CCHAT Highlights

Community Partnership Spotlight: CCHAT Welcomes the Heather Freligh Heart Foundation

CCHAT Benefits from Solar and Storage Pilot Program from SMUD

The playground has always been an extension of the classroom - a place where children who are deaf and hard of hearing practice listening, build friendships, develop confidence, and simply enjoy being kids.

Some people step into a classroom and teach. Others step in and leave a lasting imprint on every child they meet. At CCHAT, Jeanette Castro Hachmeister has become just that kind of presence.

From the very beginning, Bryce Dougherty’s journey has been shaped by resilience, love, and an unwavering commitment from his family.

From CCHAT student to honorary NYPD officer, Miller’s journey shows how early support, resilience, and big dreams open doors to meaningful life experiences.

How Early Intervention and Listening & Spoken Language Helped Nico Thrive

From Toddler to Teen: How CCHAT Empowered Xavier on His Journey to UC Davis

Discover how the CCHAT Reunion fosters lasting relationships and inspires future generations

This year, CCHAT’s tagline – “Listen, Speak, Thrive!” – focused on the amazing successes of the children who are deaf and hard of hearing within the program.

CCHAT Travels Back to the 70s to Celebrate its Life-Changing Program 

CCHAT is thoroughly committed to the hearing health of its community. As the program has evolved, the ways in which CCHAT has provided service have expanded.

Jeanie Simpson remembers the heartache she felt when she learned that her grandson, Kevin, was deaf. Trying to stay emotionally strong for her family while worrying about his future, Jeanie found solace and hope at CCHAT.

Last month, Grason, a kindhearted 11-year-old with excellent communication skills, returned to CCHAT, the program that changed the trajectory of his future and provided hope to his family during a time full of question marks.

From surviving the NICU to navigating hearing loss, Reagan has shown a strength and tenacity that has allowed her to overcome a number of obstacles. 

A fresh CCHAT alum, Lilly continues to show the power of early intervention for children with hearing loss, and her parents have been equipped with the tools to help both of their children navigate very different hearing loss journeys.

Thanks to her family’s dedication and CCHAT’s Littlest Listeners program, Olive has become a shining example of what’s possible for children with hearing loss who receive vital early intervention services.

Spreading the word about CCHAT and the comprehensive hearing health services we provide to the community is always a priority. That’s why we were overjoyed to be highlighted on a local podcast in June.

Miller’s hearing loss initially led him to the CCHAT Center at the age of 9 months. Miller enrolled, and the Greenfields began benefiting from the vast line of services provided by the program.

Aria and her family were welcomed with open arms by CCHAT’s dedicated staff. While the path was not without hiccups, Aria soon began to show the building blocks of listening and spoken language development.

CCHAT kids get a chance to show off what they have learned and how far they have come every June at the CCHAT End-of-Year Program.

The CCHAT campus received a massive facelift last month, thanks to a boost from one of the program's most committed community supporters.

One of the many subjects covered in the daily curriculum for CCHAT students is art. And this month, CCHAT kids will get a chance to show off their creativity at a local art gallery.

Facing the reality of hearing loss, finding success in the mainstream, and returning to CCHAT as a role model, Noah continues to blow past any roadblocks presented by his hearing loss.

CCHAT remains committed to providing the best possible education for its students with hearing loss. All staff members bring a level of dedication, experience and LSL knowledge that enables our children to reach their maximum potential.

CCHAT is proud to watch its amazing alumni students go on to enjoy success after leaving the program. It is even more special when they return to campus as staff or volunteers to give back to future generations of children with hearing loss.

Since 1996, CCHAT has worked hard to be a positive force in the community. Our mission of empowering children who are deaf and hard of hearing with listening and spoken language skills is one we enjoy and take very seriously.

With CCHAT’s Baby & Me Program, families have access to a staff of listening and spoken language experts who are committed to setting up their child for a lifetime of success.

CCHAT's Bike 4 Fun is a community celebration where students ride, meet local heroes, and raise funds. Support our cause on October 17th!

CCHAT continues to look for ways to expand its impact and improve the hearing health of more families. CCHAT currently services a large portion of Northern California, covering approximately 20% of the state, and a recently formed partnership has the potential to broaden CCHAT’s reach even further. 

Molly Gielar (formerly Magarian) joined CCHAT in 1997, and now 29, she looks back affectionately at the CCHAT program, one that she is committed to help sustain for future families in need of its services. 

Hugo Pineda is a 5-year-old boy who was born with hearing loss. Despite this challenge, Hugo has thrived thanks to the support of his family and the CCHAT program.

There are many ways that community members can lend their support to CCHAT with sponsors for fundraising events and volunteering at these events to make sure they run as smoothly as possible.

After extensive research and a recommendation from their audiologist, Turiya's family found CCHAT, and it only took one visit to the school to convince them to leave their East Bay home for one closer to the program that would change all of their lives.

Since graduating from CCHAT at age 4, Keira, now 10, has become an accomplished dancer, performing on some of the area’s biggest stages, and her determination makes her family believe that no dream is out of reach.

When Thao and her husband were delivered the news that their daughter, Kate, failed her newborn hearing screen, and 4 months later received a diagnosis of sensorineural hearing loss, all of their hopes and dreams for her were shattered. When she came upon CCHAT Center, she knew it was the answer to her prayers! 

With the help of recent grant support, CCHAT was able to make another significant advancement as it works to ensure all local newborns have access to the hearing health services they need.

CCHAT strives to assist families on their hearing journeys and encourage participation in campus activities. One way we support parents is through P3, or Parent Program Partnership.

Hafiz started attending CCHAT in July 2021 at age 5. In addition to classroom instruction, he began receiving CCHAT’s traditional daily speech therapy and audiological support. For the first time, he was getting the essential services he needed to develop his listening and spoken language.

Since 1996, CCHAT has served as a community resource for families of children with hearing loss. With more than 25 years of experience.

CCHAT preaches the importance of early intervention and parent participation for children with hearing loss, and few people exemplify this idea including John Porteous.

There isn’t anything that Michael Peters wouldn’t do for his daughter Aspen. That’s why every morning, the pair travels from Calaveras County to CCHAT, a more than two-hour roundtrip, so that Aspen can benefit from the speech, listening and language services the program has to offer.

When Moses Silchuk joined CCHAT’s toddler class in 2008, his family had more questions than answers when it came to his hearing loss.

Thanks to a partnership with Utah State University, three CCHAT teachers became certified Teachers of the Deaf.

An instrumental position on the CCHAT team that helps ensure the success and well-being of students includes a group of instructional aides who go above and beyond for CCHAT kids on a daily basis.

If you have attended CCHAT over the past decade, chances are you shared a classroom with a Crable. Parents Shawn and Teresa sent daughters Faith, Hope and Kelly through the program, and all have since graduated and enjoyed mainstream success in their local schools.

New board member, David Zeigler, is a perfect fit for the position. His passion for the cause was ignited when his daughter, Victoria, was diagnosed with hearing loss, and he has remained connected to the program, to which he credits for her speech and listening development.

CCHAT is fortunate to have a Board of Directors that fulfills a number of duties for the program like overseeing management and finances, creating a set of values and standards, and building relationships within our community.

Max’s road to CCHAT was paved by his sister, Brooke, and with such great family support, it is no surprise Max is thriving on his listening and spoken language journey.

Since joining the CCHAT staff in 2019, Melissa McNamara has spent time as the teacher of CCHAT’s Preschool, Primary and Baby & Me classes.

McCall Madriago was a member of CCHAT’s second class in 1997, and the foundation of LSL skills she developed at CCHAT have helped her graduate from college, find a fulfilling job and even represent her country as an elite athlete.

CCHAT would not be able to make its impact without plenty of help. A community of generous donors and sponsors ensures that we can provide our life-changing services to children with hearing loss.

Nico’s hearing loss journey began the night he was born. Nico’s progress still amazes his parents, who upon learning of his deafness just 10 days after his birth.

In 1996, 12 students with hearing loss began a journey at a start-up program called CCHAT. The small center did not have a track record of success, but it had a dream and a staff dedicated to helping these students become successful in every avenue of life.

As we reflect on CCHAT’s 25th anniversary, let’s check in with Will Andes, a student from CCHAT’s very first class in 1996.

Dr. Lisa Marwaha began her CCHAT journey providing service to students with hearing loss on campus. But after retiring as an audiologist, Lisa knew that she wanted to stay connected to a program that she had come to love.

At the CCHAT Center, having staff members with hearing loss is a point of emphasis. These mentors provide invaluable knowledge in the field and can rely on first-hand experience when communicating to families of children who are deaf and hard of hearing.

Two weeks prior to his birth, Kevin’s hospital began administering newborn hearing screenings. Although Kevin failed the screening, his parents were thankful they were able to diagnose his hearing loss so early. Otherwise, it may have gone unnoticed for some time.

After experiencing her first episode of vertigo 15 years ago, Jacque began developing a ringing in her ear, as well as slight hearing loss. While trying to make her decision on whether cochlear implant surgery was the right path for her, Jacque was introduced to Licia Green from the CCHAT Center by a former colleague.

Nikole and her family have had their ups and downs during their hearing loss journey together, but they’ve always embraced it with a positive attitude.

It’s often daunting when a parent learns their child is deaf or hard of hearing (DHOH), and Marissa recalls it being no different for her mom and dad.

CCHAT Center supporter Gary Schanz began losing his hearing 40 years ago, and the results affected every aspect of his life.

Leah Lind has been a deaf and hard of hearing teacher for 16 years and was first introduced to CCHAT through her friend’s mother. She immediately fell in love with CCHAT.

Since 2013, Meredith has been working at the CCHAT Center as a teacher for the deaf and hard of hearing. She is a fantastic addition to our team and is an incredibly supportive teacher to all of our students.

This year, the CCHAT Volunteer of the Year award belongs to Erika and Steve Fatula from McCoy Fatula because of the significant support provided by Erika, Steve and his firm.

The CCHAT Champion award is given to an individual who demonstrates great advocacy and leadership on behalf of individuals with hearing loss. They strive to increase equal access for those in the community, while also serving as an inspiration for those navigating their own hearing loss journey.

Working with children is very rewarding and Mary says that she enjoys working closely with the students at the CCHAT center.

Before 2012, Stella’s parents knew nothing about hearing loss or had any experience with people who had hearing loss. And now she is in her last year at the CCHAT center in Sacramento, and her parents can’t believe that seven years went by so quickly.

The best teachers are said to be those who can think outside the box. At the CCHAT Center, sometimes this means getting in the box...literally.

It wasn't until Reagan turned 3 that we found out she was moderately/severely deaf in both ears. We were shocked to receive this news as Reagan and her twin brother, Reid, both had passed their newborn hearing tests.

Dylan White was born on July 4th, 2008. Dylan overcame many difficult challenges at birth.

When we were told that our 9-day-old son, Cruz, suffered from bilateral sensorineural severe to profound hearing loss, it was difficult to process or even understand that our son was deaf.

Bryce arrived four weeks early, but despite his prematurity, his doctor was amazed at how healthy he was. He had high APGAR scores, so the last thing we thought about was hearing loss.

We welcomed our son into the world in February 2014. We were introduced to the world of hearing loss when Sahan didn't pass his initial hearing screening. Series of tests confirmed that he was born with severe to prdound bilateral hearing loss.

With more than 20 years of experience working with children that use hearing aids and cochlear implants, Lisa McWilliams is the perfect choice for lead Speech Pathologist for the CCHAT Center.

Dominique Smith grew up with hearing loss, but because of her amazing family and friends she sometimes forgot she even had to wear cochlear implants. Having a support group around helped her know that she had nothing to worry about when it came to her future or learning abilities.