REFERRALS
Do I need a referral from my doctor?
A referral is needed depending on the service and the type of insurance. Your physician can fax the referral/prescription to our office at 413-532-2100. Most PPO and POS insurance plans do not require a referral for occupational and speech therapy. However, SLDCenter will assist you in obtaining a referral/prescription from your child's physician.
What insurance plans do you accept?
SLDCenter accepts most major insurance plans and Medicaid. For a complete list of accepted insurance plans, click here. If you don't see your insurance plan on our list, call our office as we continually add new plans. In addition, many insurance companies allow out-of-network services.
What paperwork do I need to fill out?
All of our new patient information forms can be found here. Please be sure to print and complete all forms to bring with you to your child's evaluation. Otherwise, we can mail you the forms upon request.
CLINICAL OPERATIONS
Do you have late afternoon or evening appointments?
We have limited availability for afterschool appointments for speech/language and occupational therapy.
Is there anyone on your staff who speaks a language other than English?
We have speech-language pathologists who speak Spanish. If you speak a language other than English and/or Spanish, please bring someone with you who can serve as an interpreter as our office will need to be able to obtain necessary medical information about your child.
Do you have a long waiting list?
We do not have a waiting list for speech-language and/or occupational evaluations.
However, speech-language and occupational services are in great demand. As a result we have to maintain a waiting list. The length of time that your child will be on the waiting list depends on the availability of the therapist. At this time it is approximately 3-5 months.
EVALUATIONS AND TREATMENT APPOINTMENTS
What is involved in the initial evaluation and how long will it last?
The evaluation typically lasts about two hour. During that time, the therapist will clarify any questions/concerns related to the case history questionnaire. The therapist will also observe your child, administer standardized tests and perform various activities to gauge your child's response.
What should I bring with me to the evaluation?
In most cases, all you need is your child’s insurance card. If your child is receiving or has received therapy services from an organization, please provide us with a copy of any evaluations or reports related to their developmental skills. For feeding evaluations, please bring a food your child prefers to eat along with a food he or she refuses to eat.
How often will my child have to come in for treatment?
The frequency of treatment is entirely dependent upon your child's diagnosis and treatment needs. The duration of therapy is typically one hour unless otherwise specified by the therapist. The evaluation will help the therapist set treatment goals and determine the length of time and frequency that may be needed to meet those goals. Periodically, the therapist will re-evaluate your child to determine if the treatment plan needs to be changed or if discharge is warranted.
Will my child stay with the therapist that does the evaluation?
There will be times when a child will see one therapist for the evaluation and another for treatment based on therapist’s availability. Parents are welcomed to request a therapist.
Can someone else bring my child or do I need to attend?
Someone else may bring your child to a treatment session but that person must be listed on the Consent to Treat form. Regardless of who brings your child to therapy, the new patient form must be signed by a legal guardian.
Can I bring my other children to the therapy sessions?
Yes, you may bring your other children to the clinic but it is recommended that they be supervised at all times and remain in the waiting room to avoid distractions.
Can I stay in therapy room with my child for all the therapy sessions?
Yes. However we recommend parents to remain in the waiting room. It reduces distractions and the possibility of the child preferring the parent rather than participating in presented activities. It is important to note that all therapists reserve time to discuss any progress, concerns and/or techniques that can be used at home to carryover the skills learned during the therapy sessions.
98 Lower Westfield Rd, Holyoke, MA 01040 - Phone: 413.532.1100 - Fax: 413.532.2100 - info@sldcenter.net