Everyone has the right to communicate in order to participate in their daily routines and communicate with the people they love! However, there are conditions that can affect an individual’s ability to use their verbal speech and language skills effectively. For these individuals, augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) strategies can be very helpful in providing immediate access to vocabulary so that they can advocate for themselves by conveying their wants, needs and emotions to others.
First Expressions is proud to be in partnership with the Department of Rehabilitation – Voice Options Program. This amazing program provides our speech-language pathologists the humbling opportunity to give children and adults the gift of communication!
Eligible candidates who are unable to speak, or who have difficulty speaking, can obtain a free speech-generating device (SGD). The goal of this program is to ensure full and equal communication accessibility for all Californians with speech and language difficulties.
A Speech-Generating Device through the Voice Options Program would benefit:
- Individuals who are presently nonspeaking due to autism or selective mutism
- Individuals who have limited communication skills as a result of structural or functional conditions that can impact speech and language production. These may include, but are not limited to, childhood apraxia of speech, neurogenic conditions (e.g. stroke and acquired brain injuries), head and neck cancers (e.g. laryngectomy and glossectomy) or neurodegenerative conditions (e.g. Parkinson’s, ALS and dementia)
Below are the following Speech-Generating Applications that can be trialed with the guidance of a speech-language pathologist:
Interested in learning more about the Voice Options Program and the process of getting a free speech-generating device?
Please fill out the following form found here and one of our speech-language pathologists will be in contact with you to schedule a consultation!