An Approach to the State of the Art of Speech Therapy in the Falconian Territory from an Interdisciplinary Perspective

Abstract

Given that speech-language pathology is a fundamental area for human beings, it is necessary that speech-language pathologists and their professionals be trained to respond to the needs of the population in their regions and with an interdisciplinary approach. Therefore, the purpose of this article is to analyze the current state of speech-language pathology in the Falcón region, from an interdisciplinary perspective, presented in three historical moments: retrospective, current situation, and prospective. This allows for a detailed examination of the trajectory of the Speech- Language Pathology Program affiliated with the Municipalization of UNEFM. The method was documentary, with a qualitative approach, using various search engines in peer-reviewed sources, along with records of experiences and documents from the program's management during the period 2013-2026. The results and discussion demonstrate the strengthening of inclusive educational processes and committed professionals, the graduation of 8 cohorts of professionals in the field, some of whom are now working in the health and education sectors, which has allowed for the coverage of the communication needs of certain municipalities. It is concluded that speech-language pathology in Falcón has generated significant progress in educational inclusion and comprehensive care, aligned with territoriality and interdisciplinarity. In the current state of the art, prospective analysis, and challenges, the creation of a Speech-Language Pathology unit at UNEFM is envisioned, with a space equipped to strengthen the training of the next generation of speech-language pathologists, although challenges related to Resources, technological updates.