ABSTRACT: The overarching goal of this candidate’s research is to address the health care needs of underrepresented children diagnosed with a resonance disorder of hypernasality to establish potential programs and interventions to increase access to needed health care services. The focus is hypernasality which is a resonance disorder where excessive sound resonates from the nasal cavity during speech for a child who has undergone a primary cleft palate repair called a palatoplasty.6 The main cause of a resonance disorder is Velopharyngeal Pharyngeal Incompetence (VPI) which is typically evident post primary cleft palate repair and is characterized as hypernasality which can affect an individual’s speech intelligibility. Post cleft palate repair, VPI can alter speech outcomes. After surgical intervention, speech therapy is often needed to address VPI. Timing is key at improving resonance for children who exhibit hypernasality.13 The proposed research will address finding barriers to speech therapy services for underrepresented populations to ascertain their access to health care services. To achieve this, we will use MarketScan databases to evaluate access to speech therapy services. Completion of this project will advance the candidate’s pursuit of addressing health care disparities for underrepresented populations as it relates to receiving speech therapy and health care services as an independent clinical research scientist. To achieve the goals of this research plan and transition to independence, the candidate requires further development in 1) secondary analysis of administrative data, 2) expertise in qualitative methods research to inform and evaluate barriers to health care access, and 3) professional development as an independent researcher. This proposal includes a strong team of mentors. Dr. Katie Suda is the Primary Investigator (PI) of this grant and has multiple R01s, Dr. Leah Fabiano has significant training in health disparities research and R01 funding, Dr. Mandy Hampton Wray has a background in behavioral research as it relates to speech disorders and R01 funding. Lastly, Dr. Noel Jabbour is a well-respected Otolaryngologist and has successfully published research focused on children with cleft palate.