When it comes to providing quality healthcare, having adequate staffing is crucial. A case in point is speech therapy, which requires specialized training and expertise.
Here, we’ll define speech therapy staffing, explain its importance, and examine its benefits.

Qualifications Required for Speech Therapists

Speech therapists sometimes referred to as speech-language pathologists (SLPs), are required to have a master’s degree in speech-language pathology.

They must also hold certification from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) and be licensed by the state in which they practice.

Specialization and experience can also play a role in determining qualifications for speech therapists.

Importance of Adequate Speech Therapy Staffing

Having adequate speech therapy staffing can have a significant impact on patient outcomes. Speech therapy can help patients with various conditions, including speech and language disorders, cognitive impairments, and swallowing difficulties.

Without proper staffing, patients may not receive the care they need promptly and effectively. Adequate staffing can also improve healthcare facilities’ overall quality of care, ensuring that patients receive the attention they require.

Benefits of Hiring a Speech Therapy Staffing Agency

One way that healthcare facilities can address these challenges is by working with a speech therapy staffing agency.

These agencies specialize in recruiting and placing speech therapists in various settings, including hospitals, rehabilitation centers, and schools.

Both school speech therapy staffing agencies and outpatient speech therapy staffing agencies can provide access to a pool of qualified candidates and can help reduce recruitment and training costs.

Working with a speech therapy staffing agency can also provide flexibility in staffing, allowing facilities to adjust their staffing levels as needed.

Speech Therapy Staffing Models

Healthcare facilities can use several different staffing models for speech therapy staffing. In-house staffing involves hiring speech therapists directly as employees.

Contract staffing involves working with a staffing agency to provide temporary or permanent staff.

Hybrid staffing involves a combination of in-house and contract staffing. As with any model, there are advantages and disadvantages, and facilities should choose the model that best suits their needs.

Impact of Speech Therapy Staffing on Healthcare Facilities

Adequate speech therapy staffing can have a positive impact on healthcare facilities. 

It can lead to improved patient satisfaction, higher productivity, and better financial performance. 

Providing high-quality speech therapy services can also help facilities stand out from their competitors, attracting more patients and increasing revenue.

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What is Speech Therapy Staffing, and Why is it Important?

A clinical fellowship provides you with supervised clinical experience in a setting where you can learn and grow your Speech Language Pathologist skills, under the supervision of a seasoned SLP.

A clinical fellowship is a post-graduate program designed for SLPs who have recently earned their Master’s degree but who have not yet met all the requirements to obtain a Certificate of Clinical Competence (CCC).

Completing a clinical fellowship is a requirement for obtaining a CCC.

Why Pursue a Clinical Fellowship?

First off it is a requirement to obtain your Certificate of Clinical Competence (CCC). Completing a clinical fellowship offers many benefits. There has been an increase in clinical fellowship jobs in RI along with a rise in salaries. The CF provides a new  SLP with the opportunity to apply the knowledge they have accrued during graduate school to the real world situation of providing therapy to a caseload of clients with the support of an experienced mentor providing guidance.

As well, completing a clinical fellowship can improve your chances of passing the Praxis exam. Studies show that SLPs with a clinical fellowship had a higher pass rate than those who did not complete one.

How to Complete a Clinical Fellowship

An SLP must complete supervised clinical hours in order to complete a clinical fellowship (at least 1,260). They must be supervised by an experienced SLP for a minimum of nine months and holds a CCC.

The CF supervisor helps guide the SLP and offers support as they build their clinical skills. This mentorship allows the SLP to effectively provide therapy in a professional setting.

Examining the Value of a Clinical Fellowship

Research studies show that completing a clinical fellowship has a significant impact on an SLP’s long-term career success. CF graduates have more job opportunities, earn more income, and often have a more diverse set of clinical skills.

Completing a clinical fellowship can also lead to job placement and advancement opportunities. Clinics and hospitals desire SLPs with practical experience in a work setting and practical skills.

Once completed, SLP clinical fellowship on the SLPs resume demonstrates that they have acquired extensive clinical experience and technical skills needed to hit the ground running in a new job.

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What is a Clinical Fellowship, and How Can it Advance Your SLP Career

Universal strategies support learning for all students regardless of their disability status. However, systems embedded in the classroom are especially beneficial to students at risk of falling behind or receiving special education or related services. Providing best practices to all of your students is a win-win for general and special education staff and, of course, students.

Flexible Seating

Many people picture elaborate chairs and spaces when the topic of flexible seating comes up. T-stools, rocking chairs, and swings built into classrooms are excellent but flexible seating doesn’t have to be complex! Allow your students to stand at their table, move to a different space, or lay on their bellies during read-aloud. Movement helps both children and adults focus (hence the popularity of the office sit-stand desk). 

Positive Reinforcement

Positive reinforcement helps create a nurturing classroom environment and is a tool that encourages children to engage in appropriate behaviors. Positive reinforcement also builds up a child’s self-esteem. Give your students a high-five, recognize their hard work, or allow them to earn a fun activity. Use positive reinforcement often and with all of your students.

Use a Routine

Routines provide structure for a day with academics, social participation, lunch, breaks, and more. A transition is much smoother when a student is expecting it. Let your students know when there will be a change in the routine and remind them throughout the day. Post a schedule of the day where everyone can see it. Use picture images for young children and write the plan out for students who are confident readers.

Check-in

For student well-being to occur at school, an adult must connect with them. Touching base with them each day can foster a community of positive mental health. You can use the Zones of Regulation or other programs or even teach and provide language for them in the classroom. Make them feel comfortable sharing by using examples from your own life and validating that experiencing different emotions is okay. When appropriate, offer strategies such as deep breathing or movement to help your students feel their best, and feel supported.

Provide Extra Time

Some children can easily recognize and process sensory information in the world and then quickly recall information and figure out how to respond to a question, for example. For others, it takes longer. Giving extra time to all students offers everyone a chance to participate in the conversation. Especially after asking, “does anybody have questions?” try to pause for five to ten seconds.

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Embedded Strategies for All Students Ideas to Implement Now

Tracking student progress is one of the most crucial components of a child’s journey in special education. Data collection allows us to provide children with the best possible interventions and actively impact their education. Special educators, occupational, physical, speech-language, and behavior therapists all use SMART goals as an efficient way to support intervention planning and data collection.  SMART is an acronym that stands for specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-bound. The SMART template provides a consistent structure for goal-writing. They are widely recognized in education and help professionals ensure that the goal includes all necessary components.  

S: Specific
Educators should write goals with definitive criteria. Break down anything that might be considered vague. ‘Play-group’ could be described more specifically as ‘a teacher-facilitated recess group with five same-age peers.’ If the child has to switch school districts without notice, the new educators should easily distinguish all the goal criteria. Don’t forget to include any adaptive equipment, modifications, or cues that the student will use to meet their target.  

M: Measurable
This part of the goal reveals the intended outcome and helps track progress. To improve a goal, add one specific behavior that an educator can measure. For example, “Hakim will initiate three social interactions with peers, as measured by teacher data collection” rather than “Hakim will participate in a play-group.” Be sure to include who will collect the data or if there will be an observation period, retesting, or portfolio collection.  

A: Attainable
When a child qualifies for special education or transitions into a program, they undergo a thorough evaluation. The evaluation should contain the child’s present levels of educational performance. Use this information to create goals that are attainable within the term of the IEP. If a child is currently speaking with one-word responses, it is unrealistic to expect them to use an average of six words per sentence within a year. Use their present levels along with your clinical reasoning to determine what is an attainable goal.  

R: Relevant
Does the goal fit into the context of the child accessing their education? Does it make sense given the child’s individual learning profile and needs? If it is unclear, try using vocabulary that ties the goal back to the student’s educational needs. If it still doesn’t fit, consider what the team wants to prioritize to ensure that the goal is relevant.  

T: Time-bound
The goal should be attainable within the timeframe of the IEP. An IEP is typically valid for one year. However, if a related service gets added to the plan mid-year, the specialist will create goals for a shorter time. To ensure that you are using the correct timeframe, look for the next annual IEP date and write it into the goals.

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Writing SMART Goals

CBS Therapy is the premier provider of school-based and pediatric special education staffing services in the Northeast. We work with special education directors, program directors and special education program administrators to deliver highly qualified therapists and educators to address the diverse needs of the students they serve. Our therapy clinics provide pediatric speech-language, occupational and physical therapies.

Writing SMART Goals

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