Leadership
Statement of Problem:
For individuals who are in need of an Alternative Augmentative Communication (AAC) Device the process to qualify for one can be incredibly time consuming, often with no guarantee of receiving one if your insurance is not willing to cover it. While prices range depending on the type of device and the software on it, devices usually range anywhere from $5500-$10,000 (PRC-Saltillo Store). This unfortunately just not a realistic price for many individuals and families who are need. Looking specifically at pediatric patients, there is an estimated "23.8%–33.3% of children with ASD at age 9 years may benefit from the use of AAC" according to the American Speech and Hearing Association (ASHA) Journal. The timeline to qualify for a device can be 6 months to even a year, and that is after you have been able to receive a recommendation through a speech-language pathologist so that if you have insurance or medicaid you are able to have some of the costs accounted for. If not you are left having to pay for the device out of pocket. There needs to be a more efficient way of providing pediatric clients an AAC device so they can begin learning and utilizing it as much as possible, ultimately improving their quality of life.
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Fortunately, since working at Prisma, I have seen a multitude of ways that this process can be streamlined and how the University of South Carolina can further influence positive change in this realm. Beginning with the qualifications for an AAC device, often times speech-language pathologists (SLP) are having to act also as advocates for their patients/clients with insurance agencies and government welfare programs, which can be very time consuming for a profession that already is already in high demand and short staffed. To alleviate some of this stress that exists both for clients, their families, and the SLPs during the qualification process, insurance agencies should be able to qualify the recommendation of an SLP and the assessment administered during the evaluation to determine that the individual will receive coverage. Not every individual receives coverage from insurance or Medicare/Medicaid, so to help provide individuals in this circumstance with a device the University of South Carolina should bring to our campus "CommunicAID" which is a non-profit that many other schools participate in, where members raise funds to provide a device for those in need.
Overview of Solution
Detailed Plan
1
Reach Out to State Level Insurance Agency BlueCross BlueShield
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To ensure that insurance agencies are educated on the invisible disability and how non-verbal individuals are impacted by the lack of coverage they may receive.
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This will be accomplished through ASHA Programming Education which implementation will be a part of the onboarding of new employees.
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Additionally, the number of auto generated insurance claims continues to increase as AI becomes more prevalent. Unfortunately, for disabilities that are difficult to quantify, that has also increased the number of issued denials.
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Below is my essay that I wrote for Introduction to Professional Writing: ENGL 363, which does a deeper analysis of this issue.​
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2
Implement CommunicAID Program on USC Campus
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CommunicAID is a non-profit that was founded in Atlanta, GA in 2012 that has a mission of providing individuals with alternative communication needs with devices.
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As of right now the only universities who participate in CommunicAID are the University of Georgia and Georgia State University.
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We could bring CommunicAID to our campus especially given our highly ranked Communication Sciences and Disorders Graduate Program.
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This would start by being advertised within the graduate program itself, encouraging each member of the cohort (which is only around 35 people per class) to be a part in the CommunicAID efforts.
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Fundraising could begin with tabling on Greene Street with simple efforts like bake sales, pie a member, or activities that inspire those who are able to communicate verbally to become educated about the benefits of an AAC device.
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From the graduate program we could then encourage members of the SLPAIG Club here on campus for undergraduate students to participate in fundraising efforts and events which could go towards their service "points" for each semester.
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Finally, we could partner with Prisma Richland's Children's Hospital to start a raffle for those in need of a device, with the funds raised, and donate devices to the winners.
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Below is the link to UGA's website discussing more about what fundraising through CommunicAID looks like.
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3
Bring back the COMD Minor
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A large portion of the reasoning behind why there are so many individuals in need of devices or speech therapy services, and they are unable to obtain them, is due to a lack of education in the field, and the increase in need for SLP professionals.
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The University of South Carolina has a very competitive, highly ranked, graduate program for SLP; however, we do not offer an undergraduate major or minor to obtain the prerequisites for the graduate program.
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We used to offer a minor in COMD, but due to "lack of interest" do not anymore. Based on at least my experience over the past year preparing to apply to graduate school, that does not appear to be the case any longer.
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I would start by sending interest forms out to the presidents of clubs and organizations on campus to obtain data about the number of students who plan to pursue a graduate degree in SLP.
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From there, if the numbers were high enough I would send the data to the graduate program director here on campus to show the earnest interest in this program, and that we as a university are doing a disservice to the profession by not offering an undergraduate option to begin preparing for graduate school.
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Also, by having the option of a minor, those who may be undecided about it, can begin to take some courses to start to get an idea of what the job would entail.
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This would likely increase the number of undergraduates coming from USC who would potentially end up working as an SLP, expanding the available employees in this field, and lowering the incredibly high demand; thus, allowing for those who are in need of devices or additional care to receive it more promptly.
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Below is a link to our graduate program website​
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