Today we’d like to introduce you to Quintina Briscoe.
Hi Quintina, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
My family is composed of generations of passionate educators and health industry professionals. More specifically, my grandmother was a nurse; my grandfather was a surgeon technician; my mother is a special education teacher, and my sister is a Speech-Language pathologist.
My sister is the first person that inspired me to consider speech-language pathology. I vividly remember her coming home and showing me her first bi-weekly paycheck in the amount of $4,000. That, combined with the fact that hearing disabilities are prevalent in my family, inspired me to pursue the industry. I quickly registered for classes and fell in love with the curriculum just as quickly! At that moment, I felt called to speech-language pathology and became excited to get aligned with purpose.
I landed my first full-time job in speech-language pathology at an elementary school, but I started to feel like I was being called to a larger platform or to make a different type of impact in the industry. On merely faith, I quit that job just before the pandemic. Talk about stress! But I trusted God and trusted myself to follow his vision for my impact in SLP. I started my own practice, also in the middle of the pandemic, and it thrived tremendously! My business outgrew my house, an additional clinic space and is currently outpacing our current facility. My practice has grown at a 2,000 percent rate in less than two years. We currently have a waiting list of over 100 children seeking services, which is a double-edged sword.
This is why I was so passionate about making a profound impact in the speech-language pathology industry. There is a dire need for more professionals to satisfy the current need for services.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Speech-language pathology as an industry presents significant challenges because of two major elements: the urgent need for more professionals and the significant equity gap within children and adults being served.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that the SLP industry has projected job growth of 21 percent over the next eight years. Yet, there is a concerning shortage of actual professionals, putting schools, educational facilities, and developmental organizations at a standstill. There are several reasons for this.
Increased early diagnosis of speech, language, and swallowing disorders in children has created an enhanced need for more professionals. Additionally, schools now have to comply with a federal mandate, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), requiring disabled children and young adults aged 3-21 to receive adequate special education and related services.
In the same breath, there is a huge equity issue in the industry. Only six percent of practitioners are African American. As a result, the African American community at large isn’t as familiar with the speech-language pathology and the life-changing services we offer. This is especially detrimental in low-income areas, considering the environmental factors that already contribute to detrimental behavior and developmental issues. Many children and adults go undiagnosed and never receive the proper treatment that could tremendously improve quality of life. This is a critical issue that will continue to spiral downwards if a change isn’t made.
Conditions are even worse in other countries. For example, my clinic is traveling to Belize in 2023 because there is literally only 1 clinician in the entire country. This is clearly not sustainable for the general public in Belize to be serviced. It is urgent that we open more practices and recruit more professionals in speech-language pathology.
If you’re a minority interested in speech-language pathology, I encourage you to educate yourself more on the industry and highly consider this important and rewarding career path.
Also, the population at large is aging. Speech-language pathology isn’t just for children; adults also need and seek services on a regular basis. In fact, the number of adult clients may be on a rise, considering that we currently have the most 65+ individuals in the U.S. in history, and that number is projected to continue growing. This comes with a number of speech-related medical conditions, including stroke, dementia, and more. On the other end of the spectrum, the survival rate of premature babies has significantly improved in recent years due to healthcare advancements. Many of these infants may develop disorders that require speech-language pathology.
I mentioned that in my clinic alone, there are more than 100 individuals on the waiting list. While this presents a rewarding opportunity for passionate professionals like myself, it’s unfortunate to know how urgent the current need is. There are clinics with double, triple, and quadruple the size of wait lists I have for both children and adults. The need is a huge challenge that I’m intentionally advocating more. We truly need more speech-language pathologists.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
Quintina Briscoe, M.SCCC-SLP is an African American Speech-Language Pathologist, CEO, and Founder of the Pediatric Speech Lab. With a bachelor’s degree in Science from the University of the District of Columbia and a master’s degree in Speech-Language Pathology from Howard University, Quintina has developed her work history and ethic from working with individuals ranging from 0-90 years of age. She has had the experience of working with numerous individuals and disorders with minor deficits such as stuttering/articulation delays to more major deficits resulting in swallowing complications (dysphagia) and traumatic brain injuries (TBI).
In Quintina’s most recent professional endeavor, she founded Speech Lab University (SLU), an American Speech and Hearing Association (ASHA) board-certified Continuing Education company. SLU teaches best practices to Speech and Language Pathologists and other related service providers, teaching them how to become efficient private practice owners, grow their teams to offer more services to their demographic, and how to strategically service their population through witty inventions for therapy, private practice, innovations, etc. so that we can minimize the overflow and underserved need in our areas.
Is there a quality that you most attribute to your success?
Determination has been a critical piece in my journey to success. In the speech-language pathology field, you have to remain committed to the greater purpose and determined to reach it, even through the tough times. It can get very frustrating and challenging, especially in the current climate with a shortage of professionals and heightened demand for services. It can be easy to give, and a lot of people do. But I’m the total opposite because of my determination to conquer!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://pediatricspeechlab.com
- Instagram: @thecepreneur
