Multidisciplinary Cooperation:

Our Concept

We believe that the speech and language needs of children having primary or significant speech and language challenges affecting their development and learning can be served well in a setting dedicated to addressing these speech/language issues. Our clinic has a staff of entirely speech and language pathologists (therapists). As stated before, the center is designed and equipped with specific and numerous speech/language therapy materials and equipment, and all programs and interactions with a child is geared to immersing the child in habilitative or rehabilitative speech and language action and activity. Therapists are trained in multiple techniques and in the use and/or adaptation of multiple types of material (speech/language as well as other types of material adapted to maximize communication) to address a child’s goals and needs.

Further, since we have a number of speech pathologists on our team, we can optimize the delivery of services. This includes selection of therapists based on experience with your child’s issues as well as ability to provide a wider range of options for scheduling and provision of make ups. We strongly believe that consistency in a child’s attendance, and being able to provide this through make ups, as needed, is imperative to their learning and success.

All Social Skills Playgroups at Children’s Speech Care Center are lead by speech pathologists, and we feel this is particularly important for the child with speech/language and/or pragmatic (social communication) needs. This also includes the child who is very verbal but unable to apply or use their language optimally with peers to build social relationships. Facilitation of these needs within a social paradigm allows us to maximize communication skills while building solid social skills.

Despite our focus on speech/language, we strongly believe in multidisciplinary interaction. Coordination and collaboration with other professionals involved in your child’s care is essential to providing the best possible outcome. We all have training and experience in working collaboratively with other team members and in working on multidisciplinary teams. We will coordinate a child’s speech/language care, as appropriate, and collaborate with those involved in a child’s program in order to facilitate their speech/language development and overall learning.

Coordination:

With your Pediatrician

It is important for us to establish a communication link with your Pediatrician. We can do this by reaching out to him or her and seeking their insight regarding your child’s case. We can do this by writing a letter, with your consent, and explaining that we are initiating or taking over your child’s Speech and Language therapy needs. If they desire we can send them a copy of our progress notes or/and report(s) that are generated. We are also always available to consult with your pediatrician by phone.

With your child's teacher

We will begin by asking you for the name of your child’s school and primary/secondary teacher(s). We can send a letter as needed, with your consent, and explain that we are initiating or taking over your child’s Speech and Language therapy needs. We will explain your child’s special needs and ask for any input they may have. We are also always available to consult with your child(s) teachers by phone.

With other Professionals

Many children may also need the intervention of other specialists.

These other specialists not mentioned above may include Occupational Therapists, Educational Therapists, Physical Therapists, Behavioral Therapists, Psychologists and/or Psychiatrists and others.

It is also very important to communicate the results of testing/evaluation(s) as well as treatment progress with all professionals involved.

Accordingly, we take a broad approach to intervention, and include the full range of caregivers, as is appropriate to your child's care and agreed upon by you.

The process of communication and the exchange of important information about a child's care with all these groups are crucial to maintaining a consistent and coordinated treatment program, which takes advantage of all pertinent information about your child.

From the beginning of your child's treatment at Children’s Speech Care Center we will begin the process of interaction and communication with your child's other medical/healthcare or academic specialists as determined by your input and consent. This may take the form of short phone interviews and the provision of copies of Evaluation(s), other reports, and, for your pediatrician, treatment notes, as needed.

When possible we would appreciate the evaluations and/or reports of the other specialists. If your child has an IEP and/or a school evaluation, we will ask you to provide us with a copy.

Since all these documents are considered confidential we will ask you to sign a consent form authorizing the release of these documents to us.

All information regarding your child is 100% confidential and is not shared even within our clinic unless you specifically approve it.

This is true of internal as well as external documents, recordings or video.

Any media concerning your child or your family can only be released with your written and signed approval.

We will attend any conference you feel is appropriate, including IEPs, so long as scheduling permits and sufficient notice is given. The charge for these meetings is noted on our rate sheet.

Below, we have provided our "authorization to release" printable documents. Please print a copy and sign and date it if you would like us to establish a close communication with others involved in your child's treatment/care.

PDF FILE
Release of Information Form