Hi my name is Jaime Harper; I am a licensed speech-language pathologist. I have worked in the private practice setting and currently work in the public school system. I chose this profession because I knew I wanted to help others.
One day while working at a private clinic I told a parent about a new piece of equipment that was available for her child; however, their insurance would not cover it. I watched that parent’s facial expression go from excited and hopeful to devastation.
I unfortunately experienced similar situations numerous times during my work in private paractice. Once I moved to the school system I realized that the students needed more time than the teachers or I could provide during the academic day and students continued
to struggle.
I finally decided that one day I was going to provide services and technology free of charge. I wanted to give these children the opportunity to experience success whether it is through expanding semantics, improving auditory processing, or correcting sound
errors; it’s still an achievement when most of their lives have been filled with frustration and failure.
I am now in a place where I can open my doors to others, so I started the Communication For All program to offer innovative speech and language services to families unable to afford therapy.
THE NEED
Studies have shown that over a period of one year, children from wealthy families heard around four million utterances, whereas, children from low SES families heard around 250,000. That is a difference of 3,750,000 utterances a year!
Communication disorders are potentially disabling conditions with extensive and lifelong implications. When children from low socio-economic status (SES) backgrounds develop communication disorders, they experience diminished language input at home, they
enter school at a disadvantage, and have disparities throughout their educational careers and beyond.
Many low SES families are underinsured or have no health insurance at all. In low SES areas, there are limited, if any, community-based resources that would allow individuals with communication disorders to obtain long-term treatments in the absence of insurance.
In some cases, the closest resource offering speech-language therapy is miles away.
Because of barriers such as transportation, money, and time availability; many of these families are unable to go to medical facilities for care (O'Hanlon, Roseberry-McKibbon (2004). AdvanceWeb. V15, I5, P60). Students with low SES are known to have an
increased risk for speech and language disorders and problems with literacy (Sices, Taylor, Freebairn, Hansen, Lewis (2007). J Dev Behav Pediatr. 28(6): 438-447).
A greater incidence of developmental disabilities in children from lower SES backgrounds leads to an increased incidence of secondary language impairments (Schuele, C.M. (2001). J. Speech Language Pathology Audiology, 25, 77-88.
What if speech-language skills could improve and academic progress could increase if these students were offered one-on-one services in addition to the services they receive at school? What if the parents could be educated on how to improve natural language
stimulation in the home?
I can make a difference!
THE SOLUTION
Speech therapy can be very expensive. With help from backers, I can offer speech and language services to families, regardless of their financial situation. I can have the freedom to reach families in need, provide easy access to therapy, and not be restricted
to whom I can help or how often. I would not have to worry about turning anyone away or telling a parent that a specific service or technology could not be provided to their child due to an inability to pay.
As a school-based Speech-Language Pathologist, I have recognized the need to offer no-cost private therapy to students in low Socio-Economic communities. With the backers support, I will be able to provide a child access to quality therapy that they would
not otherwise receive. Therapy that is accessible to children and their families. Therapy that can be given in a one-on-one environment, offer more practice on targeted skills, and provide a more intensive therapy model. Therapy that can have an impact on
the lives of individuals living with communication disorders.
THE PROJECT
With your support, I will be able to:
**purchase speech-language pathology tests, needed to evaluate and monitor progress
**purchase a SpedPad with pre-loaded speech-language pathology apps, to have access to multiple materials at one time
**purchase printed materials to aid in specific therapy skills
**purchase the newest technology products (i.e. SmartPalate system), to provide current, up-to-date, research-based therapy
RISKS AND CHALLENGES
I know that even the best thought out plans come with risks and challenges. I have tried to think of all the possible challenges and solutions to these problems.
|
Challenges |
Solutions |
|
Lower than expected interest from families
|
Increase outreach and expand into neighboring rural communities |
|
Patients/families have no way to come to me
|
Research possibilities to provide services in their home |
|
Interest exceeding my limitations
|
Look at new ways to find funding, rework my weekly schedule, include weekends when possible |
WHY YOU SHOULD SUPPORT MY CAMPAIGN
Most children in low SES communities receive certain services through the public school system; however, for some children that's not enough. Some need more time, more practice, more one-on-one, and more help than the public school can provide during the
academic day. Offering services that have never been available to these families is the next step.
If you or someone you know has ever benefited from speech therapy, please help me pay it forward and allow someone else the opportunity to achieve their communication goals.
I believe this project will help fill a void and solve many problems in local low Socio-Economic communities. Thanks for your support and I am excited to get started.
Website: www.communicationforall.org
Facebook:
www.facebook.com/CommunicationForAll
