Scheduling – To initiate services in our clinic, call the clinic office to make an appointment and to receive the necessary forms. The clinic office can be reached at 706.542-4598 Monday through Friday between the hours of 8:30-5:00. If you reach our answering machine, please leave a message and someone will get back to you as soon as possible.
- We are open year-round and schedule evaluation/diagnostic appointments at any time of the year. Scheduling for therapy services takes place at the beginning of each semester, typically early January, early June and mid August.
- When an individual initiates services with the Clinic, an evaluation is usually scheduled to determine the need and/or nature of treatment. Appointments are scheduled into weekly time slots for the various clinics (pediatric audiology, adult/geriatric audiology, pediatric speech & language, adult/geriatric speech & language).
Evaluation – The evaluation may be completed in one session (usually two – three hours) or may take an additional session, depending on the client and nature of the problem. The process typically involves:
- Completion of a questionnaire by the client, parent/caregiver, and teacher, if needed, to provide background information about the client,
- A conference before the evaluation to obtain any additional information that the clinician may need and to answer client or parent questions about the evaluation, and
- A conference after the evaluation is completed. Following the evaluation, the clinical supervisor and graduate clinician meet with the client and/or parent(s) to discuss the results and recommendations and to answer questions. If further services are recommended and desired in our clinic, the supervisor can direct the client through the process for scheduling treatment.
Treatment
- Parents or family members may observe therapy sessions, if approved by the supervisor. Due to confidentiality regulations required by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), there may be some restrictions on observations to protect your privacy and that of our other clients; however, your supervisor will ensure that you are able to observe as much as possible.
- At the beginning of treatment each semester, the semester treatment plan is discussed with the client/parent to provide an opportunity to collaborate with the clinician in setting the goals and education about the treatment goals that are recommended.
- At any time during the treatment process, the client/parent can ask questions, make suggestions, and review their file. Although the client/parent has open access to this information, we keep files and client information strictly confidential. It should be noted that since we are a training facility, other CMSD students might at times observe treatment, unless the client requests that they not be observed. Please see the Notice of Health Information Privacy Practices for more information about your rights to privacy.
- A progress report is provided at the end of the semester, and treatment results are discussed with the client/parent.
- Consultation with CMSD research/teaching faculty is also available within the clinic. Speak to your clinical supervisor if you are interested in consulting with the research/teaching faculty person most closely associated with your needs.
- Research activities may be available that are associated with clinic services. Participation in research activities is typically free to the client and clients are not involved in research activities without their knowledge and authorization. If you are interested in learning more about the research activities in CMSD, please speak with your clinical supervisor.