American Tinnitus Association

TO PROMOTE RELIEF, HELP PREVENT, AND FIND CURES FOR TINNITUS, EVIDENCED BY ITS CORE VALUES OF COMPASSION, CREDIBILITY, AND RESPONSIBILITY.

TINNITUS RESEARCH FUNDING: IN 2022, THE ATA'S 13-MEMBER SCIENTIFIC ADVISORY COMMITTEE, COMPOSED OF PROMINENT TINNITUS RESEARCHERS, RECOMMENDED THAT THE ATA BOARD OF DIRECTORS APPROVE TWO GRANT APPLICATIONS FOR TOTAL FUNDING OF $180,000, AS A PART OF THE ATA'S INNOVATIVE GRANTS RESEARCH PROGRAM. TINNITUS RESEARCHERS AROUND THE WORLD ARE ABLE TO APPLY TO THE ATA FOR SEED GRANT MONEY TO TEST INNOVATIVE IDEAS OR TOOLS FOR IMPROVED PATIENT CARE, WHICH ISN'T AVAILABLE THROUGH TRADITIONAL FUNDING AGENCIES THAT REQUIRE PROOF OF CONCEPT DATA. IF THE HYPOTHESIS IS SOUND OR THE TOOL WORKS, RESEARCHERS CAN THEN SEEK MORE SUBSTANTIVE FUNDING FROM AGENCIES SUCH AS THE NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH (NIH) AND THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE. IN THIS SENSE, THE ATA FILLS A CRITICAL VOID THAT ADVANCES INNOVATIVE SCIENCE. SINCE 1981, THE ATA HAS AWARDED MORE THAN $6 MILLION IN GRANTS, WHICH HAVE YIELDED IMPORTANT OUTCOMES IN IMPROVED TINNITUS CARE, UNDERSTANDING MECHANISMS OF TINNITUS, AND REVEALING THE COMPLEX NATURE OF THE CONDITION ITSELF.

FOR A SECOND YEAR, THE ATA PARTNERED WITH A NATIONAL CORPORATION TO RAISE AWARENESS OF TINNITUS, AND FUNDS FOR RESEARCH AND SUPPORT SERVICES. BY COLLABORATING WITH A WELL-KNOWN COMPANY OUTSIDE THE TINNITUS COMMUNITY, THE EFFORT FACILITATED AWARENESS OF TINNITUS, ITS PREVENTION AND MANAGEMENT, AND WHERE TO SEEK HELP. AS A CONDITION THAT FEW PEOPLE ARE AWARE OF UNTIL IT IMPACTS THEM DIRECTLY OR SOMEONE THEY LOVE, SUCH COORDINATED OUTREACH TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC WAS EXTRAORDINARY AND MEANINGFUL FOR THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE.

TINNITUS HELP LINE, SUPPORT NETWORK, & PEER SUPPORT: TO ENSURE THAT INDIVIDUALS WITH TINNITUS, BE IT NEWLY ONSET OR CHRONIC, RECEIVE CREDIBLE, EVIDENCE-BASED GUIDANCE, THE ATA OFFERS THE TINNITUS ADVISORS PROGRAM CALL LINE. STAFFED BY AUDIOLOGISTS SPECIALIZED IN TINNITUS AND OFFERED 7 DAYS A WEEK, THE FREE 15-MINUTE GUIDANCE IS BOTH COMPASSIONATE AND MEANINGFUL. THE ATA DOES NOT OFFER MEDICAL ADVICE OR ENDORSE SPECIFIC TREATMENTS AND PRODUCTS; HOWEVER, BY DIRECTING PEOPLE TO APPROPRIATE HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS AND SUPPORT NETWORKS, THE PROGRAM HAS BEEN LIFE ALTERING FOR MANY PEOPLE. TO HELP THOSE STRUGGLING WITH TINNITUS CONNECT WITH OTHERS LIVING WITH THE CONDITION, THE ATA FOSTERS 24 SUPPORT GROUPS (IN PERSON, ONLINE, AND HYBRID), WHICH PROVIDE A NURTURING ENVIRONMENT AND OPEN COMMUNICATION AMONG PEOPLE AT VARIOUS STAGES OF LIVING WITH TINNITUS. FOR PEOPLE SEEKING ONE-ON-ONE DIALOGUE, THE ATA MAINTAINS A PEER-TO-PEER EMAIL AND TELEPHONE NETWORK CONSISTING OF 74 VOLUNTEERS WHO ARE COMMITTED TO HELPING OTHERS OVERCOME DIFFICULT CHALLENGES.

TINNITUS PUBLICATIONS & PODCASTS: TINNITUS TODAY MAGAZINE, PUBLISHED DIGITALLY AND IN PRINT, PROVIDES IN-DEPTH COVERAGE OF PROGRESS IN RESEARCH AND TREATMENTS, GREATER AWARENESS OF PATIENT STRUGGLES, AND THE IMPORTANCE OF HEARING HEALTH. THIS FISCAL YEAR, THE MAGAZINE WAS AWARDED SILVER, BRONZE, AND MERIT MEDALS BY DIGITAL HEALTH FOR PUBLICATION EXCELLENCE FOR IT'S COVERAGE OF RESEARCH AND TINNITUS. IT ALSO RECEIVED A MERIT AWARD FOR THE NEWLY LAUNCHED TINNITUS HEALTH NEWSLETTER, WHICH IS DISTRIBUTED FREE OF CHARGE TO RAISE AWARENESS OF TINNITUS, ITS MANAGEMENT, AND ITS PREVENTION. CONVERSATIONS IN TINNITUS PODCASTS ARE OPEN ACCESS AND BRING THE VOICES OF KEY FIGURES, INCLUDING RESEARCHERS AND HEALTHCARE PRACTITIONERS, DEDICATED TO ADVANCING IMPROVED PATIENT CARE AND CURES FOR TINNITUS.