ROANOKE, Va., Aug. 10 Persons who stutter can now participate in the advanced stuttering treatment program at Hollins Communications Research Institute (HCRI -- http://www.stuttering.org) at a substantially reduced cost through 2009 thanks to new stuttering therapy scholarships funded by past HCRI clients.
Advertisement
HCRI's scholarship program is designed to broaden accessibility of stuttering treatment by offsetting the cost of tuition to attend the Institute's intensive therapy program. Scholarships are now available through the end of the year in amounts up to $1,550. These awards reduce the out-of-pocket cost of therapy by nearly 35%, making treatment more affordable during the current economic environment.
Advertisement
The regular cost of HCRI's scientifically based treatment is $4,500, which is priced to meet the nonprofit Institute's actual research and therapy delivery costs. The new scholarships bring participant costs down to $2,950 for treatment, which includes 100 clinical hours over a 12-day period.
"We are grateful to our clients who have funded these new scholarships and who are making HCRI stuttering therapy a reality for others. These individuals have experienced the disabling effects of stuttering and are proof that the right treatment can be life changing," said HCRI Founder and President Ronald L. Webster, Ph.D.
Since it inception in 1972, HCRI has grown into a world-leading center for the investigation and treatment of stuttering. HCRI specializes in addressing the physical aspects of stuttering by using the latest technology and treatment methods to help people retrain speech muscles that enable them to speak fluently.
HCRI therapy features proprietary behavioral, electronic and computer technologies that significantly improve the ease of learning and retaining fluent speech. The Institute was recently recognized for its creative use of Apple's iPhone and iPod Touch to help therapy participants transfer new speech behaviors from the clinical setting into real world environments.
More than 5,600 people, ranging in age from 11 to 73, have participated in therapy at HCRI's Roanoke, Virginia center. According to the Institute's data, 93% of clients achieve fluent speech by the end of therapy. Follow-up studies show that 70% to 75% retain fluency when evaluated one and two years post therapy.
To apply for a stuttering therapy scholarship, persons must first complete an application to attend a 2009 program. Applications are available online at http://www.stuttering.org or by calling 540-265-5650.
SOURCE Hollins Communications Research Institute
