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Speech Therapy Employment Opportunity

Children Speech Care Recruitment Center

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Speech and Language Pathologist Job Description

Contact us:
3521 Lomita Blvd, Ste 201
Torrance, California 90505 (located in the South Bay area in Los Angeles County)
Phone 310 856-8528
Fax 310 856-8532
www.childspeech.net

If you are interested in joining our team after reading the following, please send your resume or contact Lynne Alba at lynne@childspeech.net. You may also contact Lynne by calling the number above.

We brought you to our home page so you could take a video tour of the facilities and get a complete overview of who we are and what we do. When you are finished with this section, please click the button at the end to return to the video screen.
We suggest you read the entire text of this document to get an overall and complete view of what we offer, however, if there are items of special interest to you simply click on the bulleted heading and the topic will instantly be displayed.

Thank you for taking the time to visit us. Just by coming here we know that you are interested in the added “Career Value” that only a Private Clinical Practice can provide you.


Choosing the Right Setting to Practice

The majority of Speech/Language Pathologists work in the schools.Some other settings include hospitals, outpatient care facilities, skilled nursing facilities and the State or Federal governments. A small percentage work in private practice.

While we understand that each of these settings has its own appeal and benefits, private practices, in our opinion, can offer a far richer “Career Value.”


Career Value

Just exactly what is “Career Value?” It is your career experience practiced in an environment, which provides the optimal return on your educational investment and need to serve the “caring” field that you have chosen in the best possible environment for both you and your patients. This environment should be one that uniquely suits you and your expectations for patient care.

Simply put it is the measure of optimal professional, personal and financial enrichment.

We know you are looking for two very important conditions from your place of employment, whether you are an experienced clinician or a CF just getting started. You want a place where your can experience your career in a truly meaningful way while at the same time enjoy the financial rewards your experience and education have earned you.

We believe that, on balance, a private practice is where these two elements most closely can be realized.


What Makes A Private Practice Setting Unique?

The very fact that you have chosen to visit this site indicates that you are interested in the Private Practice setting. We appreciate that and would like to clarify what we believe are the benefits of this choice.

We find that most therapists initially enter the “caring profession” because they are caring people seeking to help others. There are many ways a Private Practice suits this extraordinary goal.

A Private Practice affords a great deal of one-to-one, or individual therapy. There is an abundant amount of clinical literature that speaks to the benefits of individual therapy and how it is the optimal delivery model for may types of patients with speech/language disorders. It also allows for close work with parents/caregivers and family members to help a patient move forward and reach their goals.

In a Private Practice there is great opportunity to establish long-term relationships with patients and their families. Patients, of course, have varying degrees of disabilities and needs, but therapy is frequently a long-term commitment and many families are dedicated to the process.

Private practices such as our own have a high degree of family involvement and parent participation. You”ll find that we have wonderful, enthusiastic families committed to long-term care and to carrying out therapy activities and recommendations in their home and community to ensure the best success for their child(ren). We include families in therapy, when appropriate, especially for children in the early intervention category, and always provide parent education. This allows parents and families to learn activities and important techniques to improve their own interaction with their child as well as ways to help generalize their child’s therapy gains.

Additionally, in our practice, we have established a “Co-Treatment” program whereby a clinician can join the primary therapist for a portion of their session to observe and/or interact in the treatment of their patient. We have found that there are a number of exciting benefits to this program. For one, a patient receives the benefit of having additional clinician(s) to exchange ideas, provide a second opinion and/or give assistance. Another benefit is that therapists enjoy the opportunity to learn new methods and techniques, use of novel materials, and new ways to use old materials. Therapists are also excited to be able to observe patients with etiologies, symptoms or disorders, which they, perhaps, do not have on their caseload.

Our practice also allows for flexibility in our treatment paradigms. For example, on occasion and as is appropriate, two clinicians may get together with their individual patients for part of a session to facilitate certain goals or add a social component into therapy for which we specifically train. As you can imagine this provides a much richer environment for your patient than they might otherwise experience. This paradigm is not considered group therapy since each child has his or her own clinician present.


Other Features Of Our Private Practice

Another important and critical consideration is that a private facility, such as ours, can afford greater flexibility in obtaining treatment materials since they are not required to depend on committees or government funding to purchase appropriate materials and in the quantities needed.Our clinic provides over 2000 therapy books and materials, children’s books, games, speech/language and learning CDs and toys for your use. It is not unusual for us to purchase specific therapy material for just a single child, when needed. Further, we typically have the most up-to-date testing material available. This extensive library is constantly being updated.

Our practice also has a number of computers, with separate computers for administrative duties, such as writing reports, and therapy. Each individual therapy room has a computer that can be used for learning programs and CDs as well as administrative work. They are also equipped with an internet connection so the Web is just a click away from helping a child.

Therapy rooms are specifically designed to enhance treatment. They are not general office spaces. These rooms are designed with the pediatric population in mind. We also have specialty rooms designed for specific purposes. There are specific treatment rooms for Adolescents/Adults, Small Group Therapy, Representational Play, and Sensory- Motor Play.

Another feature that you will find useful is our fully video equipped facility. Each treatment room has the ability to videotape a session. This concept was originally created based on a particular preschooler who, when his session was recorded, would take the video home, watch it and practice his speech along with the video (this was wonderful especially in light of the fact that he had verbal dyspraxia). Clinicians can, if they see it as appropriate and with parent consent, videotape for many reasons such as mentioned above or, for example, for recording progress, reviewing your own session (for example, a diagnostic session), providing training for parents, providing feedback for your patient, providing training for other staff members, and use for review by other professionals working with your patient.
Our clinic even maintains a small but colorful menagerie of small animals that provides reward and interest for children and their families. We find this an extremely enriching experience for our patients.

All of these features can be viewed on one of the videos provided on our home page of this site. These videos are also a great way for parents to get acquainted with our facility prior to coming in to see us. Your personal clinical biography will also be posted on our extensive site so parents can get to know you and your credentials.


Compensation

This is a serious consideration for every working person who must earn a living. Any organization looking to hire competent staff must offer a competitive salary; if they don’t, they simply will not be able to attract or keep staff successfully.

The shortage of qualified clinicians is a matter of record and is no surprise to anyone entering the field or to potential employers. We address this issue in an open and direct manner.

If you have not received an offer, we would be happy to provide a figure for serious candidates. We base salaries on number of years in the field, experience and areas of expertise. We only ask that if you receive a better offer, we be given a chance to negotiate in response to that offer.

Our basis for establishing salary rates are: 1) our experience with other candidates and 2) our constant review of the market place and salary surveys (as can be found through professional organizations and online) at the time we are seeking candidates.

Candidates frequently want to know what their take-home” pay will be. That can only be answered according to each individual “personal financial situation. Take-home pay is based on a number of separate factors such as the number of dependents you will claim, the state taxes due in whatever state you are employed, your personal investments, home ownership, other deductions you may have and other issues. However, one way we try to help a candidate determine this is by providing a very detailed accounting of every dollar you will earn with us. This is presented in a proprietary computer program that computes your direct salary, the value of all the additional benefits you will earn with us, and all the state and federal programs that will be paid on your behalf.This will include Social Security, Workman’s Compensation Insurance, etc.

Private companies pay about 15% more than the face value of your salary to various agencies on your behalf. This means that if, for example, you are being paid $50,000.00 (for illustration purposes only) per year, your employer will pay an additional $7,500.00 on your behalf.

Additionally, We will pay a CF’s initial certification as well as the first year’s license fee for your RPE.


Health Benefits

Another topic candidates frequently inquired about is Health Insurance. We offer HMO or PPO health insurance. We will pay for 75% the monthly premium of the HMO plan. You may choose the PPO plan however, we do not participate in that addition premium cost of this plan. If you choose this added benefit we will pay 75% of the HMO cost and you would pay the differential of the added cost of the PPO program. The premium cost is based on your age and location of residence.

We also provide HMO dental insurance and will cover this 100%. Again, you may choose the PPO Dental program on the same basis as our Health Insurance Package. Optional Eye coverage is also available.

The state of California requires that you be employed for one full month to be eligible for health insurance. Beyond this required month, there is no additional waiting period to be eligible.

Regarding time off for health reasons, we provide the following. (1) You receive three paid sick days as a matter of routine. If circumstances require additional days, we will be happy to sit down on a case-by-case basis and extend the number of paid sick days, as appropriate. (2) We also provide seven personal paid days off. You can take these days for whatever reason you need. Sometimes we refer to them as mental health days.


Time Off From Work

There is no waiting period to take time off. We have this policy because we often find that candidates who join us have long-standing plans to take time off for a scheduled vacation or family event. Vacation time is calculated on a weekly basis but may be taken when needed. We do ask that you be responsible for “coverage” so your patents will not go untreated during your absence. Our operational staff is always able to help you find coverage.

You are entitled to two weeks paid vacation. We also honor the traditional seven national holidays: New Years Day, Memorial Day, The Fourth of July, Labor Day, Thanksgiving and the day after, and Christmas day.

Altogether you will be afforded 27 paid days off per year. A working year is 260 workdays long, so you will work 233 days, which is 10.75 working months per year (we have broken this down for you because we have been asked about this issue from previous candidates)..

Other time off includes a specified amount for jury duty as well as bereavement should unfortunate circumstances necessitate it.


Other State and Federal Benefits and Other Insurances

The clinic will pay for your Workman’s Compensation Insurance, which is provided over and above health insurance in the event you are injured or become unable to work as a direct result of your employment with the company.

We also provide you with Personal Liability insurance under our company policy. This would be used to protect you in the event that a personal liability claim should arise out of your company clinical involvement with patients.

We will also provide 50% of your Unemployment Compensation Insurance payment.


Continuing Education

Our practice provides for continuing education in two ways.

First, you will attend the weekly staff meeting. This meeting is used for the exchange of information between clinicians concerning on-going cases of interest and it provides a forum for internal and external speakers covering various subjects. We call these lectures in-services. Professionals from other fields or areas of specialty are invited to provide valuable education in a small group setting. This program is valued at $1,600.00 per year and is free to you.

We also offer you a minimum of a once per year (and perhaps more depending on the cost/location of the seminar) outside seminar of your choice. We are committed to lifelong learning and encourage this philosophy for those who work with us.


We Believe in a Meaningful Work/Life Balance Paradigm

We feel that the best clinicians are people who have learned the value of balancing their careers and their personal life.

“Burnout” is a very real phenomenon in the helping professions. We often hear about “burnout” in the Speech and Language profession. Burnout is likely due to exhausting caseloads and extensive paperwork. We feel it is important for an organization to be aware of and respond to these types of trends.

Average caseloads run high in many settings. Coupled with evaluations, reports, meetings, and other required paperwork, it is no wonder that clinicians are wondering how to squeeze it all in.

To combat this issue, our clinic has initiated a number of policies that help alleviate the problem. For one, we have found that by typically holding therapy hours (actual therapy provided) to 28-30 per week and one evaluation every one-two weeks, that our clinicians fare much better and are able to dedicate more time to preparing and reviewing for quality therapy sessions. We also give each clinician a weekly block of time for administrative work, whereby the clinician can count on that time every week to do paperwork, treatment planning, and/or collaborate with family and/or outside professionals from the office or home. This block of time is in the clinician’s hands to spend as is most appropriate for them. In addition, we listen to individual needs. If a clinician needs extra time in a particular week for administrative purposes, we block that time for them. Although the clinic bills less secondary to reduced clinical hours, we feel this paradigm leads to our primary goal, which is to all clinicians to provide substantive therapy that is well planned, organized and executed. As a private organization we are in a unique position to make this concern a priority.

Further, and to the above aim, we have an excellent administrative staff, which assists in patient sign-in, scheduling, phone calls, and therapy clean up. We also have staff who do all the billing. With this assistance a therapist can put more time into their clinical duties.

Another way we have been able to improve the work environment is to provide computerized report examples and templates for written reports. Moreover, if documentation can be completed off-site, our clinicians are free to complete the work at home or wherever is secured and comfortable, as noted above, and use their laptop or home computer. We will provide you with a method of “dialing into our server” as well as provide you access our practice management system from your personal system so documentation can be completed offsite just as easily as it might be at the office. We also have many materials on our server for those who like to peruse different therapy and educational materials and plan ahead.

We also provide you with an e-mail account where you can receive personal or business email whenever the need arises.


Mentoring Program

As an active part of your career planning, we offer a one-to-one comprehensive mentoring program. Everyone (including the owners) are mentored. The program is in addition to any professional training you receive within your specialty.

Mentoring is a professional relationship whereby the mentor helps the mentee form goals and develop specified knowledge and skills which will enhance the mentee’s professional and personal growth. Initially, your mentor will meet with you for 20-30 minutes every two weeks in a private, one-to-one setting. You will have an opportunity to solidify your long and short terms. You are invited to discuss any issues in which you decide you need the advice of a senior person. The program is focused on building a safe learning environment and helping you succeed in life.

This is a wonderful, enriching program which is unique to our clinic.


Supervision and Training

Supervision and training are vital for a successful career no matter what level of experience you have. For therapists in their clinical fellowship year (CF/RPE), it is crucial. We feel it is so important that our two owners personally conduct a great amount of the supervision.

Our President and Founder, Lynne Alba, personally supervises all clinical staff. This supervision includes heading up the weekly staff meetings, providing at least a half hour to one hour of one-on-one meeting time, and offering clinical training, as appropriate, with each clinician on a weekly basis. She also supervises the training of all CFs.

Over the years Lynne has developed an impressive set of credentials in a number of areas and is recognized as a local leader in her field. She is an excellent listener, trainer, diagnostician, and mentor. A number of our alumni have gone on to establish their own private practices after receiving her tutorage.

Bob Alba is our Director of Operations and will take the time to personally train you on every aspect of your operational duties including E-Mail, Intra-Mail, Computer programs particular to our practice and the various forms you will need to completely integrate well into our clinic.

The majority of our paperwork and reporting is now computerized and aids in making life easier for everyone.


Custom Career Plan Program

We are not only interested in you coming to join our practice and provide services; we are interested in your long-term career goals. Within a short time of joining our team, we will begin the process of customizing your career path while you are at the clinic.

We will ask you where your professional goals lie and what we can do to help you reach those goals. This may mean that you have an area of specialty that you would like to pursue. Or it might even mean that you would like to know more about management or computer sciences. You might enjoy working with adults, adolescents or other specific populations. You may have a particular interest in a certain type of disorder. It is possible that you may be interested in research or even publishing case studies.

These things are important to us and we want to be an active part of you reaching whatever goal you have in your professional life.

Each clinician who comes to join us is different and has different goals and dreams, so we want to make sure that we recognize that individuality and support it actively. There are many ways this can be done and all we have to do is explore the possibilities together. We are always interested in investing in education and the acquisition of knowledge. Ours is an excellent setting to be able to conceive of new programs, present them to the team, design them and then make them a reality.


Extra Pay for Project or Program Development

There is no reason why you should not be rewarded for developing programs that profit the clinic. We encourage all our staff to be proactive in devising new projects or programs that will enrich the experience of our patients while at the same time add value or income to the clinic.

When this happen successfully, we feel it is only natural to reward the associate who had put in that extra time and effort with a monitory reward, time off or some other form of benefit.


Paid FBI and DOJ Checks

Since personal security for all of our pediatric patients is so important and vital, we have all associates fingerprinted and FBI and Department of Justice background checked. The clinic will pay for your time during this process as well as for the fees that are due.


The Bottom Line

We know that a private practice setting is not for everyone. For it to be of special value, a candidate must have a predisposition toward working in this type of setting. Our experience is that it is best suited for those that understand the added value that a private practice setting provides for the patient as well as for their own career goals and lifestyle desirers.


Negotiation, it is not over till it is over.

t is important for you to realize that any part of this plan is negotiable. We are flexible and can give and take on issues that are important to both of us. We will be open to discussing all employment features and concerns you bring to the table. A healthy review of any employment opportunity is never complete until all options have been explored thoroughly.

We feel very strongly that, on balance, we offer a unique opportunity for this type of candidate. To summarized, we offer:

Financial Package

  • More than competitive pay
  • Great Medical Benefits and programs
  • A 10.75-month working year
  • Pay for Program Development
  • Paid initial ASHA certification paid as well as first year CA license fee
  • Personal Liability Insurance paid
  • Paid FBI/DOJ background check
  • Paid Educational Plan
  • Free E-mail account
  • On the job illness or injury insurance contribution
  • Social security retirement contribution

Quality of Life Benefits

  • Superior supervision
  • Reasonable caseloads and excellent administrative time
  • One-on-one therapy paradigms as well as small Social Skills and small Toddler Speech/Language groups
  • High parent and family involvement and long term bonded relationships
  • A superior facility, especially designed for a pediatric population
  • Diverse and interesting caseloads
  • Excellent therapy and testing materials
  • A completely computerized facility
  • Great operational support
  • Team Collaboration and Co-Treat Program
  • Great location near all points of interest, great beaches, shopping centers, one of the safest cities in the US
  • Customized Career Plans

 


Part Time Work

Although many of our employees are full time, we do have part time positions that become available. Part-time employees enjoy many of the features of a full time person, as referenced in the sections entitled Choosing the Right Setting to Practice, Career Value, What Makes a Private Practice Setting Unique, Other Features of Our Private Practice, and Supervision and Training. Those who are part-time are paid hourly for clinical intervention, and they are also paid for certain types of administrative tasks (e.g., certain types of meetings, required trainings, and report writing). Please inquire as to the specifics of part-time work when you are interviewed.


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