Evaluating the Impact of a Global Cleft Speech Mentorship Program on Expanding Practitioner Competency in Low- and Middle-Income Countries.

ABSTRACT: A primary challenge in global cleft care lies in the limited opportunities for cleft-specific training and mentorship available to speech practitioners worldwide, particularly in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs). In addition, the limited number of speech therapists with cleft experience in LMICs creates a significant barrier to access to care for individuals with cleft lip and palate globally. The inaccessibility of cleft-specific clinical instruction and cleft-trained speech therapists impacts the effectiveness of intervention and, subsequently, the speech-language development of cleft-affected individuals worldwide. A structured virtual clinical mentorship program targeting speech practitioners of all skill levels in LMICs was established to address this gap in comprehensiv

SUBMITTER: Horne SA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12020394 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature