(Rockville, MD - October 18, 2007) American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) member Dr. Marion Downs, an audiologist and Professor Emerita at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, Denver, will receive on Thursday, October 25 the Secretary's Highest Recognition Award at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).
Dr. Downs will be honored by HHS for her groundbreaking work and lifetime dedication promoting the early identification of hearing problems in children.
"I am very appreciative of and deeply honored by this recognition," Dr. Downs says. This award is a tribute to the professions of audiology and speech-language pathology and all ASHA members who work tirelessly in the early identification and intervention of hearing loss. Hearing health services are so essential to ensuring that effective communication, a human right, is accessible and achievable for all infants who are deaf or hard of hearing."
ASHA President Noma Anderson adds: "It is wonderful that Dr. Down's efforts are being recognized in this way. Her pioneering effort overseeing the nation's first universal newborn hearing screen project more than thirty years ago has made a lifetime difference to so many families and individuals."
ASHA is co-sponsoring this year's recognition event, "Celebrating Persons with Disabilities," which will be held from 2-4 P.M. in the Great Hall, Hubert H. Humphrey Building, Washington, D.C.
HHS annually recognizes a handful of individuals and organizations in corporate America, advocacy, the arts, education, and public service for advancing the goals of the Americans with Disabilities Act and President's New Freedom Initiative that eliminates barriers that keep persons with disabilities from participating fully in community life.
Besides Dr. Downs, the following will also be honored: The U.S. Paralympics, Temple Grandin, John and Kathleen Ryan, Brenda Leath, and Robinsue Frohboese. Immediately after the awards ceremony, ASHA will host a reception at HHS for Dr. Downs and all of the other honorees.
ASHA has been one of the nation's leading advocates for hearing health for more than 75 years. Most recently, it received the American Society of Association Executives' prestigious Summit Award for its work in promoting hearing screening of newborns at birth. ASHA is also a founding member and leading participant in the Joint Committee on Infant Hearing (JCIH) program, and was a major contributor to the development of the new JCIH infant hearing guidelines. ASHA also has created www.listentoyourbuds.org, an interactive bilingual web site for kids, parents, and educators to promote safe ways to listen to popular audio technology.
Located in Rockville, Maryland, ASHA is the professional, scientific, and credentialing association for more than 127,000 audiologists, speech-language pathologists, and speech, language, and hearing scientists in the United States and internationally. For more information on speech, language, and hearing disorders, consumers can log on to www.asha.org or call 1-800-638-TALK.
