At Andalusia Speech Therapy, our team consists of both Speech Language Pathologists and Speech Language Pathologist Assistants. They work as a team to help you achieve your communication needs. You might be familiar with the role of a Speech Language Pathologist, and could be wondering, what role do Speech Language Pathologist Assistants play?
Speech Language Pathologist Assistants (SLPA), Communicative Disorders Assistants (CDA), or Communication Health Assistants are individuals who provide speech therapy under the supervision of a licensed Speech Language Pathologist, with the goal of helping clients meet their communication needs and in turn improve the quality of life. The titles are often used interchangeably, depending on the setting they work in.
Speech-Language Pathologist Assistants are an integral of the team. Listed below are some of the most common tasks that Speech-Language Pathologist Assistants can carry out as outlined by Speech-Language & Audiology Canada regarding their scope of practice.
· Provide direct clinic support and deliver treatment according to the goals set by the supervising Speech Language Pathologist.
· Create therapy materials for use in sessions and home programming.
· Conduct screening using established protocols without interpretation.
· Assist Speech-Language Pathologists with conducting assessments, including materials preparation and data collection.
· Program, create and maintain augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) resources and devices.
· Document client’s progress and report them to their supervising Speech Language Pathologist.
· Communicate updates to families and caregivers and follow up on the progress of home programming.
· Work with an interdisciplinary team including Teachers, Education Assistants, Occupational Therapist, ABA Therapists, Psychologists etc.
Speech Language Pathologist Assistants can work in a variety of settings, including private clinics, hospitals, schools, treatment centres etc., serving diverse populations. If you have concerns about your child’s or your own speech and language skills and development, you will first meet with a Speech Language Pathologist for an assessment. After the assessment, if treatment is recommended, you would have the option to attend therapy with either a Speech Language Pathologist or a Speech Language Pathologist Assistant. Although Speech Language Pathologist Assistants / Communicative Disorders Assistants are non-regulated professionals, the quality of service is assured under the supervision of a qualified Speech-Language Pathologist.
Our team of Speech Language Pathologist Assistants looks forward to working with our community! Contact us for more information or book an appointment.