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March 5, 2005Officials worry about vision, hearing cutsThey say learning could be impairedByRecord-Eagle staff writer TRAVERSE CITY - Learning demands all five senses, and local health officials say state cuts to vision and hearing screening would leave children behind. Gov. Jennifer Granholm suggested eliminating public health departments' vision and hearing screening programs to alleviate the state's budget deficit. Health and education proponents call that short-sighted and contend many of Michigan's children could enter school with undetected problems that impair learning. Frederick Keeslar, Grand Traverse County's public health director, echoed those concerns. "It's an issue of prevention," he said, comparing the proactive investment to other public health programs like immunizations. During 2004, the Grand Traverse County Health Department screened 12,549 preschool and school-age county children, and about 7 percent of those screened required physician referrals for hearing or vision problems. Early detection allows early intervention, said Betsy Hardy, coordinator of the local Healthy Futures program. "Our goal is to have kids healthy and ready for school," Hardy said. "If a child can't see or hear well, they're not going to succeed." Grand Traverse County's hearing program screens all kindergarten, second-, fourth- and sixth-grade students, as well as all special education students. The vision program examines all first-, third-, fifth-, seventh-, ninth- and 11th-grade students. Hearing and vision evaluation is available to any student referred by a parent or teacher, including home-schooled children. The annual cost of Grand Traverse County's vision and hearing screening program is $175,516 - $60,000 in state funding and $115,516 in county funds.
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