What is a Speech Pathologist?

Speech Language Pathologists (SLPs) help people who have problems with speech, language, and thinking skills. SLPs also work with people who have trouble feeding and swallowing. They can assess and suggest ways to help your child.

Why Speech Therapy?

Speech Therapy can address a variety of goals and objectives including: expressive language (what your child says), receptive language (how your child understands language), executive functioning (attention, problem solving, organization), social/pragmatic language (how your child engages with other adults and peers), and feeding/swallowing (including picky eating).

Where are you currently accepting clients?

Kaitlyn is is currently accepting clients in Jefferson Park, South LA, Leimert Park, Compton, Watts, Inglewood, Watts, Baldwin Hills, West Adams, Midcity, Beverly Hills, Hancock Park, Korea Town, Miracle Mile, Fairfax, Culver City, and the surrounding areas.

Crawford Speech and Feeding Inc. is also a vendor with South Central LA Regional Center (SCLARC) the Frank D Lanterman Regional Center (FDLRC) and accepting clients through the early intervention (0-3) program.

What is a Regional Center?

There are 21 Regional Centers throughout California, seven of which are in Los Angeles County. Each Regional Center is a nonprofit, private corporation that contracts with the California Department of Developmental Services (DDS) to coordinate or provide community support, resources and access to services for individuals with developmental disabilities and their families.

Which Regional Center catchment area do I live in?

I recommend searching the web for Regional Center + Your Zip code.

How can I access Regional Center Services?

Angelenos aged 18 months to 3 years old may qualify for Speech Therapy through the Regional Center, at no cost to their family if they have a developmental delay or a developmental disability. You’ll need to request an evaluation and I recommend contacting your Regional Center directly at their “intake and referral line” to learn more.

Intakes and evaluations (if you qualify) are offered free of charge. Many other Regional Center services are also offered at no cost to your family.

Children up to 18 with specific medical conditions and disabilities may qualify for Regional Center services as well; however, Kaitlyn is not a vendor for the 3+ program.

Do you take insurance?

Crawford Speech and Feeding Inc. is not contracted with any insurance networks; however, Kaitlyn can provide a “Superbill” for submission to your insurance company for “out of network” benefits you may be entitled to based on your individual plan.

With this arrangement, the caregiver would remit payment to Crawford Speech and Feeding Inc., and a “Superbill” would be provided for submission to your insurance network for reimbursement. 

It is up to the consumer to check for “out of network benefits”, and is strongly suggested that you check for these “out of network benefits” ahead of time to determine coverage and if any pre-authorizations are required ahead of an evaluation or treatment. 

Do you offer tele-therapy?

Yes! Kaitlyn offers tele-therapy services using Simple Practice and Google Meet, both of which are HIPPA compliant video conferencing services. She can implement a therapy plan using a blended approach (in person and tele-therapy) or exclusively utilizing tele-therapy dependent on family preferences and client needs. Contact Kaitlyn directly to discuss if this may be a good fit for your child/family.

What is Caregiver Coaching?

A caregiver is a child’s first and best teacher. Although many SLPs work one-on-one with children aged 0-3, research shows that speech therapy sessions that focus on the way caregivers and their young children interact are proven to more effectively improve speech and language outcomes in very young children. 

In other words, it’s the SLP’s job to model, provide feedback, and offer strategies to help the caregiver create a language rich environment based on their child’s needs. 

Do I need special toys and materials?

No special toys or activities are necessary in  the coaching model. The focus is on everyday routines:  eating breakfast, going for a walk, or getting dressed, rather than playing with specific toys. Kaitlyn uses a bagless model because it is important to strengthen speech and language skills in everyday routines, with objects in the home,  for easy caregiver implementation.

Information gathered from: American Speech Language Hearing Association (ASHA); Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC); California Department of Developmental Services (CA DDS); Family Guided Routines Based Intervention (FGBRI); Frank D Lanterman Regional Center (FDLRC); Los Angeles Department of Mental Health (LADMH); South Central Los Angeles Regional Center (SCLARC); Zero to Three