SLP Program Partners with Atlantic Health System

Second-year students in Seton Hall's M.S. in S.L.P. program assist with a weekly play group. From L-R: Kaylen Christiansen, Ashley Bernhammer, Nicole Ribeiro and Angela Acosta.

Seton Hall University's Department of Speech-Language Pathology has partnered with Atlantic Health System, a leading healthcare organization in New Jersey, to provide community programs that enhance communication and social interaction for people of all ages, including a pediatric play-based language group, an aphasia support group and a maintenance program for individuals with Parkinson's Disease called Loud CROWD.

Developed collaboratively by Seton Hall faculty and Kathryn Bradley, M.A., CCC-SLP, manager of outpatient speech therapy and audiology for Atlantic Health System, the initiatives provide valuable experiential learning for students in Seton Hall's Master of Science in Speech-Language Pathology (M.S. in S.L.P.) program.

Play-Based Language Group Unites Seton Hall Alumna, Students

Created by Bradley and Seton Hall's Megan Baumley, M.S., CCC-SLP, director of clinical education, Department of Speech-Language Pathology, the play-based language group is offered at no cost to participating families. It promotes play and language development in two- to three-year-olds during weekly sessions. Seton Hall M.S. in S.L.P. students, under the supervision of Atlantic Health System's Valerie Villanueva, M.S. '22, CCC-SLP, engage children in activities that foster expressive and receptive language while counseling caregivers on strategies to support language growth.

Second-year M.S. in S.L.P. students Angela Acosta, Ashley Bernhammer, Kaylen Christiansen and Nicole Ribeiro assist with the play group. Acosta shared, "This program has given me a rewarding opportunity to support our community and witness the children's growth during our play sessions." Villanueva added: "As an alumna, I'm honored to give back to Seton Hall by mentoring students and supporting their growth as future S.L.P.s."

Aphasia Support Group Promotes Camaraderie

Supervised by Atlantic Health System therapists Olivia Ayala, M.A., CCC-SLP and Victor DeSario, M.A., CCC-SLP, this monthly group fosters social communication among adults with aphasia through engaging activities like bingo, idioms and "name that tune." Seton Hall's Laura Caruso and Emily Schwartz, second-year M.S. in S.L.P. students, help facilitate the sessions. Caruso remarked, "It's inspiring to witness the camaraderie among participants and make a meaningful impact on their well-being while enhancing my clinical knowledge."

Training Grant Supports Patients with Parkinson's

Since 2022, Seton Hall's M.S. in S.L.P. department and Atlantic Health System have offered a SPEAK OUT! LOUD Crowd program for individuals with Parkinson's Disease. This virtual, twice monthly therapy group helps participants maintain vocal strength and quality while engaging in social communication.

For the past four years, the Seton Hall Department of Speech-Language Pathology has received a training grant from the Parkinson Voice Project to train M.S. in S.L.P. students to facilitate LOUD Crowd support groups, where individuals with Parkinson's Disease gather to practice and maintain speech skills. Morgan Okula, a second-year M.S. in S.L.P. student, has been assisting with the program and has had the opportunity to connect with the participants on a personal level. She notes that members have conversations about their lives throughout the sessions, which makes the work done in the program even more meaningful. When asked about the program, Okula said, "Seeing the progress these individuals make is so rewarding, and getting to know them during our sessions adds another layer of my understanding of their challenges living with Parkinson's Disease."

Department Chair Caryn Grabowski, MS, CCC-SLP, expressed pride in Seton Hall's ongoing partnership with Atlantic Health System. "These programs contribute meaningfully to the lives of participants in our community, while providing students with hands-on opportunities to develop their clinical skills," she said. Through this collaboration, students gain valuable exposure to real-world challenges and experiences that prepare them for professional practice. "We are extremely fortunate to have developed a partnership with Kate Bradley and the entire team at AHS rehab and we look forward to continuing our success in providing great programs the benefit everyone involved," she added.

Categories: Education, Health and Medicine