Above and beyond limitations: Georgia Southern’s RiteCare Center engages in innovative strategies to expand speech therapy access across communities
The RiteCare® Center for Communication Disorders, located on the Armstrong Campus of Georgia Southern University, continually implements innovative strategies to broaden its impact throughout the community. As the clinic’s reach continues to grow, Georgia Southern Communications Sciences and Disorders (CSDS) students are finding unique opportunities to connect with the people who need them.
“Through continual reflection, we strive to expand our services, community support and student readiness,” said Tory Candea, Ph.D., SLP.D., director of clinical education in the Department of Clinical Sciences at Georgia Southern.
Over a three-week period, the RightCare Center partnered with local horse-therapy nonprofit Faith Equestrian Therapeutic Center, a Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship International (PATH) Premier Accredited center in Guyton, Georgia, for ‘Manes and Memories.’
“The graduate students went above and beyond to create a welcoming and supportive environment,” Candea added. “Their ability to combine evidence-based strategies, fun and compassion made the experience truly meaningful for everyone involved.”
Together, the two organizations offered free speech therapy services to people living with speech-altering health conditions, alongside their caregivers, using evidence-based therapeutic techniques, sensory-friendly stations and the healing power of equine friendship.
Along with providing services throughout South Georgia, the RiteCare Center has continued to expand services for children and adults beyond the boundaries of the University’s four campuses. Recently, the center was named the SPEAK OUT!® Therapy and Research Center for the state of North Carolina.
Graduate students will now have the opportunity to provide free research-based treatment for people with Parkinson’s and related disorders, helping individuals regain and retain their speech and swallowing through high-quality virtual sessions.
“We are incredibly grateful to be chosen as North Carolina’s SPEAK OUT! Therapy and Research Center. This allows us to broaden access to care and empower students to learn, serve and lead under the guidance of exceptional clinical instructors, “said Candea.
The SPEAK OUT!® Therapy Program at Georgia Southern was made possible by grant funding from Parkinson Voice Project, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the quality of life for those living with Parkinson’s Disease worldwide.
For Candea, working across communities benefits both patients and their future clinicians, helping students deliver the highest level of care to the people they serve.
She said, “Our students are not waiting for graduation to make a difference; they are already changing lives through knowledge, consistency, and commitment to high-quality care.”
