Combat and Communication: Serving Veterans Through Speech Language Pathology
According to the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs, the organization employs 459 speech-language pathologists (SLPs) and offers services to over 158 sites of care throughout the VA Health Care System. As of 2017, VA Speech-Language Pathology had over 374,000 patient encounters.
The VA offers comprehensive speech language pathology services to Veterans and service members who have a wide range of communication and swallowing disorders including:
- Speech Disorders
- Language Disorders
- Cognitive Disorders
- Voice Disorders
Katie Moss, Assistant Professor of Practice in the Department of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences
Katie Moss, Assistant Professor of Practice in the Department of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences at TTUHSC, serves veterans as a speech-language pathologist at the VA. Moss is the first SLP to work for the Lubbock VA Clinic. She helps Veterans overcome communication and swallowing problems, addressing a variety of challenges, including those associated with memory loss and executive functioning.
What Moss experiences with patients at the VA can vary widely, and for many patients she sees, the impacts of their cognitive-communication difficulties can affect their participation in daily activities. Whether it's complicated by post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or exposure to toxic chemicals or physical injuries, the ability to express oneself effectively can be compromised.
Speech and communication are intricately linked to other cognitive functions such as memory, attention and organizational skills. Often, veterans who have experienced traumatic brain injuries or strokes face challenges with these aspects. Moss works with her patients to improve their cognitive abilities, helping them to navigate routine tasks to be successful in daily life.
Moss says for her, it's not just about treating symptoms; it's about restoring independence to those who have given so much for their country.
“Working with veterans is the cherry on top of my work. I have so much respect for them and all they have done,” she says.
Related Stories
Santos Named Department of Surgery Chair for TTUHSC School of Medicine in Lubbock
As the new Department of Surgery chair for the School of Medicine in Lubbock, Ariel Santos, M.D., M.P.H., seeks to elevate TTUHSC’s role as the Hub of Surgery for West Texas.
U.S. News & World Report Ranks TTUHSC Schools Among Best for 2025 Graduate School Rankings
Several graduate programs at TTUHSC have been recognized in the 2025 U.S. News & World Report Best Graduate School Rankings, reaffirming the university’s continued excellence in health sciences education and training.
TTUHSC Jerry H. Hodge School of Pharmacy Students Celebrate Residency Assignments on Match Day
Fourth-year Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center (TTUHSC) Jerry H. Hodge School of Pharmacy students interested in completing a residency after they graduate in May have learned where they will spend the next stage of their training during Pharmacy Residency Match Day.
Recent Stories
Exploring New Frontiers in Patient Care
Jenna Kesey, Ph.D., associate managing director for the Clinical Research Institute (CRI) at TTUHSC, said it's important that the university provides opportunities for its patients to have access to innovative therapies through the clinical trial process.
Willed Body Memorial Service Honors Those Who Donated
On Memorial Day each May, a service is conducted at the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center Institute of Anatomical Sciences to pay respect to the Willed Body Program donors and their families.
Measles Outbreak: What to Know From The Future of Health
Kelissa Huse, an assistant professor and laboratory manager in the Molecular Pathology Program at TTUHSC, spoke about measles, the outbreak and what West Texans needs to know about the disease.