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1. How old are the children served?
Hand in Hand serves children from infancy through elementary school. The majority of the children we serve are under the age of 10.
2. What types of children do you see?
Hand in Hand serves a wide variety of children, from those with mild articulation or balance issues to severely involved individuals with multiple concerns. Our licensed clinicians are well trained in working with children having many diagnoses, including: autism and related disorders, Down Syndrome, Cerebral Palsy, Spina Bifida, developmental delays, Torticollis, postural disorders, hemiplegia, Guillian-Barre Syndrome, sensory integration disorder, orthopedic injury, speech & language delay, apraxia, dysarthria, stuttering, gross or fine motor delay, hypo-tonia and many more.
3. Do the parents come to sessions, or can I drop my child off?
Parents or care providers are expected to be on-site during intervention sessions. Typically we encourage parents to remain with their children and actively participate in the therapy process. Parent's hands-on involvement in actual training sessions varies according to the child's age and developmental goals. Our goal is to provide parents with the tools they need to incorporate intervention goals at home and in the community. Should parents or care providers leave the site for any reason during a child's session, they must leave a number where they can be reached and return at least 10 minutes before the end of the scheduled treatment time.
4. Can we go to your program if we are clients of Regional Center?
Yes. Hand in Hand is a vendor of North Los Angeles County Regional Center, Tri-Counties Regional Center, Westside Regional Center and Lanterman Regional Center. Through Regional Center we are able to provide Early Intervention services for children ages birth-3 years to address Speech & Language, Physical & Motor, Cognitive & Play, Parent Education & Social-Emotional Development, Feeding, and sensory processing skills. In addition, Regional Center clients may participate in our Social Skills programming for children ages 3-9, with pre-authorization.
5. Do you bill insurance?
Not at this time. Hand in Hand provides detailed invoices that may be submitted to your insurance company for reimbursement. Each insurance company differs, and many require a doctor's prescription and pre-authorization. Hand in Hand provides detailed evaluation reports, as well as periodic progress summaries, along with service and diagnosis codes, intervention plans and goals, which are typically required for insurance reimbursement. Families are encouraged to check with their insurance companies for specific policies. Families are responsible for payment regardless of insurance reimbursement.
6. Do you offer any special rates?
Yes. As a non-profit organization, Hand in Hand is committed to providing quality services to children and families. Families may qualify for scholarship (pending fund availability) or discounted rates under the following circumstances:
The family does not have insurance, or insurance denies reimbursement
The services indicated are denied or not offered by the public school system
Financial need is justified.
7. Are you a NPO (Non-Public Agency)?
No. Hand in Hand is not a designated provider for local school districts, meaning we represent the family, not the school. As an independent agency, we are able to make specific recommendations to families regarding their children's needs across settings, rather than exclusively in regards to the academic setting. Families do have the option of seeking reimbursement for services through the school district with specific pre-authorization written into the IEP. Such authorization typically requires procedures beyond the basic IEP meeting. Families can request a copy of their rights from their local public school, or they can call the Non-Public Agency office of their district for more specific details.
8. Are you a school?
No. Hand in Hand is a therapy center. Children and families may come for an hour a week or multiple time within a week; however, our center is not a "drop off program." Parents are an integral part of the intervention process and are encouraged to participate.
9. How long does therapy take?
The amount of time a child spends in any of our intervention programs varies tremendously based on a number of factors, such as:
Severity of the concerns and diagnosis
Consistency in attendance
Opportunity to practice skills across settings
Health of the child
Length of each session
10. What is Sensory Integration?
Sensory experiences include touch, movement, body awareness, sight, sound, and the pull of gravity. The process of the brain organizing and interpreting this information is called sensory integration. Sensory integration provides a crucial foundation for later, more complex learning and behavior.
For most children, sensory integration develops in the course of ordinary childhood activities. Motor planning ability is a natural outcome of the process, as is the ability to adapt to incoming sensations. But for some children, sensory integration does not develop as efficiently as it should. When the process is disordered, a number of problems in learning, development, or behavior may become evident.
The concept of sensory integration comes from a body of work developed by Jean Ayres, PhD, OTR. As an occupational therapist, Dr. Ayres was interested in the way in which sensory processing and motor planning disorders interfere with daily life function and learning. This theory has been developed and refined by the research of Dr. Ayres, as well as other occupational and physical therapists. In addition, literature from the fields of neuropsychology, neurology, physiology, child development, and psychology has contributed to theory development and intervention strategies.
Note: This information was provided by Sensory Integration International. For more information, contact Sensory Integration International at sensoryint.com or (310) 787-8805.
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