Above and beyond limitations: Georgia Southern鈥檚 RiteCare Center engages in innovative strategies to expand speech therapy access across communities

May 6, 2026

Group of seven Georgia Southern Communications Sciences and Disorders students standing side by side under a covered outdoor structure, smiling at the camera. They have their arms around each other in a friendly pose. The setting appears to be a wooded or park-like area with trees, a wooden fence, and picnic tables visible in the background. The students are dressed casually, with a mix of scrubs, T-shirts, and sweaters, suggesting a relaxed, collegial atmosphere.

The RiteCare庐 Center for Communication Disorders, located on the Armstrong Campus of 快猫app短视, continually implements innovative strategies to broaden its impact throughout the community. As the clinic鈥檚 reach continues to grow, Georgia Southern Communications Sciences and Disorders (CSDS) students are finding unique opportunities to connect with the people who need them.

A person in a wheelchair reaches out to gently touch a horse leaning its head out of a wooden stable stall. The scene is softly lit with warm sunlight, with a few other people and trees visible blurred in the background.

鈥淭hrough continual reflection, we strive to expand our services, community support and student readiness,鈥� said Tory Candea, Ph.D., SLP.D., director of clinical education in the Department of Clinical Sciences at Georgia Southern.

Over a three-week period, the RightCare Center partnered with local horse-therapy nonprofit Faith Equestrian Therapeutic Center, a Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship International (PATH) Premier Accredited center in Guyton, Georgia, for ‘Manes and Memories.’

鈥淭he graduate students went above and beyond to create a welcoming and supportive environment,鈥� Candea added. 鈥淭heir ability to combine evidence-based strategies, fun and compassion made the experience truly meaningful for everyone involved.鈥�

Together, the two organizations offered free speech therapy services to people living with speech-altering health conditions, alongside their caregivers, using evidence-based therapeutic techniques, sensory-friendly stations and the healing power of equine friendship.

An elderly man wearing a cap, blue shirt, and suspenders stands with a walker under a wooden shelter, facing a light-colored horse. The horse, wearing a halter, stands calmly beside him while another person gently holds it. In the background, several people walk along a sunny path lined with trees, and a small shed is visible. The scene appears to take place at a stable or outdoor animal area on a bright day.

Along with providing services throughout South Georgia, the RiteCare Center has continued to expand services for children and adults beyond the boundaries of the University鈥檚 four campuses. Recently, the center was named the for the state of North Carolina.

Graduate students will now have the opportunity to provide free research-based treatment for people with Parkinson鈥檚 and related disorders, helping individuals regain and retain their speech and swallowing through high-quality virtual sessions.

鈥淲e are incredibly grateful to be chosen as North Carolina鈥檚 SPEAK OUT! Therapy and Research Center. This allows us to broaden access to care and empower students to learn, serve and lead under the guidance of exceptional clinical instructors, “said Candea.

The SPEAK OUT!Therapy Program at Georgia Southern was made possible by grant funding from , a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the quality of life for those living with Parkinson鈥檚 Disease worldwide.

For Candea, working across communities benefits both patients and their future clinicians, helping students deliver the highest level of care to the people they serve.

She said, 鈥淥ur students are not waiting for graduation to make a difference; they are already changing lives through knowledge, consistency, and commitment to high-quality care.鈥�

Person opening up white cardboard box with the words "SPEAK OUT" written across the outside of the box. Another person in a white shirt is also holding the box open.

Tagged with: RiteCare Center, Waters College of Health Professions