education

Headquarters

HQ city

Houston

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Healthcare and Therapy Service Fees: Revenue from audiology evaluations, hearing aid services, cochlear implant services, and speech therapy sessions. Financial support programs ensure no child is turned away due to inability to pay.
2. Educational Services: Tuition and fees for the Melinda Webb School, a specialized early childhood education program for children age 18 months to 6 years with hearing loss. 60% of students receive financial aid.
3. Donations and Fundraising: Annual fund donations, event sponsorships (Gala, Clay Shoot, Pickleball Tournament), planned giving, and general donations. The organization is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit.
4. Event Sponsorships: Corporate and individual sponsorships for annual events including the Hear With You! Gala (largest fundraiser), Clay Shoot Competition, and Pickleball Tournament. Last year provided services to 9,000+ children regardless of ability to pay.
5. Contract Services for School Districts: Contract services provided to school districts for audiology and speech therapy services for children with hearing loss
6. Melinda Webb School Scholarship Fund: Designated donations to support tuition assistance for families, with 42% of families at or below federal poverty level and 60% receiving financial aid
7. Used Hearing Equipment Donations: Acceptance of used hearing aids, cochlear implants, and accessories which are refurbished for loaner use or used as teaching tools

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Texas Hearing Institute is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit pediatric hearing care organization that provides comprehensive audiology services, speech-language therapy, and specialized spoken language education for children with hearing loss from birth through age 21. Core offerings include diagnostic hearing evaluations, hearing aid fitting and maintenance, cochlear implant candidacy and mapping, osseointegrated bone conduction solutions, the Melinda Webb School for early childhood education, and family support services. The organization also delivers contract audiology and speech therapy services to school districts, and operates a HIPAA-compliant teletherapy program.

Product overview

Texas Hearing Institute is a comprehensive healthcare and educational services organization offering a unified portfolio of services for children with hearing loss. The core offering combines the Audiology Department (diagnostic testing, hearing aids, cochlear implants, bone conduction devices) with Speech Therapy Services (including aural rehabilitation and Listening and Spoken Language therapy), supported by The Melinda Webb School (specialized early childhood education) and Youth Programs (summer camps, teen leadership). Family Support Services provides parent education and guidance throughout the journey. Services are available at the main Houston campus, Fort Bend County location, and Lufkin-Pineywoods partnership, with teletherapy expanding reach. The organization operates on a no-turn-away financial policy, providing financial support programs for hearing aids and services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Audiology Department Comprehensive pediatric audiology services using state-of-the-art testing technology to diagnose hearing loss and develop individualized treatment plans for children. Includes hearing evaluations, hearing aid fitting, cochlear implant programming, ABR testing, and osseointegrated bone conduction solutions.
• Speech Therapy Services Comprehensive speech and language evaluations and therapy for children with hearing loss from birth to 21 years, including Listening and Spoken Language (LSL) therapy, aural rehabilitation, and therapy programs for children without hearing loss.
• The Melinda Webb School Top-tier educational program for children age 18 months to 6 years whose families want individualized instruction to accelerate development of spoken language and prepare for mainstream schooling. Includes an Early Learning Program for children without hearing loss.
• Youth Programs Programs providing children with hearing loss opportunities to develop social, listening, and conversational skills through peer connections and activities. Includes Project T.A.L.K. summer camp (ages 4–10) and Project L.E.A.D. teen leadership program (ages 11–17).
• Family Support Services

Quantifiable outcome

• 9,000+ children served annually regardless of ability to pay
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

16 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Texas Children's HospitalcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 27 October 2020Launched pediatric hearing services collaboration creating a hub for comprehensive pediatric hearing healthcare. Partnership combines Texas Children's Hospital's pediatric healthcare expertise with Texas Hearing Institute's specialized hearing and speech services.
• Audiological Services (Lufkin, Texas)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to bring pediatric audiology services to children in Deep East Texas region. Texas Hearing Institute provides specialized pediatric hearing services including ABR testing at Audiological Services' Lufkin facility.
• Early Childhood Intervention (ECI) ProgramscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerECI programs refer infants and toddlers with hearing loss to Texas Hearing Institute for early intervention services. ECI provides access to early childhood intervention services including specialized support from Teachers of the Deaf.
• Vanderbilt UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity training partnership providing clinical experiences for graduate students in speech-language pathology, audiology, and oral deaf education.
• University of HoustonminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity training partnership providing clinical experiences for future speech-language pathologists and audiologists. Student Gracie Baltazar pursuing master's degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders at UH.
• Abilene Christian UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity partnership for training future professionals who work with children with hearing loss in speech-language pathology and related fields.
• Columbia UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity training partnership providing clinical experiences for graduate students in speech-language pathology and audiology programs.
• New York UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity training partnership for speech-language pathology students to gain experience with children who have hearing loss.
• Lamar UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity partnership providing clinical training experiences for students pursuing careers working with children with hearing loss.
• University of Southern MississippiminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity partnership providing clinical experiences for speech-language pathology and audiology students.
• Utah State UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity partnership for training future professionals who will work with children with hearing loss in the fields of speech-language pathology, audiology, and oral deaf education.
• Emerson CollegeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity training partnership for speech-language pathology students to observe and participate in therapy sessions with children with hearing loss.
• University of Texas A&M KingsvilleminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity partnership providing clinical experiences for students training to work with children with hearing loss.
• Texas School DistrictscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorContract services provided to school districts for audiology and speech therapy services. Districts receive specialized pediatric hearing services they cannot provide internally.
• The Post Oak HotelminorOthersVenue partner for the annual Hear With You! Gala fundraising event. Located in the Houston area.
• Greater Houston Sports ClubminorOthersVenue partner for the annual Los Juegos de la Paloma Clay Shoot competition fundraising event.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Others

• Cochlear Limited: Cochlear Limited is a leading manufacturer of cochlear implant systems and bone conduction devices used in THI's pediatric audiology program, making it an adjacent technology provider whose product roadmap and reimbursement strategy directly shape THI's service economics.
• Alexander Graham Bell Association for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (AG Bell): AG Bell is a membership organization that advocates for listening and spoken language outcomes for children with hearing loss, serving as a peer in the pediatric hearing loss ecosystem that supports THI's clinical model and the broader LSL community.

Broad incumbents

• Boys Town National Research Hospital: Boys Town National Research Hospital in Omaha combines pediatric audiology research, clinical care, and education programs for children with hearing loss, positioning it as a broader institutional peer with overlapping clinical and educational capabilities.
• Texas Children's Hospital: Texas Children's Hospital is a large pediatric health system in Houston that partners with THI but also operates broad pediatric specialty services including audiology, making it both a referral source and a potential competitive incumbent for integrated pediatric hearing care.

Direct peers

• Central Institute for the Deaf (CID) at Washington University: CID combines pediatric audiology, speech-language pathology, and oral deaf education on one campus, mirroring THI's integrated model and serving a comparable mission of preparing children with hearing loss for mainstream schooling.
• Clarke Schools for Hearing and Speech: Clarke operates a network of schools and audiology programs serving children who are deaf or hard of hearing with listening and spoken language education, closely matching THI's pediatric hearing + spoken language education approach across multiple locations.
• The River School: The River School in Washington, D.C. integrates oral deaf education and speech-language therapy for children with hearing loss within a mainstream preschool model, making it a strong functional peer to THI's Melinda Webb School and speech therapy services.
• Listen and Talk: Listen and Talk in Seattle provides auditory-verbal therapy, speech-language services, and family support for children with hearing loss, comparable in mission and clinical service mix to THI's pediatric audiology and LSL therapy programs.
• John Tracy Center: John Tracy Center in Los Angeles is a nonprofit serving children with hearing loss through audiology, speech-language, and listening-and-spoken-language education programs, making it the closest direct peer to Texas Hearing Institute's integrated health + education model.
• Hearts for Hearing: Hearts for Hearing in Oklahoma City provides pediatric audiology, hearing aids, cochlear implant services, and speech-language therapy for children with hearing loss, sharing THI's clinical-service model and no-turn-away financial assistance approach.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/HelpingKidsHear
• Facebookfacebook.com/TexasHearingInstitute

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Texas Hearing Institute