The Eric Sorensen Motor Speech Program (ESMSP) is a new initiative designed in partnership with leading subject-matter experts from University of Central Florida (UCF), Jacksonville University (JU) and the University of Florida (UF). The purpose of the program is to provide better access to services for adults living with a primary diagnosis of a motor speech disorder.
The need for this specialized motor speech program was brought to light with patient Eric Sorensen. In January 2020, Eric suffered a major traumatic brain injury. While his physical capabilities improved, he faced severe apraxia, a motor speech disorder caused by a neurological event where the brain is unable to plan and deliver correct movement instructions to the lip, jaw, and tongue for speech. He required intensive motor speech treatment that Brooks’ existing services could not fully provide.
Through the mentorship of Jodi Morgan, CCC-SLP, manager of the Brooks Rehabilitation Aphasia Center (BRAC), and under the guidance of Lauren Bislick, Ph.D., CCC-SLP, CBIS, an apraxia expert from the University of Central Florida, Eric’s speech therapist, Jackie Hurst, MS, CCC-SLP, was able to provide Eric with skilled apraxia treatment. Inspired by Eric’s progress, his parents, Chris and Puschel Sorensen, proposed the development of an intensive program for adults with acquired apraxia of speech. Their generous donation funded its development.
“It brings me so much joy to see the Sorensen’s vision come to life,” said Hurst, “The university collaboration allows us to provide our clinicians with specialized training and evidence-based resources, in order to achieve higher outcomes for our patients living with motor speech disorders.” The vision of the ESMSP is to grow into a clinic similar to the BRAC, only designed for adults living specifically with motor speech disorders.
The ESMSP kicked off in October 2023 with the start of virtual and in-person support groups led by Hurst who was named the program manager. The launch included a selection of six Brooks speech-language pathologists (SLPs) identified to receive specialized training and learn the necessary instrumentation used to assess and treat those with acquired motor speech impairments. Since then, the team has attained a partnership with four Ph.D. SLPs from three major universities. The ESMSP leadership team consists of Hurst and Morgan of Brooks Rehabilitation, as well as university partners Christine Sapienza, Ph.D., CCC-SLP (JU), Karen Hegland, Ph.D., CCC-SLP (UF), Bari Hoffman, Ph.D., CCC-SLP, ASHAF (UCF), and Lauren Bislick, Ph.D., CCC-SLP, CBIS (UCF).
The university partners developed the Sorensen Integrated Motor Speech (SIMS) continuing
education program, and the six selected Brooks SLPs were the first therapists to complete
this certification. The ESMSP consists of two phases. Phase I involves a team of SIMS-trained
SLPs; four in the outpatient division and two in the home health division at Brooks,
who have received skilled training and equipment to better treat the motor speech
community. Phase II of the program will focus on the study of acquired motor speech
disorders via both traditional and intensive services.
To read the full press release or for more information about the Eric Sorensen Motor
Speech Program, click here.
