For Immediate Release: May 9, 2007

Sutton Announces Grant for University of Akron

Congresswoman Betty Sutton announces a four year grant to train speech-language pathology specialists to provide quality services to children who are

Washington, D.C. - Today, Congresswoman Betty Sutton announced the awarding of a $172,264 grant to the University of Akron by the Department of Education.  The initial funding would cover the year beginning June 1, 2007, but the grant will last for a total of four years.  The grant, selectively awarded under the Combined Priority for Personnel Preparation Program, will address the growing national crisis over the lack of early intervention services for infants and toddlers with hearing loss and their families as they learn how to use advanced technologies. The grant will fund pre-service training of Speech-Language Pathologists (SLPs) in a combined specialist-training program conducted by the University of Akron (UA) and Kent State University (KSU).  

"I am absolutely thrilled to announce the University of Akron will receive funding for this very worthy program," Sutton said. "The University of Akron's work helping deaf and hearing-impaired children is truly inspiring.  The Department of Education clearly recognizes the contributions the University of Akron and Kent State are making, and this grant will enable their talented faculty and staff to continue providing invaluable leadership in this very important field."
 
The grant will support special coursework for 24 trainees, 12 from UA and 12 from KSU, over four years to assist them in the completion of their professional training.  UA and KSU will recruit applicants to the program, including trainees from underrepresented populations and person with disabilities.  The project will also attempt to show other universities the possibility of modifying their two-year SLP programs to help meet the national need for highly qualified SLPs.
 
The training will focus on advanced technologies, such as modern hearing aids and cochlear implants, small, electronic devices that can help provide the sense of sound to people who are profoundly deaf or severely hard of hearing, helping children with hearing loss to learn to listen and speak. It will also focus on the special training needs of treating newborns.  Newborn hearing screening now requires special training for SLPs in principles and management in the context of family-centered services.  UA Professor of Speech-Language Pathology Denise Wray will be the Project Director for this grant.
 
"As an alumna of both the University of Akron and Kent State University, I am proud to see these two fine academic institutions collaborating for advancement in this field.  Their leadership and commitment to helping infants and toddlers learn to listen and speak is not only a service to these children and their families, it is a service to the community.  I commend the universities for their hard work in these fields and the positive impact they have on all of us."

Contact: Ian Mandel at 202-225-3401