Western Kentucky University’s Communication Sciences and Disorders Clinic was awarded the SPEAK OUT!® Therapy and Research Center Grant for the state of Kentucky through Parkinson Voice Project®. This five-year grant provides students and faculty training for the SPEAK OUT! Therapy Program for persons with Parkinson’s and related neurological disorders. The grant also provides funding for equipment, research, and clinic needs.
The SPEAK OUT! Therapy Program, developed by Parkinson Voice Project, helps people with Parkinson's and related disorders REGAIN and RETAIN their speech and swallowing. The program can improve volume, articulation, breath support for speech, vocal quality, intonation, and facial expression. Patients and families also report reduced drooling and improved swallowing. This highly effective, research-based treatment combines education, individual and group speech therapy, and daily home practice. The Circle of Intent outlines the various therapy components and emphasizes that this program is lifelong.
SPEAK OUT! Therapy Program encourages patients to speak with intent in order to make automatic speech an intentional act. Participation in SPEAK OUT! Therapy Program along with daily home practice and regular re-evaluations have been shown to help patients regain and retain their speech and swallowing throughout the progression of Parkinson’s.
Who we Serve
The SPEAK OUT! Therapy Program is free to anyone in the state of Kentucky either in person or by telepractice.
Type of Service
The SPEAK OUT! Therapy Program consists of individual and group therapy as well as ongoing support for patients and families.
After the SPEAK OUT! evaluation, you will be given a booklet for home practice and access to the SPEAK OUT! eLibrary. You will also be provided a link for you and your family to learn more about Parkinson's.
- Individual therapy is typically scheduled 2-3 days per week for 4 weeks
- The SPEAK OUT! group is offered throughout the week for individuals who attend weekly in addition to their home practice
- We will check in with you and provide a refresher every 3-6 months
- New evaluations and treatment cycles will be ongoing!
About Parkinson Voice Project®
Parkinson Voice Project is the only 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization in the world solely dedicated to helping individuals with Parkinson’s improve their speech and swallowing. The organization provides SPEAK OUT! Booklets, online SPEAK OUT! Home Practice Sessions, and a weekly Parkinson’s Sing-Along to complement the speech therapy they will receive at the WKU Voice Care Program. The organization is headquartered in Richardson, Texas, and has trained over 10,000 clinicians in more than 40 countries.
Up to 90% of people with Parkinson’s are at high risk of losing their ability to speak, and swallowing complications account for 70% of the mortality rate in this patient population. Our vision at Parkinson Voice Project is to make our highly effective speech therapy program accessible to people with Parkinson’s worldwide. -Samantha Elandary, Parkinson Voice Project’s Founder and CEO
Schedule an Appointment
The WKU Voice Care Program is located in the Communication Disorders Clinic in the Health Services building at 1681 Normal Street, Bowling Green, KY. To schedule an appointment, call 270-883-2736 or email WKU Voice Care Program.
Email WKU Voice Care Program
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