Hearing Loss Association of America, California State Association (HLAA-CA)

What Hearing Loss Association of America, California State Association (HLAA-CA) does

Hearing Loss Association of America, California State Association (HLAA-CA) is a 501(c)-style nonprofit organization that serves as the California state affiliate of the national Hearing Loss Association of America. Founded in 1989 and headquartered in Los Altos, California, the organization supports people with hearing loss, their families and caregivers, and healthcare providers through a network of eight chartered chapters spanning Northern and Southern California (Diablo Valley, East Bay, North Bay, Peninsula, Los Angeles, Long Beach, Orange County, San Diego), supplemented by a recurring virtual HOPE (Hearing Other People's Experiences) Zoom support group and free educational webinars on topics such as OTC hearing aids, healthcare accessibility, and aural rehabilitation.

HLAA-CA's core offerings are advocacy, education, and peer support rather than technology products. The organization maintains a website (hearinglossca.org), an email newsletter, and active social channels (Facebook, X, YouTube, Instagram) to disseminate information on hearing-loss basics, assistive technology, state agencies, Medicaid, and nonprofit financial assistance. It conducts direct legislative and regulatory advocacy on California hearing-health policy, including California State Assembly Bill AB 435 (locked hearing aids) and the state's Essential Health Benefits benchmark plan update submitted to CMS to expand hearing-aid coverage beginning in 2027. Annual Walk 4 Hearing events in multiple California cities function as the primary community-mobilization and donor-acquisition mechanism. The organization has five paid employees and is volunteer-led through a Board of Directors, committees, and chapter officers.

HLAA-CA's business model is donation-funded. Source materials reference a PayPal donation button and Walk 4 Hearing proceeds as the primary revenue mechanisms; membership is administered at the national HLAA level. There is no disclosed pricing for products or services, no commercial customers, no disclosed foundation grants, and no investment funding.

Name

Hearing Loss Association of America, California State Association (HLAA-CA)

Legal name

Hearing Loss Association of America California

Website

https://hearinglossca.org

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Hearing Loss Association of America - California (HLAA-CA) is a Los Altos-based nonprofit affiliate that supports people with hearing loss, families, and caregivers through eight chartered chapters, peer support groups, educational webinars, and state-level advocacy on hearing-aid coverage.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

HLAA-CA is the California state affiliate of the Hearing Loss Association of America, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that supports people with hearing loss, their families, and caregivers through a statewide network of local in-person chapters and virtual programs. Its core offerings include peer-led support groups (including the HOPE/peer-support group and a Zoom-based virtual chapter), educational webinars, and advocacy services directed at California state policy on hearing accessibility, hearing loops, and captioning. The organization supplements these programs with a resource-rich website, an email newsletter, and annual Walk 4 Hearing fundraising/awareness events.

Product overview

HLAA-CA is a nonprofit advocacy and support organization (not a technology product company) that provides peer support through local chapter meetings, virtual support groups, advocacy services for hearing-related legislation, educational webinars, and community resources. The organization operates through a network of chapters across Northern and Southern California, offering both in-person and virtual meeting options to support individuals with hearing loss.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Local Chapter Support Groups Volunteer-led, in-person peer support meetings held by HLAA-CA's local chapters across California, including chapters in Los Angeles, Long Beach, San Diego, Santa Barbara, Ventura, Sacramento, and the Bay Area. Each chapter provides a regular gathering place for people with hearing loss, their families, and caregivers to share experiences, learn coping strategies, and access information about hearing aids, cochlear implants, hearing loops, and assistive listening technology. The service is offered free of charge and is funded through donations and Walk 4 Hearing sponsorships.
• Virtual Chapter (Zoom-based Online Support Group) A Zoom-based online support group that mirrors the in-person chapter experience for California residents who cannot attend a local chapter due to geography, mobility, transportation, or scheduling constraints. The virtual chapter is coordinated by a designated volunteer leader and special interest group coordinator and serves as the digital counterpart to HLAA-CA's in-person local chapter network.
• HOPE Peer Support Group A peer-support and encouragement program within HLAA-CA designed for individuals with hearing loss who are seeking structured emotional and practical support. HOPE supplements the general chapter meetings with a more focused small-group or 1:1-style peer support experience, helping members navigate the psychosocial impact of hearing loss.
• California Hearing Accessibility Advocacy State-level advocacy services directed at California policymakers and regulators on hearing accessibility issues, including hearing-loop installation in public venues, captioning requirements, and compliance with disability and communication-access laws. The advocacy function gives HLAA-CA members a unified voice in legislative and regulatory processes affecting people with hearing loss in California.
• Walk 4 Hearing Events in California Annual Walk 4 Hearing fundraising and awareness events held in California communities, combining community visibility for hearing loss with sponsorship-driven fundraising that supports HLAA-CA's programs. Walk 4 Hearing is the primary revenue-generating event for the state association and is organized in partnership with HLAA national.

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Emerging players

• Hands & Voices: Parent-driven nonprofit supporting families of deaf and hard of hearing children. Comparable to HLAA-CA's family/caregiver segment but focused specifically on the DHH pediatric population.

Others

• Hearing Industries Association (HIA): Trade association representing hearing aid and assistive device manufacturers. Ecosystem participant influencing policy and product availability that HLAA-CA engages with on advocacy.
• American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA): Professional association for audiologists and speech-language pathologists. Adjacent to HLAA-CA's hearing health ecosystem rather than a direct competitor; relevant for healthcare provider segment overlap.
• California Commission on Disability Access (CCDA): California state agency advancing disability access compliance. Comparable to HLAA-CA on ADA and accessibility advocacy in California, but a government entity rather than community organization.

Direct peers

• National Association of the Deaf (NAD): Leading national advocacy organization for the deaf and hard of hearing community, covering civil rights, accessibility, and community support — directly overlapping HLAA-CA's advocacy and ADA-related mission.
• Alexander Graham Bell Association for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (AG Bell): National nonprofit focused on hearing loss advocacy, listening and spoken language education, and parent support — directly comparable to HLAA-CA in mission, with overlapping family/caregiver programs.
• Hearing Loss Association of America (HLAA): National parent organization providing the same hearing loss support, advocacy, and education mission at the federal level. Direct upstream peer — HLAA-CA operates as the California state affiliate of HLAA.

Broad incumbents

• Disability Rights California: California's federally funded protection and advocacy system for people with disabilities. Comparable in California-specific disability advocacy but broader in scope than hearing loss alone.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/hlaa_ca
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@hlaa_ca8080
• Facebookfacebook.com/hearinglossca
• Instagraminstagram.com/hlaa_california
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/hearinglossca

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Hearing Loss Association of America, California State Association (HLAA-CA)