Here in California – as in many states – purchasers of hearing aids are afforded protections under state laws and regulations administered by the Department of Consumer Affairs (DCA) through the Speech-Language and Audiology and Hearing Aid Dispenser Board (SLPAHADB).
The SLPAHADB was formed on January 1, 2010 by combining the Speech Language Pathology and Audiology Board with the Hearing Aid Dispensers Board. Previous laws and regulations remain virtually unchanged except that audiologists are no longer required to hold dual licensure for practicing audiology and dispensing hearing aids.
This board’s mission is ensuring the competency and fair practices of hearing aid dispensers. It does so by providing licensure through testing, ethical guidelines, boundaries for advertising practices, and acts as a vehicle for consumer complaints, ultimately providing enforcement and disciplinary functions.
While political discussion in the media about government intrusion in our lives is a hotbed topic, consumer …