Speech Therapist

General Description

Speech therapists, also known as speech and language therapists or speech-language pathologists, are highly trained health care professionals who will treat patients with speech and language disorders. These disorders can range from a total inability to produce speech sounds or articulate them clearly, to stuttering and accent problems, to cognitive communication impairments, to loss of communication due to impaired hearing or hearing loss.

Responsibilities

• Assess, diagnose, and treat language, voice, and fluency problems.
• Work with people who have swallowing difficulties.
• The goal of the speech therapist is to alleviate speech and language difficulties, enabling patients to communicate in a more effective and satisfying manner.
• Write up a plan specific to the patient in question.
• Plan, organize, and conduct speech therapy to patients to help rehabilitate those impaired because of illness, injury, or psychological or developmental problems.
• Consult with the rehabilitation team to select activity programs and coordinate speech therapy with other therapeutic activities.
• Test and evaluate patients' speech and mental abilities and analyze medical data to determine realistic rehabilitation goals for them.
• Select activities that will help patients learn work and life-management skills within limits of their mental and physical capabilities.
• Plan and implement programs and social activities to help patients learn work and school skills and adjust to handicaps.
• Recommend changes in patients' work or living environments consistent with their needs and capabilities.
• Help patients improve decision-making, abstract reasoning, memory, sequencing, coordination, and perceptual skills using computer programs.
• Lay out materials such as puzzles, scissors, and eating utensils for use in therapy and clean and repair these tools after therapy sessions.
• Provide orientation and supervision in speech therapy techniques and objectives for Home Health Aides (HHAs) to assist patients when needed.
• Recommend special supplies and equipment, such as flash cards and computer-aided adaptive equipment.
• Evaluate patients' progress and prepare reports that detail progress. Complete and maintain necessary records.
• Provide patients with assistance in locating and holding jobs.
• Assist Director of Patient Services to formulate agency policies and procedures for speech therapy.
• Participate in departmental and general meetings as needed

Qualifications

• Must have obtained at least a Masters degree in speech-language pathology and/or audiology.
• Must be currently licensed and registered as a Speech Language Pathologist in New York State.
• Fluency in a language other than English, particularly Spanish, will be a plus.
• At least one year experience in Home Care.