Talkability- Hanen Program at UW Autism Center
This is a group parent training course specifically designed for parents of verbal children (age 3-8) with ASD, see the brochure.
When?
- Tuesdays, 5 – 8:30 PM (8 Weekly group sessions via Zoom with parents)
- TBD (4 individual speech therapy session with your child, in person or via Zoom)
What is the Cost?
- $476 fee for the group sessions. Need-based scholarships are available to cover up to 80% of the cost.
- Individual speech sessions are billed to your insurance. Cost will vary depending on your benefits, deductible, etc.
- A workbook (details below) is needed for the program. A limited number of loaner copies are available.
What is the format of this program?
- Group Sessions – 8 weeks of 2.5-hour group sessions on Friday mornings with you and other parents via Zoom. Caregivers participate in group sessions without their children present. In the group sessions, caregivers are actively engaged in the learning process and course content is individualized to each family.
- Individual Sessions – 3 video feedback consultation sessions with you and your child via Zoom. Parents apply strategies they have learned during the group sessions and have been practicing at home and the speech therapist provides online coaching as needed in order to facilitate the parent’s successful application of program strategies. Kelleen will assess your child’s skills and observe you and your child interacting. The child’s communication goals are reviewed and revised at each consultation and, in collaboration with the parents.
Who is this group for?
Talkability is a parent training program designed for verbal children (ages 4-8) with ASD or social communication difficulties. It focuses specifically on developing social-pragmatic skills. Targets focus on tuning in to the thoughts and feelings of others and helping children to have back-and-forth conversations and build friendships.
Parents learn:
- How your child currently engages in conversation
- The next steps that you can take to help your child have more balanced, back-and-forth conversations
- How to encourage your child to pay attention to the social messages people send non-verbally
- How to talk so your child can tune in to what others are thinking
- How to help your child understand the meanings behind words
- How to help your child tell stories and play imaginatively
- How to help your child make friends
What is the process to get started?
- Contact the patient navigator at uwacpsy@uw.edu
- A free brief 30-minute Zoom screening – Speech Therapist Kelleen Dunley will tell you about the program, and you can tell Kelleen about your child.
- Orientation – if it is a good fit, you will complete an Orientation to the program
- Paperwork – if you would like to continue with the program, you’ll fill out forms from the UW Autism Center and from the Hanen Talkability program.
- Individual Session – your child will complete their first individual session with the speech therapist
- Registration – if you would like to continue with the program, you’ll need to register online and pay the course fee.
- Group Sessions begin – group sessions and individual sessions continue