WHAT IS SPEECH THERAPY…and how can it help you?

• When you first contact a speech therapist, you may either speak with our office personnel or you may be asked to leave a message and contact information. 

• A speech therapist will contact you quickly to set up an appointment for a consultation. At this meeting, which may be held via telehealth (ie. Zoom, Google Meet), allowing time for either you or a caregiver to let us know your challenges. 

• At that meeting it will be decided whether you need a communication evaluation or a referral to another professional. 

• If you are using insurance, you will be asked to provide information so the therapist can submit billings when appropriate. Neither you nor your insurance will be billed for this consultation, but payment at time of services is expected at each session. We accept cash and major credit cards for your co-pay or payments. 

• At the evaluation session, which may be face-to-face or via telehealth, your communication strengths and needs will be determined. 

• The speech therapist will assess many areas of communication, including the way you pronounce words, your use of specific words in thoughts and sentences, your ability to remember information, and your eating and swallowing skills. 

• If there are areas of concern from you and your caregivers, these concerns will be addressed.

•  Several days after the evaluation, you will receive a report explaining the results of this evaluation. Your referring doctor will also receive the report. 

• If speech therapy is recommended, the therapist will send a plan of care to the doctor with the report, requesting a prescription for speech therapy. 

• The therapist will contact you to schedule your first therapy session. This may be face-to-face or via telehealth. 

• At your first session, the therapist will explain what challenges you will be working with and the strategies you will be using to goals you and the therapist set.

• Each session will work toward those goals, helping you develop better communication skills through the use of the strategies learned in the therapy sessions. 

• Progress will be documented at each session which will determine the transition to a more independent goal. 

• Speech therapy will continue until you have met your communication goals and your and/or your doctor thinks it is no longer necessary.