Frequently Asked Questions

Yes. In addition to university students, staff and faculty, the Hearing & Speech Center offers residents of the Greater Washington, DC area access to hearing and speech/language services.

Yes. We provide services to clients of all ages.

If you are drawn to a client-centric practice in an academic environment that stresses evidence-based, state of the science techniques, GUHSC is a good fit. Our clinicians are bi- and tri-lingual, able to provide services in spoken English, Spanish, and American Sign Language, and our graduate level students participate in treatment as we strive to train the next experts in the fields of audiology and speech-language pathology. As our client, you will be immersed in the academic training environment that ensures the highest standard of clinical services.

Here are the insurances we currently accept:

• Amerihealth DC
• Blue Cross Blue Shield - Care First
• United Healthcare
• Cigna
• Health Services for Children with Special Needs
• Novitas Medicare
• Tricare - Health Net Federal Services (HNFS)
• Care First CHP
• United Health Care

Insurance coverage of hearing, speech, and language testing and therapy depends on a client’s diagnosis and specific insurance plan. Insurance companies may require a referral, a prescription, a co-pay, a deductible, co-insurance, and /or pre-certification for a certain number of visits each year (depending on the type of service) or a specific period of time.

GUHSC also accepts self-pay and offers community benefits.

You may contact the GHUSC front desk by:

• Email:  guhsc@gallaudet.edu
• Voice phone: 202.651.5328
• Video phone: 202.250.2119

At GUHSC, we approach each client individually in order to provide thoughtful, individualized audiology, speech, and language services to clients of all ages.

Yes. The Hearing & Speech Center clinicians can communicate with clients using American Sign Language, spoken English or Spanish.

An audiologist is a primary health-care professional specializing in the identification, diagnosis, treatment and management of auditory and vestibular (balance) disorders. The audiologist uses advanced technology to treat many types of hearing related issues.

There are some common symptoms of a hearing loss or deficit, including difficulty following conversations or understanding words, requiring high volumes on the radio or television, missing details provided in a classroom, office or some other environment. At GUHSC, we provide comprehensive hearing testing and a customized review and recommendation based on each individual’s unique needs. If you suspect you or your child should have a hearing assessment, please click here to contact us or schedule an appointment.

There are many brands and styles of hearing aids. Numerous factors are considered when selecting the aids most suitable to your needs. Among those factors are the degree of hearing loss you are experiencing, the daily activities in which you engage, your budget, your level of manual dexterity ability, and cosmetic concerns. At GUHSC, our professional audiologists share information and explain all options with the goal of satisfying each individual’s unique needs. Click here to contact us or schedule an appointment.

Yes. The Hearing & Speech Center provides a variety of cochlear implant (CI) services including preoperative evaluations, CI programming, and assistance with device troubleshooting.

An evaluation may be warranted if there is:

• A concern about a child meeting various speech and language milestones
• A recent onset of hearing loss, brain injury, or difficulty communicating with others
• A family history of speech and language disorders

All speech language pathologists at GUHSC have met the standards for national certification, state licensing and adhere to the guidelines set forth for continuing education. Becoming a speech pathologist requires a master’s level education at an institution accredited by the national board, the American Speech and Hearing Association (ASHA). A speech pathologist must also pass both college and national boards and earn an additional certification called the Certificate of Clinical Competence (CCC), which is awarded after completing a minimum of 9 months working under the supervision of another ASHA certified SLP.

Our evaluations are tailored to each client’s strengths and needs in order to provide a thorough assessment of speech and language skills. Evaluations are often conducted by a team of graduate students practicing under the supervision of a certified and licensed speech-language pathologist (SLP). At the end of the evaluation, you will be given verbal information regarding the evaluation findings, as well as recommendations and goals for therapy, if necessary. A comprehensive written evaluation report will be provided within 3 weeks of your appointment.

Speech and language therapy sessions are tailored to the client’s individual strengths and needs. Therapy sessions are offered in an individual or a small group setting. Sessions run for 50 minutes and are typically provided on a weekly basis. Our services are often provided by a graduate student under the supervision of a certified and licensed speech-language pathologist (SLP) or a direct service provider.

Therapy sessions are conducted based on the client’s individualized plan of care. Progress is typically evaluated every three months (or as insurance requires), at which point therapy is continued or deemed no longer necessary. 

Yes. We offer:

• CODA (Child of Deaf Adult) Language Stimulation Group 
• Communication Support Group (CSG)
• Speechreading

In the summer, we offer Camp SHARP for preschool-aged children with hearing loss. Please contact us for more information.