2026 Connecticut Walk4Hearing
WEBINAR—Breaking the Silence: Hearing Loss, Mental Health and Substance Use
Health Care/Medical
Webinars
Exploring the Intersection of Hearing Loss and Mental Health
To honor Better Hearing Month and Mental Health Awareness Month in May, we presented a webinar touching on both themes. Two behavioral health experts explored the intersection of hearing loss, mental health and substance use, examining how stigma may prevent people with hearing loss from protecting or treating their mental health. Through the presentation of lived experiences and research data, the presenters shared how isolation may heighten mental health challenges and substance misuse, and where people can look for help, along with practical, empowering strategies. Culminating with an interactive conversation about the overlap of these complex issues, this webinar will continue to spark important conversations in the future.
Resources shared during the webinar:
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Kentucky Department for Behavioral Health, Developmental, & Intellectual Disabilities YouTube channel
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Minnesota free online training for practitioners to learn about hearing loss
- 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline including text and videophone options
See panelist information and watch the open captioned video below. Both experts will also present educational workshops at the HLAA 2026 Convention in Louisville, KY, June 10-12, 2026.
Panelists:
Kristel Scoresby, Ph.D., LCSW, MSW
Kristel Scoresby is an assistant professor in the College of Social Work at the University of Kentucky. Her research focuses on 1) integrating social work into hearing healthcare to address the mental health of people with hearing loss and 2) advancing accessibility in clinical, educational and professional spaces for people with disabilities. She lost her hearing between the ages of 4-30 through progressive nerve deafness and is bimodal with both a cochlear implant and a hearing aid.
Michelle Niehaus, LCSW, MSW
Michelle Niehaus is the program administrator for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Services at the Kentucky Division for Behavioral Health. She works within state government, with the private sector and in partnership with community organizations to develop and sustain accessible and equitable behavioral health services. A graduate of Indiana and Washington Universities, she is also a 2024 alumnus of the Equity Changemakers Institute. Michelle believes that collaborating to identify and implement community-driven solutions is the key to lasting change.
