Fresno State Speech, Language and Hearing Clinic re-opening in-person services, accepting clients

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- The Speech, Language and Hearing Clinic at Fresno State is giving students and clients a whole new outlook. Now it's aiming to reach even more community members.

The clinic has been open for limited services, but this semester it's back in business and serving at full capacity again. The clinic offers speech, language and hearing therapy and most importantly hope to their clients.

Eight years ago, Nick Burriel was assaulted and spent nearly three weeks in a coma. When he woke up, he could no longer speak or walk.

"Since I was discharged from the hospital, my mom tried to find any avenue for me to get therapy for my brain," explained Burriel.

Now after several years of speech language therapy at Fresno State's Speech Language and Hearing Clinic, he's on the road to recovery.

"For me, I'm grateful through my whole journey I never lost my ability to want to get back ," said Burriel. "Anything they ask me to do, I'm going to do it no matter what."

The clinic pairs graduate students with clients like Nick, working on any areas they may need. It also provides valuable hours of clinical experience to Fresno State graduate students like Katie Kennedy, who's worked with Nick for several months.

"You get their case history form and you start at square one," said Kennedy. "I had the best experience with him. He was so motivated and excited to work."

Now with in-person services resuming, they're eager to offer the free services to as many people as possible.

"We just don't have the clients that we typically have on our waiting list, so we're really interested in bringing more people into our clinic for services," said Clinic Director Sabrina Nii.

The clinic is scheduled to reopen next week. For details on how to join the waitlist visit their website.