Our interview this month highlights a new, free service. The Fontbonne Speech and Language Clinic recently opened at Avila University in Kansas City, Missouri. Fontbonne-Kansas City has an on-campus clinic to support the education of graduate students training to be speech-language pathologists while also serving the community. TOGETHER spoke with Kelly Zarifa, an Assistant Professor at Fontbonne to find out more about this free service.
– Lisa Wagner-Carollo, Deaf and Disabilities Ministries Coordinator
LISA: Can you tell us about the Fontbonne Speech and Language Clinic at Avila University? What would be important for us to know?
KELLY: The Fontbonne University Speech and Language Clinic opened in the fall of 2021, and we provide speech-language services to people of all abilities throughout the lifespan across the KC metro area. Graduate student clinicians provide services at our clinic under the supervision of faculty members who are certified speech-language pathologists. As a teaching institution, we strive to stay up to date on the latest interventions in the field. We rely on grants, fundraisers, or donations to fund supplemental materials or equipment, and best of all, our services are free of charge!
L: How would an individual receive therapy through your program? What steps would they need to take?
K: There are a few different avenues that you can take to contact our clinic. You can contact us via e-mail here: speechclinickc@fontbonne.edu; Or you can give us a call at: 816-501-2975.
L: What do you enjoy the most about your work with Fontbonne?
K: I like working with such a wide range of individuals, having the privilege of working with both students and clients, and seeing their communication abilities grow. Most of all, I like the sense of community that we have started to develop!
L: Is there anything you’d like to add?
K: Our services continue to expand, and we look forward to adding additional groups and services in fall 2022! If you have questions about the clinic or would like to learn more, please don’t hesitate to reach out! kzarifa@fontbonne.edu
For more information on the Deaf and Disabilities Ministry, email ddm@ccharities.com or call them at 816.659.8262
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