What is Teletherapy?
The American Speech and Hearing Association (ASHA) defines teletherapy as “the application of telecommunications technology to the delivery of professional services at a distance by linking clinician to client, or clinician to clinician, for assessment, intervention, and/or consultation.” This means that we are able to provide speech therapy services through digital meetings similar to the popular communication system “Skype”. While we do not specifically utilize Skype for the provision of services, the method of delivery would be similar in nature. The therapist and the child would join a computer-based session at the designated therapy time, and would work on the same materials as in the office. We term this “teletherapy.”
It is important to know that this service delivery model is supported through the Massachusetts Board of Registration for Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology and the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA). This mode of service delivery, when implemented correctly, is noted to have equal outcomes to face-to-face interventions. Teletherapy is not intended to be a different service than the one you receive in-person. Instead, it is a different modality. Therefore, we will do everything possible to make sure the quality of telepractice services is equivalent to the quality of the services of in-person therapy
