UT Tyler Hosts Grand Opening of Fully Equipped Speech, Language and Hearing Clinic
First Integrated Speech and Audiology Clinic
for Pediatric and Adult Patients in East Texas
UT Tyler Speech, Language and Hearing Clinic Grand Opening: (L to R) Program Director Dr. Amy Louise Schwarz, Professor Dr. Andrea Gohmert, UT Tyler President Julie V. Philley, MD, and Clinic Manager Courtney Vinson gather for the ribbon cutting to the fully equipped Speech, Language and Hearing Clinic at the UT Tyler Health Science Center campus.
TYLER, Texas (February 23, 2026) – The University of Texas at Tyler School of Health Professions hosted the grand opening of the fully equipped Speech, Language and Hearing Clinic, the first integrated speech and audiology clinic for pediatric and adult patients in East Texas.
With the support of a transformational gift from an anonymous donor, the facility has been fully outfitted with state-of-the-art diagnostic technology to test infants who fail their newborn screenings, including a professional-grade hearing booth and a specialized lab to test patients suffering from dizziness, vertigo or balance issues. The clinic collaborates with the new UT Tyler School of Medicine Dementia Clinic to ensure patients are receiving the quality care they need through an integrated approach.
“Aside from serving as a clinic, this facility is the training site where our Speech-Language Pathology students have the opportunity to gain hands-on experience serving the people of East Texas,” said Dr. Javier Kypuros, School of Health Professions interim dean. “The opening of this clinic represents a pivotal step forward in our commitment to both our students and the community.”
According to a recent study by AARP and the University of Washington, hearing loss is one of the top three preventable risk factors for dementia, making accessible speech-language and audiology services vitally important, especially in rural regions like East Texas. By offering both services within the same clinic at the UT Tyler Health Science Center, patients receive care sooner, mitigating the impact of hearing loss and potential dementia and other health-related concerns. Hearing loss is also important to catch early in children, since timely intervention can prevent them from losing their hearing entirely while ensuring that their developmental milestones remain on track.
“This is a major win for East Texas — because quicker care and faster interventions mean better patient outcomes,” says Courtney Vinson, UT Tyler coordinator of clinical education and clinic manager. “At UT Tyler’s Speech, Language and Hearing Clinic, our mission is very simple: provide excellent care to all of East Texas, regardless of age, severity of impairment, socioeconomic status or insurance source. We also aim to alleviate the current shortage of speech-language and audiology services by training the next generation of Speech-Language Pathology students, many of whom are local to East Texas.”
The 22-month Master of Science in Speech-Language Pathology will prepare students to effectively assess, treat and prevent communication and swallowing disorders. Through the clinic, students will gain experiences with pediatric and adult patients which will cover the whole range of speech language, social communication and swallowing disorders. For more information, visit uttyler.edu/slp.
About UT Health East Texas
UT Health East Texas provides care to thousands of patients each year through an extensive regional network that includes 9 hospitals, more than 90 clinics, the Olympic Plaza Tower, 13 regional rehabilitation facilities, two freestanding emergency centers, regional home health services, an EMS fleet of more than 65 ambulances and four helicopters, and a comprehensive eight-trauma center care network, including the region’s only Level 1 trauma facility.
As a partner with The University of Texas System, UT Health East Texas is uniquely positioned to provide patients with access to leading-edge research and clinical therapies while training and educating the next generation of physicians and other health professionals. The nationally recognized UT System also includes The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, as well as three other major university medical centers located throughout the state.
About UT Tyler
With a mission to improve educational and health care outcomes for East Texas and beyond, UT Tyler offers more than 90 undergraduate and graduate programs to more than 11,500 students. Through its alignment with UT Tyler Health Science Center and UT Health East Texas, UT Tyler has unified these entities to serve Texas with quality education, cutting-edge research and excellent patient care. Classified by Carnegie as a doctoral research institution and by U.S. News & World Report as a national university, UT Tyler has campuses in Tyler, Longview, Palestine and Houston.