The speech communication department opened a new Speech Language Hearing Clinic adjacent to Holy Family Church this year. A much smaller clinic used to be located on the main floor of Spellman Hall, but the updated location is in the building of the former Holy Family School.

The new center has nine speech therapy rooms, three group therapy rooms, an audiology booth, two observation labs and a student study room.

Clinic experience is offered as an elective for undergraduate majors in the speech communications department during their senior year. It is also a requirement for the students in the newly accredited Communication Science and Disorders graduate program.

Speech pathology clinic Director Maria Armiento-DeMaria is an alumnus of Iona College. As a former student of the speech communication department she remembers when the clinic used to be the speech communication house, located on President’s street.

“I remember we used to give the kids therapy in Hagan Hall as well,” said Armiento-DeMaria

In addition to managing the clinic, Armiento-DeMaria teaches a weekly team meeting for the graduate students, is the advisor of the Speech Language Hearing Club and continues to practice as a speech language pathologist for local medical settings.

She has also had several years of experience working with children and adults in other clinics.

Among many benefits, the clients are able to use the clinic without dealing with insurance. Families can come take advantage of the clinic because all the child needs to have is “a speech and language disorder delay that is significant for services,” according to Armiento-DeMaria.

Although the speech clinic is pretty flexible, they still have to abide by the code of ethics.

“Most families are willing to pay a nominal fee for our services because they can’t afford to receive the private services because they are too expensive,” said Armiento-DeMaria. “Sometimes the insurance companies have a set limit on how much the child or adult can receive and sometimes it is not enough.”

There are many benefits that this new clinic has to offer to current Iona students too. They are able to get the academic and clinical experience they need by taking electives and getting the hands on experience by working with clients.

Junior Lauren Keller, a speech pathology major, says the new clinic has “more opportunities here because of the design.”

“More people can be given therapy at any given time,” said Keller.

One of Armiento-DeMaria’s goals for students is to make Iona’s students more marketable by preparing them for the professional world while also acting as a resource for the community.

“It’s an exciting time for the Department and as an alumna and graduate, I’m proud,” said Armiento-DeMaria.