Center for Excellence in Neurological Health

Opened in 2016, the Center for Excellence in Neurological Health promotes and enhances the care of people with neurological conditions and diseases through community outreach and education, a faculty research center and a faculty- and student-run rehabilitation clinic.

Our Mission

The Center seeks to provide opportunities for collaborative practice across disciplines to foster excellence in provision of rehabilitative services for people with neurological dysfunction. Activities of the center anchor around principles of excellence for research, education, knowledge translation and service. 

Who can benefit from the Center for Excellence in Neurological Health?

Students

Students in all health profession majors have access to interprofessional, educational experience in preventing, assessing and treating neurological disorders through the Center. In 2021, the Center sponsored a SHU course on autoimmunity and neurodegeneration for students as well as local clinicians and faculty.

Real-world clinical experiences are available, including:

• Stamford Concussion Center – Athletic training students observe and assist trainers and neurologists in assessment and development of treatment plans for patients experiencing concussions and their lingering effects
• U.S. Coast Guard Academy – Athletic training students work alongside trainers to conduct preparticipation examinations (PPEs), including physical assessment and neurological basement assessments for concussion for Coast Guard Academy cadets 

The Community

The Center offers treatment programs free of charge to adults who have experienced neurologic disorders such as strokes, Parkinson’s disease and TBIs. Educational seminars and consultation are available for people living with these disorders, as well as for their families, and the center offers screening, preventative and rehabilitative services.

The Center offers:

• Direct services in speech-language pathology, occupational therapy and physical therapy for individuals with neurological disorders
• Liaison services between those affected with neurological conditions and community resources and businesses
• Evidence-based professional seminars for local clinicians and medical providers
• Consulting services for neurological rehabilitation practitioners
• Continuing education programs for clinical preceptors, instructors and supervisors on and off campus

Faculty

The Center advances cutting-edge research of faculty in SHU’s College of Health Professions (CHP) who are studying brain diseases and disorders. Recent examples of Center-sponsored research include:

• Design of a smartphone application to address cognitive, psychological and functional needs of military veterans with traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
  • Collaboration between graduate occupational therapy students and professors in occupational therapy; marketing; and Communication, Media & the Arts
• Observational study to describe the prevalence of secondary impairments in children with Cerebral Palsy treated at a public university hospital in Uruguay
  • Collaboration of the CHP and an expert at the Karolinska Institute
• Post-concussive treatment research recently published in Military Medicine
  • By Danny Schieffler, clinical assistant professor of healthcare informatics & administration

Programming

High Intensity Gait Program

The Pioneer Performance Center has partnered with the CENH to create exercise programs aimed at improving walking and balance for those whose gait is affected by neurological issues, including stroke, spinal cord injury and Parkinson’s disease. These programs also provide students with hands-on learning opportunities. Individuals walk on treadmills, over ground and on stairs, while students and faculty monitor heart rate and blood pressure and track their progress.

Contact

For more information on our programs and community events, contact our program directors:

Rui Liu, Ph.D., MPH
Assistant Professor
203-396-6562
liur3@sacredheart.edu

Diana Veneri, PT, Ed.D., NCS
Associate Professor
203-371-7920
venerid5@sacredheart.edu