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Congressman Palazzo Visits The Childrens Center at Southern Miss

Thu, 10/13/2016 - 09:51am | By: Samantha McCain

Congressman Steven Palazzo with Sarah Case-Price, director, stop in on a therapy session.

Southern Miss alumnus, U.S. Congressman Steven Palazzo, visited The Children's Center for Communication and Development at The University of Southern Mississippi on Wednesday, Oct. 12.

The Children's Center serves children, birth to five, with complex communication and developmental disabilities. Those enrolled present a wide variety of special needs and diagnoses, ranging from (but not limited to) speech, hearing and language disorders, cerebral palsy and Down syndrome to autism spectrum disorder, rare genetic disorders, or other conditions related to premature birth.

Sarah Case-Price, director, spent time with Palazzo discussing the methods and practices used at the Center, while touring the facility and stopping in on a few therapy sessions.

“The Children's Center has a great impact on the children and families it serves,” said Palazzo. “I'm thankful to have had the opportunity to tour their facility, visit with their staff, and more importantly - to meet children who are defying odds and overcoming communication and developmental obstacles daily.”

Each infant, toddler and preschooler enrolled at The Children's Center receives services from a specialized therapy team during small-group, center-based programming or through individual, home and community-based programming.

“Every tour opportunity is a moment we get to share a little more about the Center, but also about the children who are enrolled here,” said Case-Price. “As an alumnus and as our Congressman, we're thankful he was able to stop by, tour our facility and spend time with a few of our little ones.”

Palazzo, a Gulfport, Miss., native and the U.S. Representative for the 4th Congressional District, earned his undergraduate degree in accounting from Southern Miss in 1994 and returned to obtain a master's degree from his alma mater in 1996.