The speech therapist at Strive Online (telepractice) Speech-Language Therapy provides the following information to clients needing speech therapy.

Legal Notice and Disclaimer and Other Relevant Information

​

 

We do not take payment by credit cards or ask you for your banking information. Don't fall prey to scam artists.

 

Strive aims to get back to people inquiring about service. Keep in mind that there may be many people contacting to ask for information. If you have not heard back, please first try contacting again. Strive is not liable if clients feel that they have not been contacted or contacted within an expected time frame.

​

Strive Online Speech and Language Therapy or its staff/owner/professionals do not guarantee progress or absence of regression. Some disorders/difficulties are difficult to treat. Other disorders/syndromes may have a course of regression. All therapy strategies are focused toward progress but no warranties are expressed or implied. 

 

If you are outside of Alberta, and phone us, leave an email address in addition to a phone number. In most cases the email reply will be used. Presently, we just see clients residing in Alberta.

 

When you email to ask or enquire about services/therapy, please do not send personal identifying information (i.e., birthdate or other formal personal identification) in that email. 

​

View our session cancellation policy on the Rate page before signing up for sessions.

​

We suggest that if you have a concern in the area of speech and/or language, you have your hearing checked. There may be health centres in Alberta that provides free hearing tests for ages 0-18. If an adult is looking for a hearing test he/she may need to see an Audiologist in private practice. 

​

Your name, speech/language difficulty, and date/amount of money paid for sessions are included on the receipt. Date of birth is not listed. You choose an option for delivery of this receipt. You assume all liability and risks for the method you chose for delivery/transit to receive the receipt. You will receive your receipt after you complete the session because if you are submitting your receipt to a medical insurance company they will need to know that you attended the session. 

 

We find that people do not have an email inbox that is encrypted or guaranteed 100% secure. Even if agencies have email encrypted while it is traveling to clients, it can still be accessed by someone gaining access to an inbox. We can list homework as "This is the homework" or we can use a code. If you are not willing to be responsible and liable for any risks to confidentiality using email, inform us and we will use regular mail or fax. 

 

Currently Shelley Little has a practice permit through ACSLPA. Clients within Alberta looking for private speech therapy would need to also see a speech therapist within Alberta. For example, if you live in BC they would not provide reimbursement if you see a speech therapist from Alberta. Clients need to be residents of Alberta.  Your address will be written down in the file. Please be advised that we are indicating that it is not STRIVE's job to prove you are residents of Alberta. If you have provided a false address it is not our job to verify it. If you seek reimbursement from a work benefit plan, they will check the receipt to make sure that the speech therapist is registered within the province that the client is considered to be a resident of that year.  A false address would most likely lead to lack of reimbursement if you are applying for reimbursement.  

 

For clients working on speech sounds, in terms of acquiring a speech sound, you will not typically notice any difference at the conversation level until work from various contexts and levels are acquired first. There are similar steps for other treatment areas. We will let you know when we have reached the conversation level. 

 

It is ideal to have a parent, other family member, or adult available for homework practice to give information to the client on whether the target sound or language structure was correct or getting closer. Younger clients may have difficulty knowing if their sound or language structure was correct on their own. 

 

Typically when speech-language pathologists offer speech/language therapy to children in an office setting, it is not without a parent/assistant in the room or at a viewing window. If children are engaged in online therapy, the computer should be in a location where adult family/school members could supervise. Please make sure that your child is not online in isolation or isolated behind a closed door.

 

Therapy notes/directions and pictures are to be used with Strive Online Speech and Language Therapy clients and are not to be passed on to be used with other people who are not Strive Online Speech clients/guardians/school client. Pictures are not sold on this site or given a dollar value. Pictures obtained on this site are also not for resale. Worksheets are not to be uploaded to blogs or other Internet sites. Voice recordings of the speech therapist are not to be shared or posted/uploaded to the public/others.

 

Strive Online Speech and Language Therapy works on speech and language activities for clients who feel they may benefit from speech and or language activities. We base goals using any of the following methods: observations, language samples, articulation (consonant/vowels) probes, and conversation samples. Strive Online Speech and Language Therapy staff do not diagnose language delays with percentiles. The formal or standardized tests listing percentiles with specific designated picture manuals and or objects that are often used to qualify preschool kids for programs are typically administered in person rather than online. See ASAPP for a list of SLPs in your area or contact your local health unit if you need an assessment indicating percentiles.

 

Foster parents may not be legal guardians and may require the legal guardian (e.g. might be a social worker who is the guardian) to provide written consent.

​

If the school contracts service for a client, the parents/guardians will still need to sign an informed consent form.

​

Major banking websites often provide information on how to avoid phishing and pharming scams, which is excellent information for any computer user. Pharming is when hackers use a malicious code on you computer to send you to a fake website. In addition, most organizations caution people not to click on a link in an email. When possible google and go directly to your familiar sites (i.e., itunes, google accounts email providers etc.) rather than clicking on a link. Clients should educate themselves on Internet fraud. It is known that unscrupulous people attempt to take over email accounts, or design email accounts to look similar to others. If you see something suspicious or out of the ordinary in terms of payment or an email, phone the appropriate site (i.e., your email provider, or your payment site), and contact by the phone number listed on the Strive website (403 227 5132, 403 350 0345). If you are suspicious, trust your instincts.

 

One would think it might be unlikely anyone would be interested in online speech and language therapy. If hacking ever resulted in public viewing of your video/information and that result would be too upsetting for you, then it is recommended you choose services that are not online. Though video conference methods list measures they put in place to keep information confidential, we feel that no technology can be guaranteed to be 100% secure. If you choose online speech therapy with us you are agreeing that Strive Online Speech and Language Therapy/owner/professionals will not be liable or responsible for any possible risks. If you request a program that is not our preferred video conference method, please research confidentiality, encryption standards to make sure you are aware and comfortable with any confidentiality risks. The staff at Strive Online Speech-Language Therapy are not liable in any way for any problems incurred using an online method.  

 

Be advised that the practice permit guidelines have certain standards; such as the length of time we must keep your memory stick file or paper file once treatment is completed. This allows you to contact us for a specific time frame once treatment is finished for you to attain a copy of your update/report if you lose your copy. Contact us if you have questions about this. Once the designated time has lapsed, your file/memory stick will be permanently deleted. It is always best if you keep copies of your documents and place them in a safe place. 

 

If the school contracts us for service, keep all information from us in a secure place. Do not share our reports/information beyond the school setting without parents/guardians' written consent.

 

Strive Online Speech and Language Therapy/staff/owner/professionals take no responsibility or liability for a problem with content, information, breached confidentiality associated with any other site (i.e.,  banking site, your requested method for teleconferencing, email or Internet providers, phone/text information. Read the front page at your banking site. Some banks indicate they are not liable unless you have downloaded Trusteer Rapport. 

​

Strive clients agree not to engage in legal action against related sites/businesses such as teleconferencing sites regarding business with Strive Online Speech Language Therapy. Again, it is our belief that you can not give a 100% safety and confidentiality guarantee for any technology service (videoconference, email, texting, phone communication, computer, mail).  

​

Strive clients assume any risks in technology or communication (videoconference, email, texting, phone communication, computer, mail) and agree not to engage in legal action against Strive Online Speech Language Therapy/Shelley Little.

​

Please be aware of limitations that exist for online activities. An online service is limited to what you can see. There is no way to feel around in the mouth. If you are needing structures evaluated inside of the mouth you would ask your doctor, dentist, orthodontist or ENT (Ear Nose and Throat Specialist) to assess those areas. For example, clients in the area of voice management might need to ask a doctor if an ENT assessment may be beneficial to take a look at the vocal folds. If tongue thrust is an issue it's best to have your doctor, dentist or orthodontist confirm that other than the placement of the teeth, that there is nothing out of the ordinary for the structures in the mouth.

​

Strive Online Speech and Language Therapy/staff/owner/professionals take no responsibility or liability for any computer related viruses, breakdowns, wear and tear of equipment or programs.

​

Remember to view your call display. Our phone number should not show up as an international number generated by an app. 

 

Remember that people can design email headings to look like businesses. Use caution if something seems suspicious. 

 

I recommend clients consider turning off their remote access on their computer. It seems like a possible risk. However, you should check with whoever you use for IT support to decide what is best for you. 

 

We aim to please our clients. Individual clients may discontinue at any time.  We fully understand that wants/needs, family situations and resources can change. A client will not be reimbursed for a session that they have completed. If clients do not give notice (no show) they won't be reimbursed for the session. 

​

This is a fee for service business. Be advised that there may be free services in your area that you may explore, such as in schools, health clinics, or hospitals.

​

Materials on this public Internet website may not be reproduced, copied, saved, published, disseminated, or transferred. They may not be used to generate another person's website. All rights reserved. 

​

The consent form will have you initial that you agree to the information and risks outlined in this disclaimer page before we will accept you as a client. If you do not agree to the information on this page, you may continue to look for services with other providers. 

​

Please contact us if you have any concerns or feel you have suggestions to improve our service. We want your sessions to be a positive experience. 

 

​