FAQ
At Therapy and Wellness Connection, we’ve built a team of therapists, educators and other skilled professionals who are passionate about their purpose. We offer speech therapy, occupational therapy, physical therapy, feeding & swallowing therapy, and behavioral therapy (ABA) to children and young adults disabilities. Our kids DON'T sit on the sidelines! We provide the tools they need to live a life without limitations.
Our knowledgeable staff is available to answer whatever questions you have about the therapy process, special courses and groups, insurance coverage and more. Many who are new to our clinic do share some of the same questions initially.
This Frequently Asked Questions page is a tool to help get you started and begin the process of determining whether Therapy and Wellness Connection is the right fit for your needs.
Special Note: COVID-19
The COVID-19 pandemic compelled pediatric therapy centers and schools across the U.S. to close their doors to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus. Therapy and Wellness Connection halted in-person therapy sessions, education programs, social groups and functional fitness courses in mid-March 2020. However, we soon thereafter launched our Teletherapy Department, through which most of our clients continue to receive the same services as before (including speech, occupational, physical and ABA therapy), albeit through a different mode of delivery. If you are interested in our teletherapy, distance learning and other online services, email us at [email protected].
What Type of Therapy Do You Offer?
Our core services include speech therapy, occupational therapy, physical therapy, ABA therapy and individualized education. Additionally, we have a veritable cornucopia of supplemental services (group therapy/day programs, summer camp, home school services, life skills courses and vocational training) to choose from to help ensure everyone’s experience is enriching and successful. We strive to be a “one-stop-shop” for children with disabilities in Cleveland.
What Communities Do You Serve?
Therapy and Wellness Connection is headquartered in Brecksville, near Broadview Heights, but our services extend far beyond the four walls of our clinic. We serve patients and families throughout Northeast Ohio, providing in-clinic and in-home therapy services throughout the region, including Cleveland, Akron, Brecksville, Broadview Heights and beyond.
How Do I Know if My Child Needs Therapy?
To answer this question, our evaluation team will start by turning the tables to ask you: Would you say your child functioning at the same developmental level as their peers? If the answer to this is “No” or “I’m not sure,” we recommend a free initial screening for pediatric therapy services. You will need a physician’s referral for a formal evaluation that will ultimately determine whether we initiate services.
There are often no hard-and-fast rules when it comes to child development, but the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention offers a Developmental Milestones Checklist for children ages 2 months to 5 years. If a child falls short on one or two items on the checklist, that’s not necessarily indicative of the fact that therapy will be needed.
However, if you are concerned your child is missing numerous milestones or fails to hit certain marks month after month, it’s wise to discuss this with your pediatrician or a qualified Cleveland therapy provider with specialized services for children with delays and disabilities.
Do I Need a Doctor’s Referral for Speech Therapy, Occupational Therapy or Behavioral Therapy/ ABA?
Typically, yes. Individual referrals for each discipline are required from your pediatrician before we can conduct a full evaluation or begin therapy services. However, a referral is not required for a free initial screening.
What is the Evaluation Process for Therapy?
Although free screenings are optional, a full evaluation is not. After we obtain a physician’s referral for evaluation, we’ll meet with you and your child and process intake forms. We’ll review our policies, address your concerns, gather all necessary documentation and then file for preauthorization from insurance (see below for insurance policies we accept). From there, we will arrange a date for evaluation in which we will score your child’s abilities to give us an idea of whether services are necessary and what the target areas might be. If we determine therapy is medically necessary, we’ll need a prescription from your doctor or pediatric specialist. From there, we will develop a formalized plan-of-care (reviewed twice annually) with specific target goals and pair your child with skilled therapists. Scheduling is often a concern for parents. One benefit of Therapy and Wellness Connection is that everything you need is here at our Brecksville office location. Our services are flexible and can also be provided in your home or your child’s school. We’ll do our best to help ease the transition of these services into your daily routine.
Do You Only Treat Children?
While most of our clients are young children, we do not exclude adults from our services. We work with many young adults who need ongoing therapy/support to facilitate effective socialization, communication, behavior and independence.
Do You Only Treat Patients with a Diagnosis?
No. Although it is true many of our pediatric therapy patients have some type of diagnosis (such as autism spectrum disorder, global developmental delay, oppositional defiance disorder, Down syndrome, childhood apraxia of speech, ADHD, cerebral palsy, etc.), it is not always 100 percent necessary for patients to have a diagnosis. Having a diagnosis does tend to make a better case to insurers about why pediatric therapy and other supplemental services are medically necessary and thus should be covered per the policy. However, we can sometimes make a case for coverage based on the individual’s symptoms. We also offer competitive self-pay rates if your insurer won’t cover the therapy.
What clinical strategies do you employ?
Among the clinical strategies we employ in speech, occupational, physical and behavior therapy:
- Developmental Theory
- Social Thinking Curriculum
- Zones of Regulation
- SuperFlex Curriculum
- Holistic Theory, a theory that stresses the importance of looking at the whole child during therapy
- SCERTS® Model
- DIRFloortime®
- The Play Project
- Gestalt Cycle of Experience Theory
- Information Processing Sensory Integration Theory
- Metacognitive Theory
- Positive Behavioral Supports
- Social Pragmatic Theory – a theory in which social interaction is believed to be essential for language development
- Theories of The Explosive Child by Ross Greene, Ph.D.
- Talk Tools training
Don’t Children with Disabilities Already Get Therapy at School?
Yes. And no. For starters, early intervention therapy is critical for children with many conditions, including autism, ADD/ ADHD, down syndrome, cerebral palsy, fetal alcohol syndrome, traumatic injuries and others. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends these services begin before a child turns 4-years-old. This is not to say a child cannot begin speech therapy, occupational therapy, physical therapy or behavior therapy after that point. However, the earlier we intervene the more effective it is. Many children benefit from starting therapy as early as 18 months – or even earlier in some cases. Although public schools provide some therapies per IDEA (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act) these services are typically limited in length and scope. Depending on your IEP (Individual Education Program), you may only get a few hours of therapy per month, which is hardly enough for children even with mild challenges. The National Center for Education Statistics indicates about 13 percent of all students nationally receive special education services. That’s roughly 6.5 million pupils total. Many schools have great therapists and support staff in their special education programs. Too often, though, they are stretched incredibly thin. At Therapy and Wellness Connection, we follow a holistic, multidisciplinary approach to therapy that fits YOUR life. We also connect you to supplemental services that far exceed what most schools can offer. We’ll go above and beyond to ensure each patient has the best possible chance of success.
How Long Will My Child Need Therapy?
That really depends on the child. Two children who share the same diagnosis may display differing degrees of severity. One may have other co-occurring conditions that could require a longer, more intense therapy schedule.
The length and scope the care plan for speech therapy, occupational therapy, physical therapy and ABA therapy will truly depend on one’s individual symptoms and goals – as well as insurance coverage. (Note: It’s true insurance companies can sometimes be difficult to work with. We have dedicated professionals prepared to help facilitate this process and make it easier on you.) We will periodically reassess progress and determine whether therapy services are adequate, if more are required or if we can begin tapering off a bit. Your therapy team will discuss this plan-of-care with you in length as well as the reasons for the outlined therapy schedule. Always feel free to ask questions. Carryover of skills always happens faster when parents are engaged and practice at home.
Do You Take My Insurance?
We accept most insurance plans. In addition to competitive self-pay rates, we accept: Aetna, Anthem, Medical Mutual, Tricare, Optum, Summa, Medicaid, UH Community Plan, Mutual Health Services , Rehab Provider Network, Golden Rule, Care First Administrators, Care Source, UMR, Cigna, GEHA, Buckeye Health Plan and Children with Medical Handicaps Program. We also offer accept the The Autism Scholarship and the Jon Peterson Special Needs Scholarship.
For more information about Cleveland pediatric speech therapy, occupational therapy, behavioral therapy (ABA) and physical therapy at Therapy and Wellness Connection, Contact Us Online or call our office (330) 748-4807. Our educational services and multidisciplinary therapy are available in Brecksville, Broadview Heights, Cleveland, Akron and surrounding communities.