We could not be more thrilled to now be offering in-person Occupational Therapy (OT) in Thunder Bay!

Occupational Therapy (OT) is a client-centered health profession that focuses on promoting health and well-being through occupation. Occupation refers to the everyday activities that people need, want, or are expected to do. For a paediatric population, treatment areas include:

• Fine motor skills
• Printing/keyboarding skills
• Sensory needs and challenges
• Play skills
• Social participation skills
• Self-care skills (e.g., dressing, sleep, toileting, etc.)
• Life skills (e.g., self advocacy, safety, planning/time management, etc.)
• Emotional regulation
• Executive functioning
• Equipment & strategy recommendations (e.g., OAP Letters of Recommendations, letters of support, etc.)

The primary goal of OT is to enable all individuals to participate in the activities of everyday life!

To learn more about our Occupational Therapy services, check out the new page on our website here.

Our first in-person OT, Angela "Ange" Jewett, has been providing OT services in the District of Thunder Bay for the past 15 years. She believes in client-centred, neurodiversity-affirming, & play based therapy - which we could not be more excited about! (Click here to meet Ange and the rest of our team!)

OT services are often covered by extended healthcare benefits, and can also be accessed with Ontario Autism Program (OAP) funding.

If interested in getting started with OT, please email [email protected]!

We have had such a great response to our baby/toddler check-in sessions, and are thrilled to share that we will have 3 SLPs (Halle, Megan, Linsey) able to provide these services over the summer months of July & August.

Here are the answers to a few FAQ:

Where do sessions take place?
We come to you! We can work with you at your home, daycare, or community setting (park, playground, etc.) within Thunder Bay. Most parents LOVE that we can see you at home, since that's one less transition for you and your little one (plus not having to find childcare for siblings is a bonus!), and we can provide strategies to try using the things you already have in your home!

What is the frequency of sessions?
This is flexible, and we will work with you and your child to determine the best frequency. It may be one time, biweekly, monthly, or every couple of months. Services can be paused or discontinued at any time.

Is this service eligible for reimbursement through private insurance/benefits?
Absolutely! Many insurance plans cover speech language pathology services. We recommend checking with your benefits provider first to clarify what coverage is available by your plan .

Have any other questions? Drop them below!

Articulation difficulties are VERY common, and kids don't acquire each sound at the same age.

The great thing about play-based and strength-based intervention is we can target articulation goals with children as young as 3 - there is no reason a child needs to sit at a table for speech therapy!

Swipe through to learn more about articulation milestones (or visit our page on Speech Disorders), and be sure to save the visual on the last slide to make sure your child's speech development stays on track!

Did you know we offer speech & language check-ins for babies & toddlers aged 10-36 months?

Our SLPs, Halle & Megan, can assess your child's pre-linguistic, speech, language, and play skills and leave you with strategies and recommendations to facilitate development in these areas.

These check-ins can help ensure your child has access to early intervention if warranted, and well as referrals to other professionals if needed.

Sessions may be one-time or occur periodically (e.g., once a month; every few months) to follow your child's development.

Sessions with a speech language pathologist are eligible for reimbursement by private insurance plans! Check with yours today to see if you have coverage.

Questions? Drop them below, send us a message, or inquire here. 

Does your child have an OAP number but is not yet receiving services? Do they present with a high-risk behaviour and would they benefit from a collaborative, interdisciplinary team approach?

HAEPI SLP has partnered with FIREFLY (the lead Agency of OAP Urgent Response Services in Northwestern Ontario) to provide the SLP portion for these referrals, serving all communities in the Kenora, Rainy River, and Thunder Bay districts. Currently, Halle Demchuk (owner/operator of HAEPI) is taking on these referrals.

Check out the info sheets below to learn more about what OAP URS services look like, who is eligible, and how to access these services.

To self-refer, call 1 (833) 696-5437 or email [email protected]