Careers

Status: Full-time, 218 contract days

Reports to: Lead EI Therapist

Location: IN Campus/Remote

Summary:

The Early Intervention Therapist provides individual listening and spoken language intervention to young children with hearing loss and their families. Additionally, this position provides support, counseling, and education to parents. These services are provided in the family home, in a limited remote capacity, or other appropriate setting. Families will be supported by the EI Therapist in their development of effective interactions to promote the development of spoken language skills in their young children with hearing loss. The EI Therapist will help children develop the ability to listen and talk through appropriate interactions with parents and others while engaged in play activities and daily routines. This position will assess early communication skills; responses of parents to a child’s attempt to communicate; child’s progress, needs and behaviors.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

· Acts as teacher and coach to the family during each session observing development of child’s communication, response to child’s communication attempts, frequency and quality of family’s attempts to initiate communication with child, and ease or discomfort with hearing aid or other sensory device.

· Develops good rapport with family members, allowing them to become advocates for their child.

· Educates parents about child development, types and degrees of hearing loss and their relationship to communication development.

· Assists parents in developing parenting skills and appropriate behavior management strategies.

· Educates parents about effective strategies for the development of communication in young children with hearing loss.

· Provides information to parents on child development, audition, language and speech development, and other topics.

· Completes assessments and evaluations on infants, toddlers, and children with hearing loss in early communication development.

· Develops therapy plans based on specific long- and short-term goals and objectives for both child and parent. Determines activities to accomplish goals.

· Schedules therapy sessions, establishing frequency and length of sessions and most appropriate setting based on needs of child and family.

· Travels to home, daycare, preschool, or other community setting. Makes suggestions and provides information and input as needed.

· Prepares report of findings and shares same with family and supervisor.

· Collaborates with other therapists, teachers, and other professionals to determine a child’s progress and develop appropriate strategies for development; provides input for IFSP writing.

· Prepares progress reports based on assessment and observation of child development of spoken language and parent/child interaction development.

· Ensures confidentiality of student information following guidelines set forth by SJI HIPAA standards.

· Responsible for timely preparation of attendance and monthly reports for First Steps and other third-party payers.

· Responsible for preparation of other special reports as requested and required.

· Attends faculty, department meetings, as well as other meetings as requested by department Lead or Executive Director.

· Actively participates in program meetings with other staff.

· Maintains professional standards and growth through attendance at workshops, participation in appropriate professional development opportunities and reading professional literature.

· Is an active participant in presentations and/or workshops promoting professional development of others.

· Keeps abreast of current research and best practice in early intervention.

· Collaborates with department to ensure that current best practices are implemented.

· Performs other duties related to the program as requested.

Education, Training and/or Experience

· Master’s degree in Deaf Education, Speech Language Pathology, Audiology, or a related field required.

· Must hold Listening and Spoken Language Specialist Certification (AVT/AVEd) or be eligible for LSLS mentorship.

· Teacher certification by residing state or certification by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association and hold a residential state License in Speech/Language Pathology or be eligible for same under the appropriate state law.

· Maintains credential requirements for First Steps.

· Minimum of two years of professional experience with children who are deaf or hard of hearing and should have experience in providing therapy to children with cochlear implants.

· Scope of experience may include both professional experience and experience obtained during clinical practicum.

· Must demonstrate a desire for ongoing professional development.

· Strong passion for promoting Listening and Spoken Language initiatives.

· Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.

· Intermediate to advanced level of knowledge and experience using MS Office programs, videoconferencing platforms including Teams; the ability to learn and use proprietary non-profit software, web-based programs and databases related to job responsibilities.

· Ability to work independently and as part of a team.

Physical Demands

· Ability to sit for extended periods of time and to move intermittently throughout the workday.

· Ability to drive daily to off-site service locations.

· Ability to operate office equipment, including computers, copiers, fax machines, and phones.

· Ability to lift up to 20 pounds.

Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO)

St. Joseph Hearing + Speech is an equal employment employer.