KCDHH Communicator - October 2026

Safety

Halloween

Halloween Safety Tips

Halloween is creeping up on us.

Check the links below to find tips on how to make sure our children are safe from super loud ghouls and non-dhh-friendly stinky monsters.

Protect Your Hearing Month 2026

October is Protect Your Hearing Month. The observance raises awareness about noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL). This type of hearing loss happens when loud sounds damage the tiny hair cells in the inner ear. These hair cells play an important role in hearing by converting sound vibrations into electrical signals that travel to the brain, where they are interpreted as sound. Because the body cannot replace damaged hair cells, the resulting hearing loss is usually permanent.

Hearing protection is an important part of hearing health for everyone, including people who are already deaf or hard of hearing. Visit the CDCs LISTEN UP! PROTECT YOUR HEARING page to learn more.

CDC has published many videos concerning the protection of your hearing.

Check them out at the CDC YouTube page!

Community

Kentucky’s midterm election is Tuesday, November 3.

Polls are open from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. local time.

Early in person voting from Thursday, October 29, through Saturday, October 31. Early voting locations and hours vary by county.

Visit govote.ky.gov to find your polling location, view a sample ballot, and get other voting information.

Kentucky Protection & Advocacy will operate voter hotlines on Election Day. People with disabilities who experience barriers while voting can call 800-372-2988 or 502-564-2967.

November 3: Midterm Elections 2026. A pile of red, whtie and blue VOTE! buttons on a blue background.

More Info & Registration

Technology

Your phone rings, and the caller says they’re from your bank. They know your name, warn you about suspicious activity on your account, and tell you that you need to act immediately. It sounds urgent. It sounds official. And that’s exactly the point.

Read full article

Source: InnoCaption | Written by Minah Han

A person touches a laptop surrounded by floating icons: a red warning sign labeled SCAM, a hooded figure, an ID card, a credit card, a microphone, an email alert and an Unknown Calling phone icon.

Upcoming Events

OCT 22

Deaf Spotlight Series - Carolyn Gulley University of Louisville · 6:30 PM - 7:30 PM More Information
OCT 24

Kentucky Hands & Voices - Louisville City Game Louisville, KY · 7 PM Registration · More Information
NOV 21

Kentucky Hands & Voices - Trivia Night & Silent Auction Louisville, KY · 5:30 PM - 8:30 PM More Info & Registration
DEC 19

Kentucky Hands & Voices - Breakfast with Santa Bardstown, KY · 10 AM - 12 PM Registration is required · More Information

Resources & Opportunities

ADVOCACY

Kentucky P&A wants to hear from YOU!

Kentucky P&A is the designated protection and advocacy system for Kentucky and works to protect and promote the rights of people with disabilities and individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing through advocacy, education, training, information and referral, and legal servces.
Learn more about Kentucky P&A at https://www.kypa.net or call 800-372-2988.

Your voice matters!

Kentucky Protection & Advocacy is currently planning new areas of focus for 2027, and community input is an important part of that process. Please take a few minutes to complete the survey and share your thoughts.

Take the survey

Program

Moore Safe Nights — Still Accepting Applications

Free weather radios for deaf and hard of hearing Kentuckians. Partnership with Kentucky Emergency Management.

Apply now

Education

Education Resources

These organizations offer guidance on accommodations, self-advocacy, IEPs, and educational planning for deaf and hard of hearing students from preschool through college.

KCDHH Resources