Almeida Law Group is investigating a data breach at Center for Hearing and Speech dba Texas Hearing Institute. The breach occurred on February 11th, 2026 – March 20th, 2026 and was discovered on March 20th, 2026. If you were affected, contact Almeida Law Group.
About Center for Hearing and Speech dba Texas Hearing Institute
Texas Hearing Institute (formerly The Center for Hearing and Speech) is a nonprofit medical provider founded in 1947 and based in Houston, Texas, on the Texas Medical Center campus. It is the most comprehensive pediatric hearing loss resource in Texas, offering audiology, speech-language therapy, spoken-language education, and family support services for children from infancy through age 21. The organization draws patients from more than 70 counties across Texas and parts of Louisiana, and it turns no child away for inability to pay. Because it serves children and their families, the personal and medical records it maintains may include information belonging to minors.
What Happened?
Center for Hearing and Speech dba Texas Hearing Institute was listed in a Texas Attorney General data security breach report (Record ID BR-0005147) published on June 30th, 2026. According to the filing, an unauthorized actor accessed the organization’s systems during a window running from February 11th, 2026 through March 20th, 2026. The breach was discovered on March 20th, 2026. A total of 29,638 individuals were affected. The compromised information included Social Security numbers, financial information such as account and credit or debit card numbers, and medical information. Affected consumers were notified by U.S. Mail.
The INTERLOCK ransomware group claimed responsibility for the attack on April 2nd, 2026, via a dark web posting, stating it had obtained approximately 540 gigabytes of internal data from the organization. Texas Hearing Institute engaged a third-party cybersecurity firm whose investigation concluded on or about April 22nd, 2026, confirming that unauthorized access had occurred. A file review identifying affected individuals was completed on June 19th, 2026. At least one law firm, Shamis & Gentile P.A., has announced it is investigating the breach for a potential class action lawsuit, though no complaint had been filed as of the research date.
Key Facts at a Glance
- Company or Organization: Center for Hearing and Speech dba Texas Hearing Institute
- Industry: Healthcare – Medical Provider (Nonprofit Pediatric Audiology and Speech-Language Services)
- Location: Houston, Texas 77021
- Incident type: Unauthorized access / ransomware (INTERLOCK group)
- Date of breach: February 11th, 2026 – March 20th, 2026
- Date breach discovered: March 20th, 2026
- Date of consumer notification: June 30th, 2026 (Texas Attorney General report publication date; notices sent by U.S. Mail)
- Total persons affected: 29,638
- Litigation status: Law firm investigation announced (Shamis & Gentile P.A.); no class action complaint filed as of research date
- Source: Texas Attorney General data security breach report, BR-0005147 (https://oag.my.site.com/datasecuritybreachreport/apex/DataSecurityReportsPage#BR-0005147); ClaimDepot investigation page (https://www.claimdepot.com/investigations/texas-hearing-institute-data-breach-2026); HookPhish threat intelligence report (https://www.hookphish.com/blog/ransomware-group-interlock-hits-the-center-for-hearing-and-speech/)
What Should You Do?
If you received a notice from Texas Hearing Institute, act quickly to protect yourself. Because Social Security numbers, financial account information, and medical information were all involved, your exposure is broad. Place a fraud alert or credit freeze with the three major credit bureaus—Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion—and monitor your credit reports at AnnualCreditReport.com for accounts or inquiries you do not recognize. Review your bank and credit card statements for unauthorized transactions and contact your financial institution if you see anything suspicious. Because medical information was compromised, also review your Explanation of Benefits statements from your insurer and check your medical records for services you did not receive. If you believe your information has already been misused, report it at IdentityTheft.gov, which can help you create a personalized recovery plan.
Your Legal Rights
If your personal or health information was involved in this breach, you may have legal rights depending on the facts of the incident and the law in your state. Almeida Law Group represents consumers in data breach and privacy litigation and can help you evaluate whether you may have a claim. Contact us at (708) 529-5418 or through our contact page for a free case evaluation.
