How to apply for speech therapy
There are several routes to speech therapy. Kela, the Wellbeing Services County of Southwest Finland or an insurance company may pay for the rehabilitation. If you pay yourself, you can become a client without a referral.
Kela's demanding medical rehabilitation
Kela's demanding medical rehabilitation is intended for clients who have a significant rehabilitation need caused by an illness or disability. Rehabilitation is free of charge to the client, and Kela also reimburses travel costs.
1. Contact public healthcare
Tell the doctor about the difficulties you see in your child's speech, language or communication development, or about your own symptoms. Once the rehabilitation need has been assessed, the doctor draws up a rehabilitation plan or a B statement that recommends speech therapy and describes its goals.
2. Apply to Kela
Apply for rehabilitation with Kela's form KU 104. The application can be sent in OmaKela, and for a minor child a guardian applies on their behalf. Attach the rehabilitation plan or B statement.
3. Choose a service provider
After a positive decision you choose a provider in Kela's provider search. Puheapaja is a Kela-approved provider in the Southwest Finland area. Contact me by phone or email and we'll agree on the start together.
Through the Wellbeing Services County of Southwest Finland
You can also apply for speech therapy through the Wellbeing Services County of Southwest Finland. Contact the healthcare services in your area, where the rehabilitation need is assessed. They can refer you to a private provider with a service voucher or a payment commitment. Once you have the payment commitment or voucher, you can contact me directly.
Remember to ask about service vouchers and purchased services
You have the right to be informed about all available care options. If the wellbeing services county uses service vouchers or purchases services from the private sector, a healthcare professional must tell you about them, even if a voucher would not be offered to you in particular. This right is based on the Act on the Status and Rights of Patients. If you have not been given information about the different options, you can ask the treating party directly.
Self-paying client
You can always come to speech therapy without a referral or a decision. If you are worried about your child's speech, language or communication development, or about your own functioning, feel free to get in touch. I'm happy to tell you more and we can see together how I can help.
Through an insurance company
If you are entitled to speech therapy through an insurance company, first agree on reimbursement with your own insurer and then contact me directly.
Let's work out together how you get to therapy
There are several routes to speech therapy. Feel free to ask if you don't know which suits your situation or how applying for rehabilitation proceeds.