FAQ

What is a speech-language pathologist?

A speech-language pathologist (SLP) is a masters-level clinical professional who works to prevent, assess, diagnose, and treat communication and swallowing disorders in children and adults. We provide therapy for language delays, childhood apraxia of speech (CAS), speech sound disorders, neurological communication differences (e.g., ADHD, ASD), expressive and/or receptive language impairments, and stuttering, to name only a few. To obtain our Certificate of Clinical Competence (CCC-SLP), we must complete a year-long clinical fellowship after graduate school. We are also required to participate in at least 30 hours of continuing education every three years.

For more information, visit: https://www.asha.org/

Do I need an evaluation?

You will need to participate in a formal evaluation if you are seeking a clinical diagnosis or planning to submit a superbill through your insurance. If you have a recent evaluation, call to discuss your situation. You do NOT need a formal evaluation to participate in social skills groups.

What can I expect from an evaluation?

For speech sounds/articulation, SLP will assess your child’s ability to accurately perceive and produce all sounds in the English language. The SLP will look at whether production changes in the beginning, middle, or ends of words, and whether the length of the utterance impacts production and overall intelligibility. This will help your SLP establish the nature of the speech sound errors and whether those errors are developmentally appropriate. The SLP will also try some treatment techniques to determine if your child can accurately produce the sounds using certain strategies. This information is used to customize a treatment plan.

A comprehensive language evaluation includes oral-motor/articulation, voice, and fluency/stuttering screenings, in addition to an evaluation of a child's receptive, expressive, and pragmatic language skills using standardized assessment tools as well as dynamic assessment through play and naturalistic observations. You will receive a written report within two weeks of your evaluation; upon completion, the evaluating SLP will call to discuss results and recommendations.

Do you accept insurance?

In order to place quality of care above all else, we do NOT accept insurance and are an out-of-network provider. You do not need a doctor's referral, prior authorization, academic test score, or insurance coverage to participate in services. We support your family's needs without limitation, in alignment with evidence-based practice, and we do not terminate services after a trivial number of sessions.

You may be eligible to use funds from a healthcare flexible spending account to pay for individual therapy services. When appropriate, we will provide a superbill for clients to submit to their insurance company for out-of-network reimbursement. If you intend to do this, please let us know in advance. We will need to provide a diagnostic code if you intend to submit a superbill. We highly recommend checking with your health plan administrator to determine whether or not your child’s speech-language therapy services qualify. In some instances, you may find private pay rates to be comparable to insurance copays.

How will I be billed for services?

You will be charged for therapy services at the end of each session, unless you notify us that you would prefer to be charged monthly. The credit card on file will be charged automatically through the secure Client Portal, and you will receive an electronic invoice as a receipt of payment. If you choose to enroll in a group program, initial registration fees are charged at the time of registration, and monthly fees are collected at the end of each subsequent month.

What's the difference between school services & private speech therapy?

School-based speech-language pathologists serve children with disabilities through an Individualized Education Plan (IEP). These services are regulated and funded by the federal government, under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (IDEA, 2004). Services are only allotted for children who qualify with a disability that adversely impacts their education. Some kids who may exhibit speech or language weaknesses do not qualify because of the stringent requirements.

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Private therapy does not make these distinctions. Even if your child does not qualify for school-based (federally funded) services, we can still serve them. You do not need a doctor's referral or an educational qualification to seek private speech, language, or cognitive therapy. We can support your child's communication regardless of their eligibility for school-based services.

Do you offer teletherapy? Does teletherapy work?

Yes, we offer teletherapy. As long as you are in the state of North Carolina, you can receive therapy sessions online through a HIPAA-compliant platform. This format can also be used intermittently in lieu of missing a session-- for example, if you need to stay home with a sick child, or feel safer at home in bad weather, we can switch to teletherapy instead of cancelling the session. Studies have shown comparable treatment outcomes comparing teletherapy and in-person therapy (https://pubs.asha.org/doi/10.1044/2017_AJSLP-16-0070).

How do I get started?

1) Give us a call or email: 919-907-0599 or christin@raleighspeechnc.com. We provide a free 15 minute consultation and will discuss your needs and next steps.

2) You will receive a link to complete initial registration paperwork through our secure online portal before your evaluation.

3) We will see you for your evaluation or first therapy session!