Speech Language Pathologist

Position Overview

Speech & Language Pathologists provide services to develop, enhance, or restore functional communication, speech, language, and/or feeding/swallowing skills of clients whose abilities to communicate effectively and/or to eat safely and efficiently are threatened or impaired by physical, cognitive, social-emotional, and sensory impairments. 

Speech & Language Pathologists at NAPA Center complete skilled assessments and provide skilled intervention to infants, toddlers, children, and adolescents with a variety of diagnoses that impact speech production, receptive language, expressive language, social-pragmatic skills, and feeding/swallowing skills within the professional scope of practice. The role requires all therapists to work as part of a multi-disciplinary team and provide evidence-based interventions to clients that include complex communication and feeding needs.

Requirements

• Minimum qualifications include completion of at least a Master of Arts or Applied Science in Speech-Language Pathology, Communication Disorders, Communication Sciences and Disorders, or equivalent, from an accredited university.
• Must have and maintain state license with the appropriate licensing board.
• Must have and maintain ASHA CCC credentials.
• Strong clinical experience - at least 2 years post graduate experience, preferably in a pediatric setting with exposure to children and/or young adults with complex disabilities.
• Background clearance by the DOJ and FBI.
• Annual TB test clearance.
• CPR and First Aid certificates.
• Good physical health and fitness, including the ability to frequently perform, on a daily basis, the following movements over a 6-8 hour period without experiencing pain or abnormal fatigue:
  1. Lift, push or pull up to and including 50 pounds with hands and wrists as therapeutic handling is manually intensive 
  2. Independently transfer dependent patients up to 85 pounds
  3. Independently offer contact guard assistance for ambulatory patients of up to 125 pounds
  4. Maintain extended periods of standing and/or sitting on the floor for up to 7 hours per day
  5. Move from floor to standing position back to floor frequently (6-7 hours) throughout the day  
• Create a safe, professional, and supportive environment where clients, families and colleagues feel empowered to succeed.
• Ability to communicate confidently and effectively with clients and other medical professionals.
• Display a level of professional empathy towards clients and the ability to develop rapport.  
• Maintain appropriate professional boundaries with clients and their families. 
• Exercise discipline by completing all documentation, reporting requirements and training in an accurate and timely manner.
• Team player that can demonstrate the values for working as part of multi-disciplinary team to advance a client’s needs.
• Demonstrates the ability to take on additional responsibilities with time, including assessment and development of treatment plans for more complex cases, supervision of therapy aides/volunteers and additional clinic responsibilities.
• Ability to travel for periods of time for training/treating may be required.

Responsibilities

• Assessment, diagnosis, and treatment with documentation of speech, language, social communication, cognitive-communication, and feeding-swallowing disorders primarily in the pediatric population.
• Possess general knowledge of child development to assess and refer families to other disciplines when appropriate.
  • Assess a client’s communication and/or feeding/swallowing skills using a variety of standardized tools and clinical observation/informal analysis to identify primary impairments and determine a plan for treatment. 
  • Utilize multiple frames of reference to inform practice including but not limited to: neurodevelopmental, developmental biomechanical, sensory integration, motor learning, cognitive, and rehabilitation.
  • Create tailored treatment plans to address client’s limitations, taking into account their age, abilities, and other medical/physical factors.
  • Involvement with patient, family, and caregivers to train, teach, and provide strategies to improve communication in all environments. 
  • Assessment, development, application and/or training in the use of aided communication devices.
  • Demonstrate understanding of the use of various AAC systems and access methods, including, but not limited to, eye gaze and switch access. 
  • Demonstrate understanding of assessment and treatment of oral-pharyngeal motor skills, feeding/swallowing mechanics, and sensory-based feeding difficulties. 
  • Utilization of multi-modal communication strategies (manual signs, Augmentative and Alternative Communication, verbal language, gesture, body language, partner-assisted scanning, etc.).
  • Prescribe home exercise programs for patient/caregivers to promote carryover and generalization of skills obtained during therapy sessions for continued progress in the community.
  • Adapt environments and processes to enhance functional performance of clients in and out of therapy sessions.
  • Actively participate in professional development including continuing education opportunities provided through the organization, from outside providers, as well as through opportunities offered as part of regular clinical supervision
  • Maintain impeccable documentation.  Ensure that treatment notes are recorded accurately and timely in the electronic health record system, according to the policies of NAPA Center.
  • Report writing including but not limited to evaluations, progress reports, school district annual IEP reports, assistive technology. 
  • Act as a member of an interdisciplinary team to create a comprehensive developmental approach to client-centered care.   
  • Develop rapport with clients and families to build a relationship of trust and mutual respect.
  • Work closely with administrative staff to manage the schedule and ensure that time is being used productively.
  • Provide input into the development of clinical practices and procedures.
  • Act in accordance with all company, legal and industry policies and ethics.
  • Comply with all professional development requirements for maintenance of registration as a Speech & Language Pathologist with the appropriate licensing board.
  • Work in a healthy and safe manner and encourage others to do the same

Company Values

All NAPA Center employees must demonstrate the company’s core values which include:

• Love – NAPA is a family business built on the love that parents have for their children. Embody NAPA’s spirit of love through kind actions, warmth and communication used every day.
• Share - strive to collaborate and educate as part of the NAPA team, so that our clients and their families leave NAPA with positivity and hope.
• Grow – evolve, engage and continue to learn, from our clients, our colleagues and our industry so that we truly offer the best therapy possible.
• Hope – believe in the potential of every child and commit to helping them succeed, giving families hope when others have failed.