1. United States
2. N.Y.
3. Letter

I am a speech pathologist, living in Ossining, and currently working in the Bronx. Previously, I have worked in Rockland and Westchester counties. My work, in medical settings with adults, is essential in preserving the communication and swallowing skills of with dementia, stroke, COPD, and many, many other conditions. I can tell you that there is a shortage of practitioners doing my work in NY-17. In particular, when I went to work for the two home care agencies that serve the Medicare A population, I was hired into unfilled positions. And, when I left, no one replaced me. Years have gone by in which no Medicare A speech pathology services were provided in Rockland. This situation is untenable, and unsafe. And it is multiplied many times over across the country--in many instances, in rural areas where shortages are much more severe. Which is why the Trump administration's proposed reclassification of speech pathology as not a "profession"--which will make it harder for people to take out loans to cover the cost of the Master's degree that is required to practice speech pathology--is sure to cause great damage. The ability that my colleagues and I have for bringing people with feeding tubes back to having an ability to swallow food with their families; for people who have had strokes and who have been unable to speak, to say "I love you" to their spouses; this service--which is not rewarded with a high salary--should not be devalued by the federal government. It is needed in every congressional district, most definitely including NY-17, and Congressman Lawler should fight to protect this profession and his constituents, by opposing the administration's proposed change.