Research says that 60% of people in the United States do not know what aphasia is, but University of Pittsburgh speech-language pathologists are making strides in their advocacy to ensure that the public and legislators across Pennsylvania are more aware of the condition and that people living with aphasia can look forward to better outcomes.
Aphasia is a language disorder that affects the ability to read, write, understand and speak at some level, explains Chrisa Kravetz, speech-language pathologist and the program director of the Pittsburgh Community Aphasia Center (PCAC). It is most often the result of a stroke, but it can also come from a brain injury or a brain tumor in the language area of the brain.
“There are over 2 million people, we think maybe closer to 4 million people, in the United States who live with aphasia,” Kravetz says. “If we take that down to the state level, that’s over 75,000 people that probably live with aphasia in Pennsylvania.”
Thanks to Kravetz and others across the state, June has been recognized as Aphasia Awareness Month by the cities of Pittsburgh and Philadelphia, with the goal of it being recognized at the state and federal levels. This would allow increased support for therapy services across the continuum of care in terms of visibility, access and even potentially funding.
Aphasia Advocacy Efforts
City Council Recognition
Kravetz and PCAC have been advocating for those living with aphasia since the group formed in 2024. Based at the Homewood Community Engagement Center, PCAC has had an immediate impact on Pittsburgh communities by offering support groups, therapies and advocacy for the condition.
Due to PCAC’s outreach and community work, the Pittsburgh City Council first recognized Aphasia Awareness Month in 2025. On June 23, 2026, Kravetz and members of PCAC met with Pittsburgh City Councilperson Erika Strassburger for the second annual Aphasia Awareness Proclamation read.
State-Wide Recognition Efforts
While Aphasia Awareness Month is recognized in Pittsburgh and Philadelphia, it has not been recognized at the state level since 2023 and they are working to change that.
“We did a lot of outreach to the greater aphasia communities throughout the state,” says Kravetz. “We had some individuals from Penn State University and their surrounding areas also join the efforts.
Gayle Dede, speech language pathologist, research associate professor at Temple University, director of the Aphasia Community Advocacy Group (ImPACT) and Philadelphia Aphasia Community at Temple (PACT), has joined Kravetz and others around the state to create the Pennsylvania Coalition for Aphasia Advocacy (PCAA) to strengthen awareness at the state level and with the goal of impacting federal legislation.
The PCAA held meetings throughout the state with new team members, developing training materials and leading training sessions to give them the confidence to speak with legislators. It’s this kind of supportive legwork that encouraged PCAC member Kimberley Jones, who lives with aphasia, to speak directly with Pennsylvania State Representative Marla Brown.
“We are so pleased to see our first efforts go so well after weeks of planning. It is so difficult for members with aphasia to put themselves out there to have these conversations with legislators despite their communication difficulties,” explains Kravetz. “They do it because they are passionate about drawing attention and resources to aphasia.”
Meeting with State Representatives
This year on May 27, Rep. Brown proposed the House Resolution 541 Recognizing June 2026 as “Aphasia Awareness Month” in Pennsylvania, and invited Jones, Dede and Ann Rossi, a member of ImPACT with aphasia, to Harrisburg on June 16 to be honored and to hear the resolution be read. The resolution was approved by the House and is still pending with the Senate and Governor Shapiro.
PCAA also met with Dan Frankel, Pennsylvania representative and chair of the PA House Health Committee, on June 11 to talk about other issues including consistent sharing of information about aphasia statewide. Rep. Frankel encouraged PCAA to come to Harrisburg in April 2027 to pursue adding funding for aphasia centers to the PA budget during their budget planning season.
They also discussed providing more aphasia support in rural areas, such as potential state-level funding for community-based aphasia centers to help reduce re-admission and increased co-morbidities for people living with aphasia. Having this type of dedicated funding could reduce the cost of health care and result in better mental health outcomes.
“Rep. Frankel was very kind and patient in our meeting,” says Kravetz. “He spent a lot of time listening to our members. He and his office are committed to sharing information on their social medias to continue to spread awareness.”
Aphasia Support at the SHRS Wellness Pavilion Clinic
PCAC is funded by the Communication Science and Disorders Department in the School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences (SHRS), which provides clinical placements for speech-language pathology students at the SHRS Wellness Pavillion Clinic in the Homewood Community Engagement Center. When PCAC began in 2024, it started with four individuals with aphasia and has grown to working with over 60 in the area who need support.
PCAC offers biweekly programming in forms of small group therapy and support group on Mondays and Wednesdays at the Wellness Pavilion Clinic in Homewood. This has also evolved into a clinical placement option for the Pitt Speech-Language Pathology program students. Graduate students work two days a week with people with aphasia and facilitate the group session themselves.
While the placements are mostly for Speech Language Pathology program students, there are collaborations with the other participating disciplines in the Wellness Pavilion clinic including students from Audiology, Occupational Therapy and even Chiropractic programs who have special interests in neurology and aphasia. These investments in the community and in training future health care providers in real-word, interprofessional settings are part of the mission of SHRS to ensure that people from all backgrounds receive the highest quality care they deserve.
Support PCAC
If you’d like to give a gift of support to the Pittsburgh Community Aphasia Center, please visit the University of Pittsburgh Giving page, or contact the Adam Cagle, SHRS director of development.
