When Is It OK to Stop? An SLP's Guide to Dismissing from Therapy
Dismissal might be the most under discussed clinical decision in our field. We talk endlessly about evaluation, goal writing, and therapy approaches but talk far less about how to know when a student is ready to graduate from speech.
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Dismissal might be the most under discussed clinical decision in our field. We talk endlessly about evaluation, goal writing, and therapy approaches but talk far less about how to know when a student is ready to graduate from speech. And do you advocate for that decision when the team or the family doesn't agree?
Keeping a student on the caseload who no longer needs services takes a slot away from a student who does and dismissing too early can erode trust with a family and cause setbacks for the student. Both decisions have weight.
Here's a framework we use to think through dismissal without overcomplicating it and without rushing it.
Dismissal is not a reward for the student or a failure for the SLP
Let's get this out of the way first. Dismissal is a clinical milestone, not a verdict on anyone. Some students were never going to need long-term services and graduated quickly because we did our jobs well. Some students will need services for years and that is the right call as well. Neither is a measure of you!
The decision is about the student's communication needs in their daily environments ... full stop.
