The Power of a Personalized Approach: Emily Rodriguez’s Vision for the Integration of Pediatric Speech Therapy and Behavioral Health

April 10, 2024

Meet Emily Rodriguez, a Doctor of Behavioral Health (DBH) candidate at Cummings Graduate Institute for Behavioral Health Studies and a dedicated pediatric speech-language pathologist (SLP). Specializing in children aged 2 to 5, Emily serves as a beacon of support for families navigating the complexities of childhood diagnoses. With the majority of her clients being 2-year-old toddlers, Emily is often the first point of contact for parents grappling with a recent diagnosis for their child. Her expertise in providing comprehensive assessments and tailored recommendations, ensures each child receives the individualized care they need. Not content with merely addressing communication challenges, Emily is on a mission to broaden her scope and expertise as a Doctor of Behavioral Health. Her aspiration to pursue the DBH degree stems from a deep-seated desire to effectively guide parents through the emotional journey accompanying a diagnosis and subsequent steps forward. Having served the Miami, FL area for many years, Emily has had the honor of working with countless families and children in need. Looking to the future, Emily plans to expand her services to the Florida Keys, an area where access to therapy services is limited, after completion of her DBH degree. The COVID-19 pandemic has led to an influx of families relocating to Florida, and as a native of the Florida Keys, Emily finds immense joy in witnessing her community thrive and grow. Her ultimate goal is to create a safe, supportive, and comfortable environment where children and parents alike can access essential services, including speech therapy, occupational therapy, and mental health counseling. In this interview, Emily reflects on her professional and educational journey in the DBH program and shares opportunities for innovation in pediatric speech and language therapy in the behavioral health sector.

How are you actively contributing to your local community through your behavioral health expertise?

I provide private speech and language therapy sessions to children who attend private schools in Doral, Florida. Most of my clients are toddlers between 2 and 5 years old, with a significant proportion being 2-year-olds. As the first clinician on their team, I thoroughly assess each child’s speech and language development, including their receptive and expressive language skills, articulation, and phonology. Based on the evaluation results, I then developed a customized treatment plan tailored to each child’s specific needs. In addition to speech and language therapy, I recommend additional evaluations, such as occupational, behavioral, or neurological assessments, if necessary. I understand that early intervention is critical, and I work closely with parents to ensure they know their child’s diagnosis and therapeutic journey. It is highly gratifying to support parents throughout this process and help them navigate the complexities of their child’s diagnosis. I plan to utilize my knowledge gained through the Doctor of Behavioral Health degree program to provide more comprehensive assistance. I leverage this expertise to provide holistic care to my clients, considering the broader context of their lives to ensure that their speech and language therapy is integrated into their overall health and well-being.

What aspects of your professional experience the have influenced your approach to behavioral health?

As a professional who frequently works with new parents and young children, I often receive requests for guidance and assistance from parents who are looking for help after their child has been diagnosed with a condition. Based on my experience, I’ve learned that the best approach to supporting these families is to take a personalized approach that takes into account each family’s unique needs. This includes considering the child’s interests, as well as the parents’ concerns regarding training and support. However, I also understand that each case is different, and every child requires an individualized approach to ensure that they receive the best possible care. For example, some children may have difficulty following up on recommended treatments, such as occupational therapy and behavioral therapy, for extended periods. In such cases, it’s vital to maintain a persevering attitude and advocate for the child while providing recommendations and offering parents the necessary training and support to help them navigate their challenges. I believe that every child deserves to receive the support they need to grow and thrive, and I’m committed to providing parents with the resources they need to make that happen. Whether it’s connecting them with specialized services, offering practical advice, or simply lending a listening ear, I’m here to help parents navigate the complex world of raising a child with a condition.

Reflecting on your experiences, how have you managed challenges in behavioral health, and what strategies do you envision employing to conquer similar challenges moving forward?

In my current role at a private school, I have come across a significant challenge concerning the inadequate training of teachers in recognizing developmental delays in children’s expressive language skills, receptive language skills, and social-pragmatic skills. While teachers are often required to report on a child’s progress, it is crucial to identify and alert parents of any delays in these areas early on, particularly in pre-kindergarten or daycare settings. Since parents may not have another child of typical development to compare with, such as a sibling, they may not be aware of such delays. This lack of awareness can lead to a delay in seeking professional help, which can negatively impact a child’s development in the long run. To address this issue, I have decided to offer training sessions to schools on identifying red flag behaviors and how to approach parents in a sensitive and effective manner. During these training sessions, I will share my expertise and experience in recognizing developmental delays in young children, along with evidence-based strategies to help address these delays. Additionally, I will provide resources and support to teachers so that they can continue to identify and address developmental delays in their students, ensuring that every child gets the support they need to reach their full potential.

Can you share a specific instance that has profoundly shaped your understanding of integrated care and its intersection with behavioral health?

As a private contractor in the healthcare field, I was initially hesitant to suggest to my employer the idea of creating a chat group that would include each patient’s therapeutic team and parent. The reason behind my apprehension was the daunting task of regularly contacting each child’s parent and team member, including the behavior team or occupational therapist, in order to provide them with updates on the child’s progress. However, after much brainstorming, I came up with the idea of utilizing a WhatsApp chat group as a platform for sharing recommendations, best practices, and progress updates. I believed it would be an effective way to keep everyone in the loop and ensure that all parties were on the same page with regards to the child’s treatment plan. To my delight, my idea was met with great enthusiasm by my employer, and the chat group was created. Since then, it has proven to be a successful approach for all involved, with regular updates being shared among the group members, and everyone playing an active role in the child’s treatment journey. The chat group has facilitated better communication, collaboration, and coordination among the child’s therapeutic team and their parents, resulting in improved outcomes for the child.

How do you see yourself making a lasting impact in the behavioral health field?

After completing my Doctorate in Behavioral Health, my plan is to relocate to the Florida Keys to expand my practice and offer a wider range of services. The Florida Keys have seen a significant increase in population since the COVID-19 outbreak, which has created a need for additional resources and services in various areas. Having grown up in the Florida Keys, I have firsthand knowledge of the limited resources available, and my goal is to contribute to the community by providing comprehensive speech-language, occupational, and mental health services. I believe that my experience and qualifications will allow me to make a significant impact on the community. By providing these services, I hope to improve the quality of life for those in need and help them reach their full potential. I am committed to delivering the highest standard of care and ensuring that every patient receives the personalized attention and support they require. Ultimately, my aim is to make a positive difference in the lives of the people of the Florida Keys, and I look forward to the opportunity to do so.

Emily’s multifaceted role as a Doctor of Behavioral Health student and pediatric speech-language pathologist underscores her dedication to advancing care and opportunities for her clients and their families. Emily not only navigates the complexities of diagnosis and treatment, her experience illuminates the intricate interplay between expertise and a personalized approach in the realm of early childhood developmental speech and language disorders. As she envisions a future marked by expanded services and enhanced accessibility for the Florida Keys community, Emily champions the transformative potential of integrating speech therapy, occupational therapy, and behavioral health services under one roof. Her trajectory exemplifies a commitment to elevating standards of care with an integrated behavioral health lens. With Emily’s vision, the future of pediatric therapy in the Florida Keys shines brighter than ever before.

Connect with Emily Rodriguez

LinkedIn: Emily Rodriguez

Check Out Emily Rodriguez on the Disruptors at Work Podcast

Disruptors at Work: an Integrated Care Podcast, Season 3, Episode 4: The Role of Speech Pathology in Integrated Healthcare with Emily Rodriguez, M.S., CCC-SLP

Learn more about the episode

Testimonials

“The totally online DBH program offered by Cummings Graduate Institute of Behavioral Health Studies is focused on the professional I have grown into: a synergistic disrupter for the healthcare industry, who is passionate about Wholistic Healthcare (e.g., health, behavioral health, and Social Determinants of Health and Mental Health), rendered skillfully through interprofessional teams. The program pillars of medical literacy, integrated behavioral health interventions, and entrepreneurship resonate loudly with me. The healthcare industry will continue to change, with doctoral level professionals needed to play a major role in any successful transformation. My goal is to further advance my knowledge-base, professional standing, and industry commitment to be part of these transformational efforts. In this way I can heed the Quadruple Aim: assuring quality-driven patient-centric care is rendered at the right time, through the right population-based treatment processes, at the right cost, and by empowered professionals embracing the work and committed to their charge.”
Ellen Fink-Samnick MSW, ACSW, LCSW, CCM, CRPDBH Candidate, Cummings Graduate Institute for Behavioral Health Studies - March 11, 2020

“In the time that I have been a student at CGI, I have learned that integrated healthcare is no longer the exception; providers want behavioral health clinicians on their team. My courses demonstrate that the services that a DBH can offer are valuable and the opportunities abound. I’m learning that as a DBH, I can work to create a new norm in healthcare, one that promotes holistic care provided by a collaborative team delivering diverse services. I now view behavioral healthcare as a crucial piece of the medical care puzzle, rather than a separate entity. I can see the gaps in care that a DBH can fill and why including a DBH in treatment is critical. I am beginning to see how I will play a role in disrupting healthcare to provide quality treatment while advocating for my patients. Although I may still have to explain my role at times, I am learning that once I do, others will seek out my services. I am gaining confidence in what I bring to the medical team and am continuously expanding my knowledge of what else I can do.”
Jennifer KellyDBH Candidate, Cummings Graduate Institute for Behavioral Health Studies - July 26, 2020

“As a Social Worker, I believe my main mission includes advocating for and empowering patients. The DBH degree will allow me to fully integrate the “medical side of the house” with the “behavioral health side”. My experience working side-by-side with medical providers (PCM’s, ED docs, Hospitalists, etc…) has shown that most of them do not understand behavioral health issues nor how medical symptoms or diagnoses can effect a patients’ mental health and vice-versa. Alternatively, I have worked with a multitude of behavioral health providers who have very limited knowledge of how medical issues might affect their clients. I have often wondered how many patients I have had who were diagnosed with depression or anxiety or other DSM-V diagnosis when in reality the origin was medical. Earning a DBH will allow me to push the envelope when it comes to consulting with medical providers and promote the inclusion of “behavioral healthcare” within “healthcare” as its ALL healthcare! As Mahatma Ghandi said “be the change you wish to see in the world”; earning a DBH will enhance my ability to “change the world” – even if it’s one medical provider or one patient at a time.”
Diane Scott, MSW, LCSWDBH Candidate, Cummings Graduate Institute for Behavioral Health Studies - August 7, 2020

“My friend and I were talking about the challenges and frustrations that we face daily in our careers with the clear divide between mental health and physical health and how we wished we had the knowledge and skills to shake up healthcare and bridge the gap. She brought up researching doctorate programs and how interested she was in the DBH. My reponse was, “What on earth is a DBH?” She laughed and said it was a newer doctorate degree in behavioral health, that focused directly on integrated care and doing exactly what we were dreaming of doing….shaking up healthcare and bridging the gap and treating the person as a whole. I had a hard time believing her. It sounded too good to be true. How was there a degree out there that fit my goals and aspirations to a T without me knowing about it? I had been looking periodically throughout my 20 year journey in behavioral health for a program that resonated with me. It was here all this time? How had I missed it? I immediately spent hours scouring the internet to find any crumb of information that I could about the Doctorate of Behavioral Health and the programs associated with it. Then I hit the jackpot. I found the Cummings Graduate Institute for Behavioral Health Studies.”
Amy McConnell, LCSWDBH Candidate, Cummings Graduate Institute for Behavioral Health Studies - September 18, 2020

“During my tenure as a student at CGI, I wrote a book review that was published in the International Journal of Integrated Care. One of my papers became a newsletter article, a pitch for my population health class became a poster presented at a CFHA conference, a book chapter was developed based on a paper I wrote for my independent study, and I am submitting my CP project to a journal this weekend. So, everything that you write during the program is potentially publishable! You have the advantage of having faculty read and give you feedback on it before submitting it. Take risks! The worst that can happen if you submit a paper for publication is receiving a rejection letter. Well, if you don’t send it you’re already acting as if the paper had been rejected. 😉 Plus, if you receive a rejection letter, it usually comes with feedback, so you can improve your paper and send it again!”
Dr. Liliane de Aguiar-Rocha, DBH, BCBADBH Alumni, Cummings Graduate Institute for Behavioral Health Studies - October 9, 2020

“There is a substantial need for integrating care between our physical, and mental health. The gap between these domains are more so overlooked among those with developmental delays and intellectual disabilities – the very population I serve as a Behavior Analyst. Filling these gaps entails work that demands for a DBH who is competent, empathetic, and altruistic.”
Pauline Pablo, BCBADBH Candidate, Cummings Graduate Institute for Behavioral Health Studies - November 11, 2020

“My interest in a DBH degree grew out of frustration and hope. On one hand, I grew frustrated with the quality of care my clients with intellectual and developmental disabilities were receiving. As members of a marginalized population who lack the skills to advocate for themselves, the clients I serve receive subpar medical care, mental health care, and behavioral health care. Many healthcare providers are not trained to address the unique language and cognitive challenges present when serving a person with Autism and I/DD.

On the other hand, as I learned more about the DBH program, a potential solution came into view. I believe this program will allow me to acquire the knowledge and skills to become a better advocate for my clients, and new job opportunities will open up in positions in which I will be able to make a bigger impact on a system level, thus improving quality of life for many clients. A DBH degree will command interest and respect from other healthcare professionals who are evaluating their practices and noticing areas in which they are not being effective, namely the behavioral health side of the equation. As we are learning in our first classes about the Biodyne Model, the Integrated Care Model is not widely accepted or known in the healthcare field, despite its proven track record. I believe a DBH degree provides the necessary tool to change the landscape of healthcare provision by arming my passion for this topic with knowledge and concrete strategies.”
Valeria ParejoDBH Candidate, Cummings Graduate Institute for Behavioral Health Studies - January 15, 2021

“As a Doctorate of Behavioral Health (DBH) student my vision for healthcare is to disrupt the current model, close gaps to care and create healthcare improvements. In the evolving world of healthcare I believe behavioral healthcare providers (BCP) are essential to the development of integrative healthcare. Once I obtain a DBH degree, I know I will gain a leadership role and be able to add quality to the creation of integration efforts worldwide. I know I will graduate with the essential tools I need to stand at the forefront of integrated healthcare. I want to create healthcare improvements for marginalized populations that are typically underserved or forgotten. As an individual of two minority groups; woman and African American, I am very passionate about helping reduce cultural, ethnic, social economic and geographic disparities within healthcare systems.”
Ebony WatsonDBH Candidate, Cummings Graduate Institute for Behavioral Health Studies - March 30, 2021

“Since beginning my studies at CGI, I have been awakened to how much I truly did not know and understand despite my specialty training in Social Work and behavioral health needs. The classes at CGI allow me to explore topics that I may not have thought to investigate and encourage me to question and think outside the “normal” delivery of behavioral health services. Services that I previously thought were quality and designed to meet the needs of special populations, I now believe to be woefully inadequate to serve the needs of the patients. Patients cannot receive the best quality, efficient, and timely care they need and deserve within institutions that are not integrated. Institutions that continue to silo and do not encourage collaboration and integration are not focused on the needs of the patient.”
Amanda BarnardDBH Candidate, Cummings Graduate Institute for Behavioral Health Studies - March 30, 2021

“I believe, as a DBH, I will disrupt the current healthcare systemby promotingguaranteed health care for allasa right, not a privilege.I willadvocate fora national, rather than state, licensing of providers. This will allow clinicians (medical,behavioral health, etc…) to provide care across state lines using telemedicine.Finally, the skills I have learned at Cummings Graduate Institute for Behavioral Health Studies allow me to identify healthcare delivery concerns, propose alternative interventions and cost–effective solutions and evaluate theirreturn on investment.”
Diane ScottDBH Candidate, Cummings Graduate Institute for Behavioral Health Studies - March 29, 2021

“Since entering CGI, I have more confidence in discussing the need for healthcare systems to have a population health approach to care, and to put in place “upstream” programming. I have always been proud of working in a hospital and delivering care, working as a multidisciplinary team member, and making a difference. I now realize I have been part of healthcare’s focus of “treating the sick” rather than being an influencer for preventative care.

Preventative care can be part of service delivery from a hospital system; we should not rely only on public health programs to tackle social determinants of health. COVID-19 is not only impacting mental health but also how we are delivering medical care. Could COVID-19 be an unintended force for healthcare policy change? Apostolopoulos et al. (2020) reports the complexity presented to the health care system by COVID-19 has created change that will continue in healthcare for years to come. The needed changes to delivery and access will require a policy shift in all levels of healthcare (Apostolopoulos et al., 2020).”
Billie RatliffDBH Candidate, Cummings Graduate Institute for Behavioral Health Studies - December 13, 2021

“The DBH is exactly the type of doctorate degree that I’ve been searching for. A doctorate that is clinical focused is where my interest lies. I am motivated to pursue this degree, and courses like Pathophysiology, Psychopharmacology, Neuropathophysiology, only add to that excitement. One must be motivated to complete any degree program. The Doctor of Behavioral Health fits that bill for me. In fact, I would say that I am beyond motivated.”
Arthur Williams IIIDBH Candidate, Cummings Graduate Institute for Behavioral Health Studies - July 8, 2022

“As a member of the AAPI community, I’m very familiar with the barriers to mental health services and the need to break through the glass wall of cultural stigma that prevents many from receiving potentially life–saving treatment. I was the only Asian American person in my master’s cohort, the only Asian American person in many of my clinical work settings, the only Asian American person to walk into many of the professional settings that I pushed myself to show up to. In my current practice, I’m constantly reminded by my patients of how difficult it is to find an Asian American mental health provider, though this reminder constantly informs me that more needs to be done for my community. Day after day, I read stories of Asian American people who die by suicide as a consequence of our culture’s avoidance of mental health topics. As a DBH, my biggest goal is to use my expertise in whole–person care to amplify the conversation around mental health and help my community understand that mental healthcare is not a privilege that we are not entitled to, it is a crucial part of our healthcare that will manifest differently in us than what many Western psychology or psychiatry textbooks will describe, and that our unique experience of mental health issues are valid, important, and is time to be part of the larger conversation.”
Willam ChumDBH Candidate, Cummings Graduate Institute for Behavioral Health Studies - September 16, 2022

“Pursuing a doctorate in behavioral health is essential in helping to transform my thinking as a healthcare provider; moving from a more traditional mindset, embracing change and a “different world view” of tools for successful client outcomes. This type of advanced study will equip me with the clinical and leadership skills to be a leader on the cutting edge of behavioral health. This type of training would make me an asset to the healthcare workplace; specifically to function effectively as a change agent for the successful outcomes of the workplace and its clients.”
Judith AllenDBH Candidate, Cummings Graduate Institute for Behavioral Health Studies - September 23, 2022 Previous Slide