Clinic Therapy Services

I had a couple of parents ask me this past week about what specific clinic-based therapy services their child may benefit from, and how they would set up these services for their child. These parents expressed similar concerns and told me they were overwhelmed as there appeared to be so many different options and types of therapy. As a result of this information overload, they did not know where to start. 
 
Before we discuss this topic, I want to first mention that this information and process can vary based on where you live, your child’s age, your child’s diagnosis, and what insurance or payment method your family uses. For any specific questions regarding the referral and therapy process for where you live, I would recommend looking to your insurance company webpage or talking to your child’s pediatrician.

• Ask for recommendations from your child’s pediatrician. What services do they recommend that your child would benefit from? Do they recommend any additional resources – books, parent classes, support groups, websites, etc.?

 

• If your child has a specific diagnosis, look for recommendations about typical therapies used to treat that diagnosis.

 

• Does your state and/or insurance plan require you to have a Doctor’s referral or “pre-authorization” before you initiate therapy services? If not, can you call and establish therapy services by yourself (without prior approval needed)?

 

• Look at the specifics of what your insurance plan does and does not cover. If applicable, look at items like insurance deductibles, out of pocket max, co-insurance, and co-pays so you can better understand how much therapy services may cost.

 

• Prioritize therapies based on your family’s schedule, resources, and needs. It may be recommended that your child receive multiple therapies, or a specific therapy multiple times per week. However, this may not always work out due to work schedules, family schedules, or resources. Before you start therapy services, take time to look at your family’s schedule and resources so you know what is realistically possible.

If you have any additional questions, please email me at blog@goflowoccupationaltherapy.com

See you soon!
Michael Jankowski, MS, OTR/L