The Mercer County Office of Aging has been awarded the Open Communication Access grant from the State of New Jersey.
The Open Communication Access Grant will be used to fund the installation of hearing induction loops in public spaces. These spaces will include: The Mercer County Board of Social Services, The Mercer County Office of Aging, The County Connection, and The Mercer County Administration Building. In addition, two pilots will be conducted at the Library and the County Commissioner Hearing room.
Hearing induction loops allow people with hearing loss to easily participate in public spaces, simply by turning on the ‘t-coil’ switch on their hearing aids and cochlear implants. The larger spaces will have this technology hardwired, while smaller spaces will have portable kits as needed.
Upon receiving funding, a competitive RFP will be issued and a vendor will be secured. We expect the implementation to be completed by July 2024.
“As a legislator, I always championed accessibility initiatives,” said Mercer Executive Dan Benson, “I am proud of our staff here in Mercer County for securing this competitive grant to ensure we can provide quality services to as many residents as possible.”
“The Open Communication Access grant provides a wonderful opportunity to help us expand services to the hearing-impaired community,” said Deputy Administrator Taraun Tice McKnight. “We are constantly looking for state and federal programs that will allow us to fund similar initiatives that expand services for Mercer County residents.”
