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Message from the Executive Director

Joseph R. Scardapane, Ph.D.
(516) 463-6535
SaltzmanCenter[at]hofstra.edu

Welcome to this overview of the Joan and Arnold Saltzman Community Services Center at Hofstra University. As assistant provost and executive director, I am proud of the distinctive services we offer and the important role we play within the academic community and the community at large.

A growing trend among colleges around the country has been the emergence of multidisciplinary clinical service centers that provide low-cost, cutting-edge therapies to the public and also unique research and training opportunities to students. I am extremely gratified that we were one of the first such facilities of this kind. Our model of clinical training integration and collaboration has been the standard followed by many other institutions.

Joseph R. Scardapane, Ph.D.

The Saltzman Center opened its doors in 1991 and is credited for introducing this partnership between service and research. The Saltzman Center unites the services of several existing facilities on the Hofstra campus:

These clinics support one another and often collaborate on treatment for patients and support for their families, recognizing that a problem or concern in one area may impact on demand assistance from another. Hofstra doctoral and graduate students have ample opportunities for consultation outside their disciplines of study; they appreciate that no one clinical area is an island unto itself.

For example:

  • The PERC Clinic’s Diagnostic and Research Institute for Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) is collaborating with the Counseling and Mental Health Professions Clinic to develop support services for parents and siblings of children diagnosed with ASD.
  • The PERC Clinic’s virtual reality therapy for the treatment of a variety of phobias (i.e., fear of flying) has partnered with the Speech-Language-Hearing Clinic to help patients with a phobia of public speaking and those who stutter. There are virtual reality programs available that simulate speaking in front of an audience, and the virtual environment can be altered to show a receptive audience or one that is distracted or angry.

Hofstra doctoral and graduate students who are studying disciplines such as literacy, speech and language, education, audiology, and clinical and school psychology have numerous opportunities to apply what they are learning in the classroom to a professional setting with the guidance of licensed professionals. We teach Hofstra students the latest empirically supported, evidence-based assessments and treatments, and pride ourselves on providing and following the most current scientific research in each field.

The cost of services offered by the Saltzman Center is just a fraction of the cost of private treatment. In fact, at the Saltzman Center, no one in financial need is ever turned away from the clinics because of the cost of services. Just like other areas at Hofstra, fees at the Saltzman Center clinics may be subsidized by a variety of financial aid opportunities. Families interested in the services of the Child Care Institute will find there are DSS subsidy and scholarship programs available for those who meet income eligibility guidelines.

I invite you to read about our many impressive services online, and - if you have questions about our offerings – to call us at (516) 463-6535 to make an appointment to discuss one or more of our clinics and institutes.