Booking an Appointment
Q: How do I book an appointment?
A: You can easily book an appointment online. If you are a new client, simply click “schedule” at the top of this page so you can book a free consultation. If you are already a client, you can click on "client portal" to select a time with your speech therapist. Alternatively, you can email [email protected] or call us at (619) 560-1270 to schedule.
Q: What is a free consultation?
A: A free consultation is a brief meeting between caregiver(s) and the SLP to discuss the concerns. The child does not have to be there, although you are more than welcome to bring your child if convenient. There is no formal or informal testing done during a free consultation, but caregivers can feel free to ask any questions they have!
Q: Does my child need an assessment before beginning services?
A: No; however, an assessment may be recommended if the child does not have a recent assessment from a previous provider or a school, or if there are concerns in addition to the previous assessment. If an assessment is completed, a brief summary of the results will be shared with caregivers. There is no difference in cost for an assessment and therapy session unless a complete written report is required for reimbursement or parent/school records.
Q: Do I need to bring anything for the first session?
A: For the most part, no. If your child has received services previously, you can bring a copy of any reports, if you have them. If your child currently receives speech or academic support at school, a copy of the Individualized Educational Plan (IEP) would be helpful. If you have been given reports and IEPs but don’t know where they are, don’t worry! They are not required and, if you would like private services to be targeting the same goals that are targeted in the IEP, you can simply sign a release of information form to allow us to contact your child’s school to obtain those records.
Q: How long of a session is right for my child?
A: It depends on your child’s age and family preference. Some children, particularly young ones, may only participate for 30 or 45 minutes before they are tired out and ready to go home. Others, including most school-age children, have no problem making it 45 or 60 minutes for a session. Initially, you can pick whatever length you feel is best and if sessions seem to be too long or too short, we can adjust future sessions as needed.
Q: How many sessions a week should my child have?
A: Most children are recommended for 1-2 sessions per week depending on the concerns, although the frequency of sessions can be increased (up to a maximum of 4 sessions per week for intensive services) or decreased as requested by the family.
Q: How long will my child need speech services?
A: This is a difficult question to answer, as every child’s needs are different. The severity of disorder, type of disorder, motivation of the child, and home practice all impact the rate of progress. In general, speech disorders tend to require less therapy than language disorders. Language disorders that affect both receptive and expressive skills will take longer than disorders only affecting expressive language. Therapy will only continue as long as your child demonstrates a need for services, and his or her progress will be measured approximately every 12 weeks to ensure therapy is still beneficial for your family.
A: You can easily book an appointment online. If you are a new client, simply click “schedule” at the top of this page so you can book a free consultation. If you are already a client, you can click on "client portal" to select a time with your speech therapist. Alternatively, you can email [email protected] or call us at (619) 560-1270 to schedule.
Q: What is a free consultation?
A: A free consultation is a brief meeting between caregiver(s) and the SLP to discuss the concerns. The child does not have to be there, although you are more than welcome to bring your child if convenient. There is no formal or informal testing done during a free consultation, but caregivers can feel free to ask any questions they have!
Q: Does my child need an assessment before beginning services?
A: No; however, an assessment may be recommended if the child does not have a recent assessment from a previous provider or a school, or if there are concerns in addition to the previous assessment. If an assessment is completed, a brief summary of the results will be shared with caregivers. There is no difference in cost for an assessment and therapy session unless a complete written report is required for reimbursement or parent/school records.
Q: Do I need to bring anything for the first session?
A: For the most part, no. If your child has received services previously, you can bring a copy of any reports, if you have them. If your child currently receives speech or academic support at school, a copy of the Individualized Educational Plan (IEP) would be helpful. If you have been given reports and IEPs but don’t know where they are, don’t worry! They are not required and, if you would like private services to be targeting the same goals that are targeted in the IEP, you can simply sign a release of information form to allow us to contact your child’s school to obtain those records.
Q: How long of a session is right for my child?
A: It depends on your child’s age and family preference. Some children, particularly young ones, may only participate for 30 or 45 minutes before they are tired out and ready to go home. Others, including most school-age children, have no problem making it 45 or 60 minutes for a session. Initially, you can pick whatever length you feel is best and if sessions seem to be too long or too short, we can adjust future sessions as needed.
Q: How many sessions a week should my child have?
A: Most children are recommended for 1-2 sessions per week depending on the concerns, although the frequency of sessions can be increased (up to a maximum of 4 sessions per week for intensive services) or decreased as requested by the family.
Q: How long will my child need speech services?
A: This is a difficult question to answer, as every child’s needs are different. The severity of disorder, type of disorder, motivation of the child, and home practice all impact the rate of progress. In general, speech disorders tend to require less therapy than language disorders. Language disorders that affect both receptive and expressive skills will take longer than disorders only affecting expressive language. Therapy will only continue as long as your child demonstrates a need for services, and his or her progress will be measured approximately every 12 weeks to ensure therapy is still beneficial for your family.
Visiting the Office
Q: Is there parking at your clinic?
A: Yes! There is two-hour street parking right out front on Santa Monica Avenue and a parking lot in the back of the building, which can be accessed via the alley between Saratoga and Santa Monica.
Q: Should I stay in the room for sessions?
A: Many families benefit from observing therapy and carrying over strategies used into the home, so you are more than welcome to observe the sessions! In the case that your child is distracted by the presence of others, it may be recommended to only observe periodically or for the last 5-10 minutes of each session. There is both a couch in the therapy room and chairs in the waiting area so you can choose what works best for you and your child.
Q: Am I allowed to drop my child off and pick him/her up at the end of the session?
A: Yes, as long as the child is old enough to use the bathroom independently. If dropping your child off, it is recommended that you return at least 10 minutes prior to the end of the session. If you are late to pick up your child, a late fee may be charged.
Q: If my child has sibling(s), can they come too?
A: Yes! We know childcare is not always the easiest to arrange when trying to make it to appointments. If the sibling(s) are young children who may distract your child that is receiving therapy, you may want to keep them with you in the waiting area. There are books and toys in the waiting area for kids of all ages.
A: Yes! There is two-hour street parking right out front on Santa Monica Avenue and a parking lot in the back of the building, which can be accessed via the alley between Saratoga and Santa Monica.
Q: Should I stay in the room for sessions?
A: Many families benefit from observing therapy and carrying over strategies used into the home, so you are more than welcome to observe the sessions! In the case that your child is distracted by the presence of others, it may be recommended to only observe periodically or for the last 5-10 minutes of each session. There is both a couch in the therapy room and chairs in the waiting area so you can choose what works best for you and your child.
Q: Am I allowed to drop my child off and pick him/her up at the end of the session?
A: Yes, as long as the child is old enough to use the bathroom independently. If dropping your child off, it is recommended that you return at least 10 minutes prior to the end of the session. If you are late to pick up your child, a late fee may be charged.
Q: If my child has sibling(s), can they come too?
A: Yes! We know childcare is not always the easiest to arrange when trying to make it to appointments. If the sibling(s) are young children who may distract your child that is receiving therapy, you may want to keep them with you in the waiting area. There are books and toys in the waiting area for kids of all ages.
Paying for Therapy
Q: What type of payment methods do you accept?
A: We accept cash, credit, debit, or check. Payments are processed at or after the time of service.
Q: Do you take insurance?
A: Yes we do. We are in-network with Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield of California, which allows us to accept Anthem Blue Cross of CA PPOs, Blue Shield of CA PPOs, out-of-state Blue Cross/Blue Shield plans, and BCBS Federal Employee Plans (FEPs). All insurance plans are different, so be sure to contact your insurance company to verify pediatric speech therapy will be covered. If you have out-of-network benefits through a different insurance company and your insurance will cover pediatric speech services, we can provide you with the proper documentation for you to submit your claims to your insurance company for reimbursement at your out-of-network rate.
Q: How much does speech therapy cost?
A: The cost of therapy can vary greatly by location, provider, and length of sessions. Our rates start at $85 for a 30-minute session. OB Speech also offers a select number of income-based appointments in the morning hours. For our current rates, simply email o[email protected] and a list of our rates will be emailed back to you.
Q: How much does an assessment cost?
A: Speech/fluency assessments at Ocean Beach Speech cost $175, and the cost increases for additional assessment areas including language and literacy. The assessment cost includes a report for you to share with a doctor, school, or other health professionals.
Q: I don’t think I can afford therapy at this time. Are there any ways to get free speech therapy services?
A: If your child has a speech or language disorder that is affecting their educational progress, your child may be eligible for an IEP through your local school district. If your child is under the age of 3, we highly recommend contacting the San Diego Regional Center (SDRC). They can help you determine whether your child is delayed and, regardless of whether your insurance company covers speech services, they can help get the cost covered. If you need help figuring out how to access services through SDRC or your local school district, feel free to book a free consultation and we would be happy to help!
A: We accept cash, credit, debit, or check. Payments are processed at or after the time of service.
Q: Do you take insurance?
A: Yes we do. We are in-network with Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield of California, which allows us to accept Anthem Blue Cross of CA PPOs, Blue Shield of CA PPOs, out-of-state Blue Cross/Blue Shield plans, and BCBS Federal Employee Plans (FEPs). All insurance plans are different, so be sure to contact your insurance company to verify pediatric speech therapy will be covered. If you have out-of-network benefits through a different insurance company and your insurance will cover pediatric speech services, we can provide you with the proper documentation for you to submit your claims to your insurance company for reimbursement at your out-of-network rate.
Q: How much does speech therapy cost?
A: The cost of therapy can vary greatly by location, provider, and length of sessions. Our rates start at $85 for a 30-minute session. OB Speech also offers a select number of income-based appointments in the morning hours. For our current rates, simply email o[email protected] and a list of our rates will be emailed back to you.
Q: How much does an assessment cost?
A: Speech/fluency assessments at Ocean Beach Speech cost $175, and the cost increases for additional assessment areas including language and literacy. The assessment cost includes a report for you to share with a doctor, school, or other health professionals.
Q: I don’t think I can afford therapy at this time. Are there any ways to get free speech therapy services?
A: If your child has a speech or language disorder that is affecting their educational progress, your child may be eligible for an IEP through your local school district. If your child is under the age of 3, we highly recommend contacting the San Diego Regional Center (SDRC). They can help you determine whether your child is delayed and, regardless of whether your insurance company covers speech services, they can help get the cost covered. If you need help figuring out how to access services through SDRC or your local school district, feel free to book a free consultation and we would be happy to help!
