Therapy services for selective mutism come with a price tag. I don’t know if this is true for all countries but in the US where I am healthcare comes at a cost. This was definitely something that caused me to lose sleep when I started looking into therapy options.
We got an overview of the costs as part of the introduction to therapy services and I nearly panicked when I saw how much it cost. Not because it felt like a waste of money but like I mentioned, healthcare in the US is expensive. At the time we had two children in daycare full time, so funding the therapy was another huge expense.
In our case, the therapist don’t accept insurance. Instead we have to pay each month and then get a bill that we can then submit to health insurance for potential reimbursement. It all depends on what other medical situations we have going on in a given year, whether or not any of it actually gets refunded, It is based on where we are in the process of meeting our deductible. Even if we don’t think we will get any reimbursement for a bill, I always submit them to insurance because it at least counts toward our deductible and may save us money on medical expenses later on in the year.
Even though the cost is steep it is worth the price for us. I say that knowing we are incredibly privileged to be able to afford this. We have seen such progress in my son. Watching his confidence grow over the year and a half we have been in therapy has truly been one of the best parts of being a mom.
Ways to make it more affordable
There are some ways to help make therapy more affordable. The organization that we go through has a sliding scale option. We weren’t sure if we qualify. We applied anyway and were approved for a reduced rate. Any savings is helpful. I recommend asking any potential therapists about this option in case it exists. If it does, apply regardless of your income. The worst they are going to say is you don’t qualify.
I know there are organizations out there that have scholarships or grants you can apply for you and your child to attend therapeutic events. These include camps and intensive sessions. Child Mind Institute and SMart Center are two that offer grants and scholarships.
What to do if affording therapy is not an option
Even with looking into the cost savings measures, therapy may not be a viable option for some people. There are still some great resources out there that can help.
I mentioned in last week’s post that I find the therapy to be just as helpful to me to learn the best ways to support my son. I was admittedly in the cycle of negative reinforcement rescuing him when he wouldn’t speak. My favorite resource for all sorts of great information is the Selective Mutism Association. They have tons of free videos and resources that you can get to learn about the best ways to help support your kid. This helps achieve some of the benefits of therapy. There are other great resources out there. I have linked to a few in my post about defining Selective Mutism.
I’d love to hear in the comments other people’s experiences. What is the cost of Selective Mutism outside of the US? How have others found ways to make the cost of therapy in the US more affordable?