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JU, Brooks Rehabilitation Collaborate To Bring New Programs To Students, Patients

Jacksonville University

Jacksonville University’s College of Health Sciences has partnered with Brooks Rehabilitation, which provides specialized care to rehab patients.

The college has been renamed the Brooks Rehabilitation College of Healthcare Sciences in honor of the center’s donation of $4 million over several years.

During an appearance on WJCT's “First Coast Connect,” Dean of Brooks Rehabilitation College of Healthcare Sciences Christine Sapienza and Brooks Rehabilitation CEO Doug Baer talked about the partnership between the two entities.

“It’s going to enable our students to have opportunity and practicum experiences, and really begin to specifically align our strategic plans,” Sapienza said. “So we’re doing the best education we can with the students that are seeking health care employment.”

Baer says together the college and Brooks Rehabilitation will be able to expand on some existing programs that will be able to help his organization and the whole community.

Sapienza says one of these programs with involve speech pathology.

“For people who don’t know, there’s a shortage of speech pathology therapists in the schools and the healthcare systems,” Sapienza said.

Baer says they are starting an aphasia center for people that have communication disorders.

“That aphasia center is really one of few in the country, and that it going to be a very specific treatment for patients that have [a] stroke that continue to need to have help with things like memory and language, being able to speak and communicate,” Sapienza said.

Both Sapienza and Baer say the partnership is a win-win for both facilities.

Listen to the full conversation with Christine Sapienza and Doug Baer on Friday’s episode of the “First Coast Connect” podcast on iTunes.