Speech and Hearing Clinic

The University of Arkansas at Little Rock (UALR)/University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) Speech and Hearing Clinic is located on the UALR campus in the University Plaza Shopping Center. Its purpose is to provide a full range of clinical services to individuals with communication disorders. The Clinic is part of the Audiology and Speech Pathology academic program which is accredited by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association’s (ASHA) Council on Academic Accreditation (CAA).

The UALR/UAMS Speech and Hearing Clinic is very proud of its association with the Scottish Rite Masons who provide funding for the Beth B. Eaton Language and Literacy Center, one of many Rite Care programs funded by the Scottish Rite across the country. The Clinic is also very fortunate to have received funding for its Technology Access Center from the Optimist Hearing Foundation of Arkansas.

All services at the Clinic are provided by graduate students and senior-level undergraduate students under the direct supervision of ASHA-certified faculty. The Clinic provides speech, language, literacy, and hearing evaluations tailored to individual needs. A wide array of diagnostic equipment and materials makes it possible to evaluate communication problems experienced by clients of any age, from infants to adults. Based on evaluation results, student clinicians work with clients, parents and families to develop appropriate, functional treatment plans. In addition to diagnostic services, clients may receive speech, language and audiological rehabilitation on an individual or group basis. Hearing aid and assistive listening device selection, fitting, and follow-up services are also provided. The Clinic Director is Mrs. Terri Hutton. Questions about billing and fees for services can be directed to the Office Manager, Mrs. Dianne Shahan-Weed (501-569-3155).

INDIVIDUAL CLINIC PROGRAMS:

I. HEARING PROGRAMS 

Diagnostic Services: A full range of audiological diagnostic services is available. Hearing evaluations are offered for children and adults suspected of having hearing difficulties. Auditory processing evaluations are available for children and adults suspected of having an Auditory Processing Disorder (APD). APD can cause difficulty discriminating speech and other desirable sounds from background noise. Other characteristics of APD include difficulty understanding rapid speech, speech that is unclear, or speech produced by someone with a different accent; difficulty listening to more than one speaker at a time; trouble understanding instructions; poor concentration; and low academic performance.

Hearing Aid Services: Complete hearing aid services are available. A wide range of hearing instruments, hearing aid care supplies, and amplification accessories may be purchased through the Clinic. Individual listening needs and personal preferences are taken into consideration when selecting amplification systems. Clients and their significant others receive a thorough orientation in the use of their hearing instruments. Instruction is provided in the care and maintenance of the equipment, as well as the use of hearing instruments with other electronic devices, such as telephones, or televisions. Follow-up hearing aid checks, reprogramming, and repairs are available for all clients who purchase their hearing instruments through the UALR/UAMS Speech and Hearing Clinic. Hearing aid adjustments and repairs are also available for clients who have purchased hearing instruments from other clinics.

The Technology Acssistance Center (TAC):  Formerly known as the Assistive Listening Device (ALD) Center, the TAC, which has been in continuous operation since 1990, was established through an agreement between UALR and the Arkansas Association for Hearing Impaired Children (AAHIC). The TAC has equipment for demonstration and loan to individuals with hearing loss. Approximately one year ago, UALR assumed full responsibility for the operation of the Center, which is currently run by the UALR Audiology Department. Graduate students, under the supervision of faculty, maintain and demonstrate the equipment.
 

This summer, thanks to the tireless efforts of Lynn Coates and the Optimist Hearing Foundation of Arkansas, the TAC and the equipment have been updated. The TAC  includes a wide variety of state-of–the-art devices for people with hearing loss. Displays include emergency alerting devices -such as fire alarms, a carbon monoxide alert system and a weather alert system. A variety of phones and phone accessories for land line and cell phones are available for demonstration. Devices compatible with hearing aids are also on display which include FM systems and loop systems.
 

As a service, the assistive devices are available for short-term loan. This will provide individuals an opportunity to determine if the device will benefit them before making a purchase. Detailed information is also available to the general public, service providers and students interested in working with people with hearing loss.

In addition, phones available through the Arkansas Rehabilitation Services’ Telecommunications Access Program (TAP) are on display. An Arkansas resident, who meets eligibility requirements, can be loaned phone equipment for up to a two year period through this program. UALR Audiology students and faculty are available to provide hands on practice and demonstration of these phones. Obtaining information about the phones on display enables individuals with hearing loss make an informed decision as to which phone best meets their needs.

To schedule an appointment to view the TAC, please call 569-3155.
 

Audiologic Rehabilitation: Individualized instruction is available to enhance the communication skills of persons with hearing impairments. Instruction focuses on maximizing use of remaining hearing through amplification and/or assistive listening devices, auditory training, using visual cues (speech reading and gestures), and utilizing communication repair strategies. Sessions can be scheduled on an individual basis for either short or long term rehabilitation, and are geared to each individual’s specific communication needs. An adult audiologic rehabilitation group is available for persons who wish to work together to practice new communication skills. Family members and friends are encouraged to participate in audiologic rehabilitation sessions so they, too, can learn strategies for facilitating improved communication.
 

II. SPEECH AND LANGUAGE PROGRAMS 

Diagnostic Services: A full range of diagnostic speech, language, and literacy services is available for persons of any age with disorders in the following areas: articulation, receptive and expressive language, cognition, fluency, voice and resonance, swallowing, pragmatic language, and hearing. Evaluations provide useful, specific information, especially to parents and caregivers who are uncertain whether or not their family member has a communication, literacy, or language learning problem. Adults who are concerned about their own speech or language skills also find the evaluations helpful and informative. Following the evaluation, results and recommendations are explained and discussed.  Comprehensive literacy evaluations are also available. A comprehensive evaluation includes testing by a certified speech-language pathologist and a licensed psychological examiner. With this comprehensive evaluation, a diagnosis of dyslexia can be made if the condition exists.

Individual Therapy Sessions: Individual speech, language, and literacy therapy sessions are scheduled for clients of all ages. The Clinic is open for individual therapy sessions Monday through Friday while academic classes are in session. Since the UALR academic calendar is followed, there are breaks from therapy between semesters and for certain holidays.


Specialized Programs

Preschool Language Enrichment Program (PLEP): PLEP is a transdisciplinary preschool program for children ages 3-5 years with speech and language delays. In addition to students from the speech pathology program, students from special education, social work, nursing, nutrition, physical therapy, occupational therapy, and psychology may participate. PLEP meets two mornings per week during the fall and spring semesters. Daily activities are designed to develop personal-social, cognitive, and fine and gross motor skills, in addition to communication and preliteracy skills.

Pragmatics Groups: These groups stress the appropriate use of language in social interactions. Groups are divided by age and the children who attend work on such skills as good listening, turn-taking, topic maintenance, problem solving, discourse management, and other conversational rules and nonverbal behaviors.

Aphasia Group: This group is composed of adults who have aphasia, motor speech disorders, or other speech and language problems caused by stroke, brain surgery, or neuromuscular diseases. The therapy is designed to help clients become more functional communicators in a supportive group therapy environment and in their daily activities. All communication modalities are targeted in the group activities.

AR Center for Stuttering Research and Treatment: The mission of the Arkansas Center for Stuttering Research and Treatment (ACSRT) is to assist people who stutter in improving their lives through greater participation in daily activities, increased fluency, and better communication. This is accomplished through the study of the onset and development of stuttering across the age span and, where appropriate, through the development and implementation of treatment strategies for these individuals. Housed within the Department of Audiology and Speech Pathology at UALR, the ACSRT specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of stuttering in preschoolers, school-age children, adolescents, and adults by: (a) providing specialized assessment and treatment for individuals who stutter and their families; (b) conducting meaningful research on the nature and treatment of stuttering across age groups; (c) educating and providing professional training for students and clinicians interested in working with people who stutter; and (d) offering support for people who stutter, their families, and their clinicians. Additionally, the ACSRT provides basic and advanced training for practitioners who work with people who stutter and their families.
 

 III. CLINIC SUPERVISION 

Supervision of all student clinicians is provided by full time departmental faculty and part-time adjunct faculty, all of whom hold the AR Board of Examiners license in either speech pathology or audiology and the ASHA Certificate of Clinical Competence (CCC) in speech pathology and/or audiology . Client services are provided either by graduate students or senior level undergraduate students. The faculty members work closely with the student clinicians to assure clients are receiving the best in quality care.

IV. FEES AND INSURANCE
 

Fees for service are requested at the time of the first appointment at the Clinic. Fees vary for the different services provided. Therapy fees are charged on a semester basis. Fee reductions are available if need is shown, as well as fee waivers for some clients who have no means of payment or who have attended therapy at the Clinic for an extended period of time and are now used as “teaching cases.” Employees of either UALR or UAMS are afforded services at half of the regular cost. Employees may be asked to provide proof of their university employment. Scottish Rite scholarships are available for children attending the PLEP program, as well as others involved in some of the literacy programs. Determination of who receives the scholarships is made by Mrs. Beth Eaton, the Coordinator of the Beth B. Eaton Language and Literacy Center.

Many of the treatment programs provided at the Clinic qualify for insurance reimbursement, although coverage levels vary widely among insurance plans. Most insurance plans require referral by a physician. Clients are responsible for filing their own insurance claims. The Clinic does not file Medicaid, Medicare, or any other third party claims at this time. Clients may submit receipts to their insurance for reimbursement, however.

LOCATION AND PARKING: 
 

The Clinic is located on the southwest corner of the UALR campus in the University Plaza Shopping Center located on the corner of Asher and University Avenues. Free parking is available anywhere on the shopping center parking lot except in areas designated as "bank" or “retail parking” only. The Clinic has seven parking spaces reserved for clinic clients just south of the entrance to the clinic. Sufficient handicapped parking is also available in front of the building.


To schedule an appointment or to obtain more information, call (501) 569-3155.

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