How often will my child need therapy?

Recommendations for the frequency and session time is based on the child’s need. Speech/language therapy is commonly recommended for 1-2 sessions per week. Literacy based therapy is commonly recommended 2-3 sessions per week, with each session occurring on non-consecutive days. Our Speech-Language Pathologist will consult with a parent or caregiver to decide what best fits within the family’s schedule.

When should my child start speech/language and/or literacy based therapy?

No time is better than the PRESENT! Research shows that early intervention “increases chances for improvement” for speech/language and literacy skills. Treating communication and language difficulties early on can prevent potential problems with behavior, learning, reading and social interaction. (FIRST WORDS Ⓡ Project,The Importance of Early Intervention).

Do you accept insurance or provide a superbill?

Believe In Yourself Speech, Language and Literacy, LLC currently does not bill insurance for our speech/language and literacy services. Upon request, we can provide a superbill (medical receipt) to submit to your insurance for possible reimbursement. Please note, it is the parent’s or caregiver’s responsibility to call the insurance provider for eligibility of out-of-network speech/language therapy and/or evaluation reimbursement.

Will you provide a Good Faith Estimate?

Beginning January 1, 2022, if you’re uninsured or if you opt for self pay (ie. not going through your health insurance), health care providers like us, must provide you with an estimate of the expected charges before you get an item or services. This is called a good faith estimate (GFE).

Providers and facilities (like ours must provide you with an GFE upon request, or after you’ve scheduled a service. It should include the expected charges for all items or services that are provided as part of the same scheduled experience. The provider must provide a list of all items and services associated with your care.

For more information, please visit the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) website at www.cms.gov/nosurprises.

What types of payment do you accept?

Believe In Yourself Speech, Language, and Literacy LLC accepts payment by cash, credit card, or debit card. For convenience, a credit card can be entered into our EMR system for automatic payment after each session. We also accept flex spending accounts (FSA) or health savings accounts (HSA) to help pay for speech/language and literacy based therapy services. Payment is due at the time of service.

Do you accept Medicare?

At this time, we are unable to accept any Medicare clients. Under the CMS Medicare Rules, Speech Language Pathology is considered a "skilled service." Speech-Language Pathologists are not legally allowed to “opt out" of Medicare; therefore, we are an out-of-network/cash-based only practice.

Why don’t you accept insurance?

We understand that it may seem odd to not accept insurance. However, there are several reasons for this:

• Insurance reimbursement rates for speech therapy services are often inadequate, making it challenging to provide dynamic care while covering the costs of running a practice. This can impact the amount of time and attention we can dedicate to each client.

• Paneling and dealing with insurance companies involves significant administrative overhead, which can draw away from the time and resources that could be devoted to client care. By not accepting insurance, we can focus more on providing personalized and effective therapy without the bureaucratic hurdles.

• It's important to note that insurance coverage for speech therapy services can vary widely. Many insurance plans have limitations on the types and amount of therapy sessions covered, which may not align with the individual needs of clients. By not relying on insurance, we have the flexibility to tailor treatment plans that best address each client's unique requirements.  

Ultimately, our decision not to accept insurance allows us to prioritize client-centered care, streamline administrative processes, and ensure flexibility in treatment options, leading to a more effective and personalized therapy experience.

What are the benefits of working with an out-of-network provider/private pay speech therapist?

1. Your child will be able to begin speech/language and/or literacy based services as soon a schedule is set with one of our Speech-Language Pathologists. You do not need a physician referral nor insurance authorization and approval. 

2. There are no limitations set by the insurance company for the amount of sessions for your child. The amount of sessions can be deemed by you and our Speech-Language Pathologist as to what is best for your child. 

3. A treatment plan can be derived from formal and informal assessments that best measure your child’s speech/language and literacy needs.

What if my child doesn’t qualify for speech/language services at school, but there are still speech/language and/or literacy concerns?

One of the many benefits of private practice speech/language and literacy based services is that an evaluation and services can be conducted whenever there is a concern. Private practice does not have to meet an eligibility criteria or show an academic impact like school-based speech/language services.

If my child has speech/language and/or reading services at school, can he/she receive speech/language and/or literacy based therapy through private practice?

Absolutely! There are many children who choose to receive private therapy, along with school-based therapy. In fact, we encourage pairing private therapy with school-based therapy. We have found that when a child is exposed to and works on speech/language and literacy development with different people and in different settings, there’s a greater chance of carryover and success in the child’s daily and academic life. 

Summer time can be a time of regression of speech, language and literacy skills for some students. We provide individual speech-language, literacy services and we also have an Enrichment Camp. This camp is designed to help your child maintain his/her skills through fun and engaging activities. If your child has an updated IEP or has been evaluated within the past 6 months by a Speech-Language Pathologist, School Psychologist, or other school personnel, this information may be used to assist with therapy planning.

I am still worried about my child’s speech, language, and/or literacy development. What are the next steps in obtaining your professional services?

1. Give us a call today at (541) 215-3456 or (775) 309-3724 to schedule a FREE 15-minute phone consultation.You can also email us at office@believeinyourselftxservices.com or submit a request under the contact tab on this website. You can also follow us on Facebook and Instagram to set up a consultation through WhatsApp. This helps us learn more about your concerns regarding your child’s needs and allows us to discuss your specific concerns more thoroughly. A parent’s concern in our clinic is always valid. 

2. Following our consultation, if deemed appropriate, we will  schedule a comprehensive evaluation to assess your child’s skills and determine their areas of need.

3. If your child demonstrates a need for speech and language therapy services and/or literacy tutoring, we’ll develop an individualized treatment plan that is appropriate for your child. We will collaborate with you, as a parent or caregiver, to determine the ideal setting (clinic or teletherapy), appropriate session length (30, 45, or 60 minutes), and appropriate duration (1-3 times per week).

Do you offer telehealth options?

Yes! Teletherapy/Telehealth is the use of electronic communications to enable health care providers at different locations than the client/family to share information, diagnosis, treat, and educate the purpose of improving client care. You and your child will speak in real-time with a therapist about progress and goals he/she is working toward. The parent/guardian is present during all teletherapy sessions as they are during in-clinic sessions. 

Electronic systems are HIPPA compliant and will incorporate network and software security protocols to protect confidentiality. 

Potential Benefits: 

• Improved access to therapy providers

• Consistency in therapeutic care when someone in the home is ill or the client is ill, but still able to participate in sessions.

• Allows family from rural areas to access services on a consistent basis.

• Provides a platform for therapists to monitor and work with clients in their natural environment. 

Possible Risks:

• If there is a poor internet connection, there may be insufficient data or resolution of images/materials and/or failure of equipment, causing a session delay. 

• Although rare, there is more potential for breach of electronic security and medical information than an in-office session. 

• As the therapist will not be physically present, there may be risk related to therapeutic moves. The parent/caregiver takes responsibility for the safety of their child at all times will not complete therapeutic maneuvers or activities with which he/she does not feel comfortable.

What literacy programs do you use?

At Believe In Yourself Speech, Language, and Literacy LLC, our Speech-Language Pathologists are certified in Lindamood-Bell LiPs ©, Seeing Stars ©, Visualizing and Verbalizing ©. Orton Gillingham Classroom Educator and Associate course work; completing practicum for Associate Certification. Each program uses an evidence-based multi-sensory learning approach that offers direct and explicit literacy instruction.

A Brief Overview of Our Chosen Literacy Programs:

Lindamood Phoneme Sequencing® Program for Reading, Spelling, and Speech (LiPS®)

The LiPS® Program teaches phonemic awareness. Students are taught to feel the physical characteristics and movement of the lips, tongue, and mouth associated with the different phoneme sounds. This awareness of sounds assists students to self-correct when reading, writing, spelling, speech. 

Seeing Stars: Symbol Imagery for Phonological and Orthographic Processing in Reading and Spelling

Seeing Stars uses symbol imagery to teach reading and spelling. To start the program, symbol imagery is used to teach consonant and vowel sounds. Once the consonant and vowel sounds are mastered, the program progresses into syllables, prefixes and suffixes. Using these phonemic based skills and symbol imagery, students can master up to 500-1000 common sight words.   

Visualizing and Verbalizing® Language Comprehension and Thinking (V/V)

The Visualizing and Verbalizing® (V/V®) program assists with the development of concept imagery. Concept imagery is the ability to create an image in the mind from language, whether the language is heard or read. Concept imagery is the starting point for comprehension and higher order thinking. Once concept imagery improves, so does memory, oral vocabulary, critical thinking, writing, reading comprehension, and listening comprehension. 

Orton-Gillingham Approach

The Orton-Gillingham Approach is a structured literacy approach used with students who are struggling with reading, writing, spelling, and comprehension. This approach teaches that English is logical by helping students understand the rules and patterns of English.

The Orton-Gillingham Approach is based on six principles (Systematic and Sequential, Multisensory, Prescriptive, Diagnostic, Explicit, and Flexible). 

Systematic and Sequential: Each lesson follows a specific order and progression, which builds upon previously taught material.

Multisensory: Visual, auditory, tactile, and kinesthetic techniques are used together to create optimum learning opportunities.

Prescriptive:  Instruction is specifically designed on the needs of the individual child.

Diagnostic: Lessons are designed to meet the child at his/her current reading ability. New concepts and skills are taught for mastery.

Explicit: Each lesson uses direct instruction.

Flexible: The direction of a lesson is based on a student’s performance. There is no time limit, as each reading and spelling concept is taught and reviewed until mastery. 

After a literacy evaluation, you and our Speech-Language Pathologist will discuss which program(s) best fit the needs of your child. All literacy sessions are a 1:1 teacher-student instructional model, so your child will always receive our undivided attention.