The RiteCare® Center for Communication Disorders, located on the Armstrong Campus of 91Âţ»­app, 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 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 , 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.”

Parkinson’s Awareness Month is an annual observance held in April designed to increase awareness and support for individuals and families living with Parkinson’s disease. 

According to the Parkinson’s Foundation, it’s , and that number is expected to rise to 1.2 million by 2030. It’s considered the second-most common neurodegenerative disease after Alzheimer’s disease.

After receiving a grant totaling more than $280,000 in 2023 from (PVP), RiteCare® Center for Communication Disorders at 91Âţ»­app on the 91Âţ»­app Armstrong Campus has worked to improve access to vital community health resources through the PVP’s ±č°ů´Ç˛µ°ů˛ąłľ.Ěý

Georgia Southern was one of 16 universities chosen to receive a grant from the organization’s national funding opportunity, “Campaign to Reach America,” which awards higher education clinics for their compassion and commitment to serving their communities. The free program provides accessible, high-quality care through in-person and remote speech therapy, as well as encouragement and hope to patients in the community.

Tory Candea, Ph.D., SLP.D., director of clinical education in the Department of Clinical Sciences at Georgia Southern, understands the importance of providing these invaluable services to community members living with Parkinson’s. As a certified SPEAK OUT! provider and the primary clinician of the SPEAK OUT!^® Therapy & Research Center located at RiteCare, Candea is a first-hand witness to the benefits of the program. 

“One of the most rewarding parts of this work is watching participants rediscover their voice,” Candea explained, “When therapy is accessible and consistent, the progress people make can be truly remarkable.”  

Candea worked with Assistant Professor of Psychology Robert G. Franklin Jr. from Anderson University in South Carolina to conduct research evaluating leadership qualities in patients before and after participating in SPEAK OUT! Therapy. The work was then published in the .

“When people living with Parkinson’s strengthen their voice, they often strengthen their confidence as well,” Candea said. That ripple effect is one of the most powerful outcomes we see through SPEAK OUT! Therapy.” 

PVP’s commitment to provide grant funding to university-based clinics across the country exemplifies the organization’s dedication to providing speech therapy, encouragement and hope to individuals and families living with Parkinson’s.