Rome Memorial Hospital Speech Pathologist

Earns Certification from ASHA

ROME – January 2003/  Rome Memorial Hospital speech pathologist Jennifer Wolak, M.S., CCC-SLP, has earned a Certificate of Clinical Competence from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, announced Speech Therapy Supervisor Jackie Kolb, M.A., CCC-SLP. 

To earn certification, Wolak passed a national exam after meeting clinical requirements and completing a supervised year of providing speech therapy services.

“Jennifer has been an excellent Clinical Fellow and I am excited that she has completed this process and has earned her credentials,” said Kolb.  “This is a significant accomplishment for speech-language pathologists and provides them with the experience and training to provide our patients with excellent service.” 

Speech-language pathologists help patients work through a variety of speech and language disorders, such as problems with articulation, voice or word retrieval.  In addition, they work with patients to enhance cognitive skills after a stroke or a brain injury.

Wolak earned a master’s degree in speech and language pathology from Syracuse University, Syracuse and a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Boston University, Boston, Mass.   

Wolak is one of two certified speech-language pathologists in the hospital’s Speech Therapy Department. The department offers evaluation, treatment and consultations for any dysfunction or change in communication, voice, cognition or swallowing.  The services are available for hospitalized patients in its acute care units and residents of the skilled nursing facility, as well as adults who need outpatient speech therapy services.  The hospital also has the capability of providing video fluoroscopy swallow studies, a tool for assessing swallow function.