Your child can't get services anymore - now what?

 Hello friends! 

Today I wanted to discuss something that has likely been a struggle for many parents: what to do when your child can't get services anymore. 

This could happen for a variety of reasons - maybe they've been receiving early intervention, but they've aged out of the program. Maybe they've been on an overworked school SLP's caseload who has decided they're no longer able to serve the child. Maybe insurance refuses to pay for more sessions. Maybe it's something else entirely. Whatever it is, it isn't fair. Not to you, and certainly not to your child. 

Never fear, though, because I want to arm you with some tips and advice geared to help you and your little one. We all know that communication is a basic human right that everyone should have access to. Hopefully these pieces of advice will help your child get this vital need met. 

So your child doesn't qualify for services anymore - what should you do? 

First things first - don't panic! Just because school services may not be a possibility, that doesn't mean that something else isn't. The following is a list of resources with a breakdown of each one, so even when the school district is no longer an option (or, if you suspect your child needs some extra speech and language help but doesn't qualify through the schools), services can be a possibility. Never fear - help is on the way!

Alternative Options to School SLP Services and Next Steps:

1. Seek out social workers

If you've never heard of a social worker, these are the people who help others for a living. To be more specific, social workers can assist individuals with disabilities in receiving services to help meet everyday needs (among other things). Sometimes, a social worker can act as a case manager and assist in setting up access to resources. 

In many cases, social workers can be found at public health or behavioral health agencies. It's worth a try to look into these resources in your area. It may not always be an option, but if your child meets the criteria for receiving a case manager or social worker, you can be provided with a wealth of resources and assistance. 

Here, you'll find a link of local public health agencies (*NOTE: this is for Missouri, but every state should have a Department of Health and Senior Services that provides similar resources): https://health.mo.gov/living/lpha/lphas.php

I also found this nifty blog entry that details all the steps to getting a social worker, complete with links: https://howtogeton.wordpress.com/how-to-get-a-social-worker/

And if you want to find a list of tons of services in the state for individuals with special needs, look here: https://health.mo.gov/seniors/seniorservices/

2. Look into local hospitals

Whether or not a social worker is an option, there are always hospitals. Hospitals in your area can be great resources for recommendations related to health and human services. Most hospitals have rehabilitation and therapy services as part of treatment, and these can be at many different levels according to a patient's need. Some examples include acute care for recent traumatic injuries or events, inpatient rehabilitative care, or outpatient services. 

If your child is otherwise healthy, outpatient services will be the most likely setting your child can get into. Keep in mind, this type of service usually requires a doctor's order and insurance information for billing purposes, so it may not be applicable or possible for every case. Nevertheless, if your child can't receive services there, they may be able to refer you to other places that could help. 

Here, you'll find a list of hospitals in the state of Missouri. It also allows you to search based on different locations and parameters: https://focusonhospitals.com/find-a-hospital/

3.  Look into local university clinics

Alright, let's say that you really want your child to get more help, but you can't afford to pay for private practice or outpatient services. That's okay, because there are other (less costly) options out there. University therapy clinics are one choice if you are worried about costs. 

The thing to consider when looking at university clinics is that the clinicians are typically graduate students who provide intervention and skilled therapy services under the supervision of licensed professionals. For instance, as part of my graduate school practicum, I treated clients in our Speech-Language Hearing Clinic who needed speech-language pathology services while being supervised by licensed SLPs. This aspect of university clinics typically explains why the cost is much lower (or even free) than other therapy options. University clinics also are great in that they provide a wide range of services, so diagnostic and treatment resources are more readily available. As with anything, there are pros and cons, and something to keep in mind with university clinics is that there is typically a very long waitlist for evaluations and services. 

If you want more information on universities near you, check out this site: https://university.graduateshotline.com/ubystate.html

4. Check local organizations or civic clubs for help with funding

Odds are, you've heard of places like The Elks, The Eagles Club, The Shriners, or The Kiwanis Club. Typically, these are associated with older individuals and various events, but did you know that they also do a lot of philanthropy? Many civic organizations will raise money for programs (or individuals) in need. If your city has a local chapter, they may be able to help pay for services. Below, you'll find the links for each organization.

Kiwanis Clubs: https://www.kiwanis.org

Eagles Clubs: https://www.foe.com

Elks Clubs: https://www.elks.org

Shriners Clubs: https://www.shrinersinternational.org/en

5. Consider doing home practice activities

As a speech-language pathologist in training, I'll let you in on a little secret - you are just as important to your child's speech and language development as any therapist, teacher, or professional. In fact, you were likely your child's earliest language model, laying the foundation for basic communication skills. 

With the pandemic in recent years, many resources for speech and language have been made more readily available for parents as well. I'll drop some of my favorite creators, resources, and activities below. These creators are wonderful for learning about communication, speech, and language. I've personally learned a lot from them. 

One wonderful creator for speech (producing sounds, articulation) is The Speech Scoop  on YouTube. She's wonderful for resources on eliciting sounds and providing activities to do at home with your child. 

There are also several websites dedicated to furthering your child's communication abilities, including Mommy Speech Therapy, SightWords.com, Speech Therapy Talk, and Reading Rockets.

Finally, there are A TON of great Instagram speech-language pathologists and specialists that you can follow for advice and home practice, and they are good advocacy resources, too! I'll link some of my favorites below: 

https://www.instagram.com/smileyspeech/

https://www.instagram.com/talkteaspeech/

https://www.instagram.com/speechsisters/

https://www.instagram.com/bohospeechie/

https://www.instagram.com/helpmegrowspeech/

https://www.instagram.com/dysphagiadude/

https://www.instagram.com/mrsspeechiep/

https://www.instagram.com/infant.feeding.specialist/

AND SO MANY MORE!

I hope this list has been helpful to you! If you feel overwhelmed, though, the best thing to do is just start from the beginning and test out the possibilities. You'll find what works best for you, your child, and their unique needs. It may feel like there are endless possibilities to wade through, but the good news is that more possibilities have more potential to help you and your special kiddo. 

Until next time, your Speechie Godmother is signing off. Happy advocating! 

-Micaela