Monday, April 25, 2011

Together NC Speak NC Series

Disability Rights NC is a member of Together NC.  We’re excited to share the release of the third installment of the Speak NC series - http://www.speaknc.org/2011/04/speech-therapist/.


The video is a poignant reminder about the power of communication and the importance of services like speech therapy in North Carolina. Unfortunately, with legislators proposing hundreds of millions of dollars to cuts in Medicaid, it’s unclear whether or not many of North Carolina’s speech therapists will be able to stay in business.

Below is the press release that went out with the video earlier this morning:
New video spotlights importance of North Carolina speech therapists

The weekly videos from Together NC’s Speak NC campaign document individuals, families, and groups who rely on state services
RALEIGH (April 25, 2011) – A powerful new video released today spotlights how state speech therapists change lives for the better. The Speak NC video, released by the Together NC coalition, is part of a campaign documenting the positive impact of state programs and services on families and communities throughout North Carolina.

The ability to communicate is an integral part of getting an education, building relationships and finding a job. That’s why North Carolina chooses to provide speech therapy services through its Medicaid program. The video follows one such speech therapist, Allison Crumpler from Raleigh.

Specifically, North Carolina’s speech therapists work with patients on a wide variety of issues, including articulation disorders, stuttering, auditory comprehension disorders, expressive communication disorders, swallowing disorders, voice disorders, and literacy and written language disorders.

Currently, there are over 5,600 licensed speech therapists in North Carolina, but with legislators proposing hundreds of millions of dollars of cuts in Medicaid, it’s unclear whether or not many of North Carolina’s speech therapists will be able to stay in business.

The video is the third in a series produced by Together NC. The videos highlight North Carolina residents who benefit from vital public investments. The videos are available on the new Speak NC website. Speak NC aims to show the human impact of state programs and services that touch thousands of North Carolinians every year.

Each Monday, Speak NC will post a new video that documents how an individual, family, or group of people benefits from various state services. Many of these services are at risk of severe cuts, as state legislators meet at the General Assembly and strategize how to balance the state budget.

“Missing from our state budget debate was a real sense of how state services impact real people, their families, and communities amidst all the numbers,” said Louisa Warren, a coordinator of Together NC. “Speak NC is about changing that and bringing forth the voices of North Carolinians to speak for themselves about how public investments have enriched their lives and paved the way for economic opportunity.”

Together NC invites citizens to watch the stories on Speak NC and share them with friends, family, and local legislators to demonstrate how many of these programs provide crucial aid to families and bolster local economies.

Visit Speak NC at www.speaknc.org

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