A long-term collaboration between a non-profit organization in Playa del Carmen, Mexico and the colleges of communication arts and sciences and osteopathic medicine has been expanded to include the city government of Solidaridad. Together the partners will address ways to improve access to surgical care for low-income families in the region.

Combating issues surrounding cleft palate and communicative disorders, teams of MSU faculty, graduate students and volunteers have been going to Mexico to identify children in need of surgery and/or therapy.

Peter Lapine, associate professor of communicative sciences and disorders, has engaged in 36 projects in Mexico, serving nearly 10,000 families and incorporating MSU students in service-learning and research projects in his virtual clinic. His current work is focused on improving prenatal care and investigating how culture influences peoples’ decisions about health and health care interventions.