Frequently Asked Questions

The Big Picture SLP Speech-Language Services does not accept health insurance as a form of reimbursement. We realize this may not be the right choice for everyone.

Most services offered in our private practice are currently not covered by insurance companies, including prevention services, caregiver coaching sessions, and voice banking.

Insurance companies dictate the number of assessment/intervention sessions as well as session length. We believe clients and expert professionals should have control over therapy intensity and frequency, instead of an insurance claim adjuster who doesn’t understand their unique goals and needs.

Since we are a private pay practice, clients and families don’t need to worry about insurance or school-based criteria. This provides greater access to speech-language services based on need.

Clients and families retain their privacy. Progress reports remain confidential, and will only be shared with other medical professionals or schools upon request.

We’ll come to you. We can also arrange to meet you via tele-health or at one of our satellite locations.

Satellite locations are located in community spaces at local libraries, including:

• Anna Reinstein Memorial Library in Cheektowaga, NY;

• Audubon Branch Library in Amherst, NY;

• Clearfield Branch Library in Williamsville, NY;

• Julia Boyer Reinstein Library in Cheektowaga, NY; and

• West Seneca Public Library in West Seneca, NY

I offer one 15-minute phone call or Zoom consultation at no cost to begin discussing your concerns and goals. After our call, I’ll send you a questionnaire and will follow up with recommendations. Some people need to start with an assessment, but for others it makes more sense to jump right into intervention. Whatever we decide will be customized for your speech and language needs.

Assessments may include interviews, observations, and analyzing natural language to determine specific concerns. Assessments* typically take two hours, depending on age and goals. Most assessments are completed in one session, but can be spread out across multiple sessions if needed. Your assessment plan will be discussed and determined during our free 15-minute consultation.

* AAC (Augmentative and Alternative Communication) assessment may require additional time as it requires a more specialized approach to help individuals with communication challenges express their thoughts, needs, and emotions.

Clients and family members are important participants in assessment and intervention. We want to understand the "Big Picture” of your family values and experiences, and always try to meet in an environment that is comfortable for you. For children, we recommend meeting in your home, where they are surrounded by family and familiar toys, books, and furniture. Additionally, family members are involved in the assessment process by taking part in interviews, observations, as well as other assessment activities.

We include standardized testing when deemed appropriate. The Big Picture SLP takes a holistic approach to assessment and considers a wide variety of assessment tools when constructing comprehensive plans. Standardized testing is only one small piece of data that may or may not be appropriate for you or your family member. If standardized testing is required by a school district or other agency it can be included in the assessment protocol.

Short Term Benefits:

• Improved Literacy

• Greater Self-esteem

• Stronger Communication

• A Sense of Social Belonging

Long Term Benefits:

• Greater independence, less reliance on others

• Improved health

• Reduced stress and anxiety

• Stronger understanding of words, sounds and ideas

Is your child struggling with speech and/or language even though they’ve been assessed as being within “normal limits?” If your child isn’t talking, has limited vocabulary or is difficult to understand, it’s a good idea to reach out for a comprehensive evaluation.

It’s not uncommon for highly intelligent and gifted children to have language disorders. Typically, highly adaptable children do a very good job of masking speech-language disorders.

Research shows that 70% of children who don’t reach language development milestones will eventually catch up. But how do we know if that child is going to be part of the 70% versus the 30% who need speech-language intervention.

We want every child to be a 100% child. If we can address communication before your child enters school, we can help them feel more confident and achieve more academic and social success.

Caregivers—follow your gut and intuition! If you think there is a concern, let's discuss. It’s always easier to improve outcomes when we start early.

Intervention sessions are customized for every client, including choice of location. We will meet in your home, at one of our community locations or via tele-therapy.

A typical session is 45 minutes, including 30 minutes of direct intervention and 10-15 minutes to discuss progress, concerns and questions.

I consider it one of my greatest privileges to work with clients who have ALS, a rapidly progressing neurological disease. By bridging communication gaps with specialized tools, resources and support, we can help those who have lost their full speaking abilities to continue communicating.

Yes! Our practice is dedicated to parent and caregiver training and covers prevention, language growth and development, as well as literacy skills. Parents want to give their children the best start and we help them do that.

Critical language development takes place between birth and age five. As trained professionals, speech-language pathologists understand language development and can identify where your child should be in terms of speech production, word sounds, vocabulary, sentence structure, and conversational skills. We use these milestones to analyze and understand whether your child is on track, or whether they are experiencing a potential delay that could benefit from intervention. Early identification is key!

Yes. Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) is a specialized approach that helps individuals with challenges communicate their thoughts, needs, and emotions, enhancing quality of life and promoting meaningful interactions. AAC encompasses a wide range of tools and techniques, such as speech-generating devices, symbol boards, sign language, and various communication apps, designed to support those with speech or language impairments.

We will provide clients and families with a superbill upon request. Superbills are coded medical receipts that can be provided after speech-language services are rendered and paid. It is the responsibility of the client to submit a superbill to their insurance company for out of network benefits.

We understand that private pay may not be accessible for all clients, therefore, we offer a sliding scale fee for those who qualify. Please discuss during our consultation call.

We know that treating the whole person is essential. If we don’t offer the services you need we’ll happily refer you to experts with whom we have professional connections and whose work we trust.

We are happy to provide referrals for:

• Stroke support groups

• ALS support groups

• Mental health support

• Support for children on the autism spectrum

• Navigating your IEP

• Neuropsychologists

• Behavioral specialists

• Dyslexia

• Pediatric Feeding and Swallowing