What makes Newport County Speech Therapy different?

At Newport County Speech Therapy, therapy is individualized, play-based, and family-centered. I prioritize building strong relationships with children and caregivers while creating meaningful goals that support communication in everyday life. My goal is to make families feel supported, informed, and confident throughout the therapy process.

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Do you accept insurance?

 

Newport County Speech Therapy currently accepts Bluecross Blueshield of Rhode Island, Aetna, Mass General Brigham Health Plans, and MassHealth  and offer private pay options. If you are unsure about coverage, I’m happy to help walk you through the process and answer questions before scheduling.

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What forms of payment do you accept?

 

We accept cash, check, and credit cards.

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Why might my child need services?

Children develop speech and language skills at different rates, but some children may benefit from pediatric speech therapy to help them communicate effectively and confidently. Your child may benefit from a speech and language evaluation if they are not meeting communication milestones, have a speech delay, are difficult to understand, have trouble expressing their wants and needs, struggle to understand spoken language, or experience challenges with social communication.

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Speech therapy can help children with articulation disorders, speech sound disorders, language delays, receptive and expressive language difficulties, autism spectrum disorder, stuttering, AAC (Augmentative and Alternative Communication) needs, and feeding or swallowing concerns. Early identification and intervention can support communication development and improve success at home, school, and in the community.

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At Newport County Speech Therapy, we provide individualized pediatric speech therapy, language therapy, AAC evaluations, and feeding therapy for children in Bristol, Warren, Barrington, Portsmouth, Tiverton, Middletown, Newport, and surrounding Rhode Island communities.

If you are concerned about your child's speech, language, feeding, or communication development, contact us to learn more about scheduling a speech and language evaluation.

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​Language Evaluation

A language evaluation may be helpful if your child:

• Is not talking as much as other children their age

• Has difficulty following directions or answering questions

• Uses short, unclear, or hard-to-understand sentences

Some families also choose a language evaluation simply because they want reassurance that their child’s language development is on track.

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Speech Evaluation

Children may benefit from a speech evaluation if they have difficulty being understood or expressing themselves clearly. While every child develops at their own pace, speech therapy can be helpful when communication challenges begin to impact learning, social interactions, or daily life.

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AAC Evaluation

An AAC evaluation may be appropriate if your child:

• Uses very few words or is not yet talking

• Becomes frustrated when others do not understand them

• Relies mostly on gestures, pointing, or sounds to communicate

• Has tried speech therapy but still needs additional ways to express themselves

AAC evaluations are also helpful for families who want to explore whether a communication device or system could support their child’s communication.

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What is an AAC evaluation?

An AAC (Augmentative & Alternative Communication) evaluation is designed for individuals who may benefit from additional communication tools, such as a speech-generating device, picture-based system, or communication app.

During the evaluation, we will:

• Learn about your child’s current communication skills and needs

• Explore a variety of AAC tools and access methods

• Trial devices to determine what feels functional and motivating

• Identify the best-fit system for communication success

• Guide families through insurance considerations, paperwork, and vendor coordination

The goal is to provide a communication system that supports your child right now while allowing room for growth.

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What is a speech sound evaluation?

A speech sound evaluation helps us understand how clearly your child produces speech sounds. We assess both the sounds your child can already produce and those that are still developing, as well as how speech patterns affect overall intelligibility.

A speech sound evaluation may include assessment of:

• Articulation (specific sounds such as “r,” “s,” or “th”)

• Phonological patterns (sound substitutions or omissions)

• Motor planning and coordination of speech movements

• Overall speech clarity and intelligibility

You will receive a clear explanation of your child’s strengths, areas to target, and a personalized therapy plan.

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What is included in a language evaluation?

A language evaluation examines how your child communicates across daily routines, including both expressive and receptive language skills.

Areas assessed may include:

• Vocabulary development

• Sentence structure and grammar

• Following directions and comprehension

• Play skills and social communication

• Functional communication at home, school, and in the community

You will receive a detailed summary of your child’s strengths, areas of need, and recommended next steps, along with a personalized plan to support language growth.

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Where are services provided?

 

Depending on your insurance, in office or via Telehealth.  

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Do I need a referral from a doctor?

Referral requirements vary depending on your insurance plan. Some insurance plans require a referral or prescription from your child's physician before speech therapy services can begin, while others do not.

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If you are using private pay and do not plan to submit claims for reimbursement, a referral is generally not required.

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If you plan to use health insurance benefits or submit a superbill for possible reimbursement, we recommend contacting your insurance provider to verify their specific requirements. Our office is also happy to help guide you through the process and determine whether a referral is needed for your child's speech and language evaluation or speech therapy services.