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We are discussing the biggest challenges that are currently holding back the field of speech-language pathology. We present the issues with facts and invite you to be a part of joining our movement to make things better, one conversation at a time. Let's fix SLP!
Hosted by Jeanette Benigas, PhD, SLP
Jeanette Benigas 0:00
Hey fixers. I'm Dr. Jeanette Benigas, one of the cofounders of fix SLP. Our platform exists to discuss the biggest challenges that are currently holding back the field of speech language pathology. We present the issues with facts and invite you to be a part of joining this movement to make things better one conversation at a time. So let's fix SLP
Hey, everybody, welcome back. This is Jeanette. Today, I do not have a co host Preston was not allowed to come on today because I am fan girling over Kevin Simmons, he is the singing SLP on Instagram, I am so excited to have him. We're gonna hear all about him today. And he's not exactly fixing SLP. But he is making a huge difference for kiddos that he sees before I started talking to him, I want to read a review. So if you haven't yet give us a five star rating and review this one of the latest it says A must listen for all SLPs. Thank you. Thanks, SLP for all your advocacy and research, thanks for laying all the groundwork so that we can fight for what is right. listening to this podcast has empowered me to get more involved with my state association. That's where the advocacy and change happens. I love that. Because the states are where it's at, for sure. So thanks to the person who sent that in they the name is EGLY Da, I'm not even gonna pretend like that's a first name. So thank you to that person for coming in with a five star rating and review. And Kevin after you put yours and I'll go ahead and read that. Good. All right. Thank you so much for coming on. Yes. So you know how I feel about your work. Yeah, I'm honored myself to be in your presence. So please, I'm a hot mess. Let's jump in. Because I want to know, I don't know again. I don't. All I know is what you put on Instagram. So how long have you been practicing? Here? Don't be like I just started.
Kevin Simmons 2:25
Oh, know, I would say I graduated. So it's been two years. To you? Yes, CF finished last year. And then. Yeah, I've been independent for about seven or eight months.
Jeanette Benigas 2:44
All right, so you're close enough. Where'd you go to grad school? Shout them out! Unless you didn't like them, then don't shout them out.
Kevin Simmons 2:51
No, no, no, I did. Radford University. The Highlanders.
Jeanette Benigas 2:55
Okay, so where do you live in Atlanta, Georgia.
Not everybody might not know that. Okay, so you're in Atlanta. Just a little baby. SLP. How did you start this platform?
Kevin Simmons 3:06
Yeah, yeah, yeah. So this was actually pretty cool. Back in Radford - Highlanders. I was doing like a reading group with adults actually. So this is right up the alley. And I miss my daughter, I miss you know, working with aphasia, the executive function. We're doing like a reading and language group. And for introductions, it was like seven or eight adults. And so just imagine, you know, newbie, SLP almost getting ready to go into the workforce. I love to entertain people. So I was like, You know what, get my classmates moving, grooving. Let's play Michael Jackson. And let's dance it out. So they did their introductions. And they were like, um, blah, blah, blah, SOP grad student, blah, blah, blah, and so be grad student. And he came to me, and I'm like, I'm Kevin and SLP. grad student. I love music. I love Justin Bieber. But of course, most of the adults didn't know. So I was like, Well, let me switch to MJ and play the song dance my heart out. Everyone was looking at me. And and so the adults are like, wow. And I heard murmurs. They're like, man, you can sing. I mean, not really. But they're like, You should be the singing SLP. And I was like, Oh, that kind of like clicks. Then a second time around. I was one on one with an adult with Broca's aphasia. We're at the end of the session, and I was like, alright, we work so hard. I see a Frank Sinatra up there. You know, I love music. Do you know his song Al is for the way and like, we just started singing and she was fluid, as you know, and it was super cool to watch that and my supervisor at the time shout out Terry Schubert like goat she had mentioned like, Kev you got to be the scene SOP haha. I think it was at that moment. I was like, Well, I have my own like personal Instagram page. Why don't I just like you know, put out resources here and there. So like, I remember starting in the summer of 2021, and just kind of going from there. But it really didn't kick off until I was like, I wanted to do something totally different than what other people were doing. Because our field has so many great resources. And that's not to knock off anyone. I, I mean, I love the resources, but I wanted to be different, like I want to stand out in a sense. And I was like, Alright, I know, I don't have the great voice. But I do love to entertain. So why don't I write a song lyrics and do what I did in grad school where, you know, for the cranial nerves, you know, I made a song based on the cranial nerves, and that helped me study. So I was like, why don't I provide these resources for students that like, I know there are visual learners, but there are a select few like me that I can do music and study. And so like after that, it just kind of blended into this whole thing of pediatric songs, songs for articulation. I have a lot of songs. I'm really excited. I've been writing so yeah, that's how it blew up into the singing SOP. It's amazing.
Jeanette Benigas 6:08
So if you love to entertain, do you have an entertainment background? Did you do theater or musical theater or church choir? What have you done?
Kevin Simmons 6:17
No, that's a great question. I played the drums but I didn't have any theater or voice lessons. I think where the music and entertainment part comes from is I always like making beats and so that's why I played the drums. I played the saxophone just stuck with it because I mean, the sax you can pick up all the lady doo doo doo doo too. But anyway. So I think that's where it came about. But at a young age, my sister and I, we would always act out Disney movies and and pretend that we were actors and actresses. So I think that's where the drama comes from. And I just love making people laugh. Jim Carrey and Robin Williams are one of my favorite comedians and actors. So when I say I get weird sometimes in the gym, the kids look at me and they're like, Okay, where are you? Yeah, who aren't you? So yeah, I just like being that type of weird and funny. So I think that's where it's come about. But it's so
Jeanette Benigas 7:18
if you were like, listen, I grew up singing gospel in my church. I was gonna make you say, but now I will.
Kevin Simmons 7:25
Oh, no, no, I mean, I can see but it won't sound good.
Jeanette Benigas 7:31
Little known fact, I was a theater minor as an undergrad. So I love some entertaining in my life. Yeah, I dropped that. Because what I realized it was gonna keep me in school and entire extra year. And there was like, nothing I was ever gonna do with it. I was like, I'm out. So yeah, theater minor. So you also do that? Well, I want to back up. So your lady with Broca's aphasia. She was non fluent before she started singing. I'm assuming and then she just sang that song like it was nobody's business.
Kevin Simmons 8:09
It had been a while since she had heard those lyrics. But still, you think about I love again, music integration piece. Later on, but the music integration piece with the right hemisphere? Yeah, it just like picked up for her. She remembered the melody and she was like, "L is for the..."
Jeanette Benigas 8:28
Yeah, I mean, it's amazing. Even so I've done some dementia things in this profession. When I've sung with people in dementia, you know, music therapy as a whole thing. They go from being almost nonverbal to seeing you and entire song. And then old women, those old old women feel like there's a church on every corner here. So you're getting these ladies in nursing homes who have been going to church their whole life. I mean, they'll bust out those hymns. Like it's nobody's business, and my dad was a pastor. So I know all the hips and all the heads, we can say the hips at the nurse. Yeah. But it's amazing to see someone who's nonfluent or not talking nonverbal and it's like sing recall. Yeah. From yours. Magic, like magic.
Kevin Simmons 9:16
No, right. Okay, so it hasn't liked music. But so that was the only thing I had to say. Like...
Jeanette Benigas 9:24
People are probably sitting at home wondering why is he on other than the fact that she's in love with him? So you know, fix SLP you know, we're fighting about ASHA, the CCC and all these things, but to me this platform is also about elevating people who find something that needs fix and not necessarily fix but something that needs improved and who are like doing the thing and the even though I love your platform, the main reason I asked you to do this is because you are a sensory Barber, and I'm obsessed with that. I didn't even know there was a thing But I, I can't listen, I have a typically developing like neurotypical five and a half year old, who until maybe six months ago would scream like a banshee and the barber or the hairdresser. And there's nothing even sensory or no issues with him. So I started thinking man, like, I could see a huge need for this, I get this. That's an issue that you're addressing, I'm not fixing, because it doesn't really need a fix, but you're addressing it and you're helping these poor parents who just want their kids to have a haircut and you feel better after you have good hair. Yeah, you know, all the things about this. What is it? How did you get involved? I want to know the thing.
Kevin Simmons 10:42
Yes, almost on the same timeline of creating the Instagram page, I started my CF. So I would post pictures here and there of like baby development, but I wasn't in the groove. So with the music and the cemetery haircuts, it started to pick up right around the middle of my CF and I had this parent, she was in the room doing parent coaching. And she was just talking a lot. She was like, Man, I really wish I had someone to cut his hair. It's getting so long. And rewind a couple years back, I cut my own hair, just because I went to great clips one time. And for any listener out there, black, white, it doesn't matter. You know what a faded. And if you don't know, a bait is just a way to blend the hair to make it look like it's blended. And so I asked for a fade. And lady just I mean, she said she could do it. And she just made a line, a line straight across. And so that's where that haircut for weeks. That's cool. And it was just so embarrassing. So I remember that day, I was like, You know what, I'm gonna look up on YouTube, how to cut hair. So I've been cutting my own hair for a while. And so I was like just talking to the parent. I was like, well, maybe I could try it out. What difficulties does he have? She started listening as a CF and a barber that has only cut my cousin's hair. And my so I was like, oh, okay, that's, that's a lot. But still, I was like, well, if anything, I know him. Let's just try it out. Let's just see what happens. The typical time it takes for them to get a haircut. She told me, you know, it was a whole family affair. His brother and sister would be like, Oh, do we really have to do hair cut day, it would be like a three or four hour endeavor. And we got into it, and the mom was there. And ot I was at a clinic, which helped support me with occupational therapists that would help regulate, he was on the swing, he came in the chair, we took breaks. And like a lot of the things I tell parents and caregivers that I've learned, it's not from a textbook, it's honestly just from learning experience from different kids, you know, so it's like, I figured this child needed 10 times she needed to cut his hair, and then we took a break. And then we also did the sensory brush. So all that to say, we got that hair tread done in like 30 or 35 minutes, first couple of minutes, were tough, but then we got into that routine. So it's been a humbling experience, I'll be honest, there are some haircuts that we're able to do, but to my standard, I'm like, Ah, man, I wish I could have done this differently. But to see the second time around, I'm sweating, it's an hour and a half to get it done. And then the next time, it's 30 minutes, you know, it's so cool to see, right. And in our field with speech therapy. It's like, okay, this kid or this adult is recalling things that we've been working on using recall strategies to see that, obviously, we know therapy works, but to see it firsthand. And to see that second visit. I mean, they just walk in and sit on the chair. So it's been so rewarding. I'm still learning just like speech therapy. I'm learning every day, but it's a it's been so fun.
Jeanette Benigas 13:59
I love - like truly, as a mother who has had to hold her child tether his head down to my chest just to get his hair cut. Those parents are probably so thankful. Even if it's not to your standard, you're probably changing those lives. And so you said you had a employer as clinic that was supporting you. So are you doing these now where you're working? Are you renting a chair somewhere and doing them somewhere else?
Kevin Simmons 14:26
I now work at a place it's super cool. I do Monday through Thursday at the clinic speech therapy. Some Wednesdays are like Thursdays when I'm off early. I'll see clients here at the clinic. And I have an upstairs room where the barber chair the whole nine I'll have to post like an Instagram story of it. It's it's a pretty sweet setup. About 50% of the time I see kids here and then the rest of the time I'll go out in Atlanta and I'll preface like, you know, for a parent out there that lives in Atlanta. Georgia, love to see them would love to go out there. But I do try to schedule if it's an hour away at least three or four kids in that area you get...
Jeanette Benigas 15:10
Your time. Your time is valuable. Yeah. Okay, so many questions. Do you have a babrber's license then?
Kevin Simmons 15:16
I do not. I didn't.
Jeanette Benigas 15:18
Do I have to cut this then? How are you? How are you getting, how are you getting away with this then?
Kevin Simmons 15:22
So So I have the only thing I read up on George's regulations. So I can still cut hair with taxes and all that stuff. Like I've figured out, it's still going to the seeing SOP, which I put in my business, but for cutting hair, if I was to go to Ohio, into a barber and say like, Hey, bring your son here at the salon so I can get his hair. That's good. Big right now. So that's the only thing I do want to get to a point where I do have a license. I could do events where I can go in a salon, but for the most part, yeah, it has to be at after home or it's just a bit like I was to cut my cousin's hair and he paid me. Yeah, I just can't go to a salon. If you know the government comes after me after this episode. I don't know. I
Jeanette Benigas 16:16
so I can leave that all in. It's okay?
Kevin Simmons 16:18
You can you can.
Jeanette Benigas 16:19
Okay. So these people are also paying you right? You're charging for your time. Are you doing it for free?
Kevin Simmons 16:25
Yeah, I charge. Okay. I do want to get to a point where I'm doing free haircuts. There's a lot of people like big barbers. I watch a lot of Barber videos, obviously, in the Atlanta area that do free haircuts. And I would love to do that coming out of grad school. I definitely don't have the money.
Jeanette Benigas 16:45
That's a good nonprofit down the road. Where you do fundraising events. Who wouldn't give money for something like that? I mean, I'd send money.
Kevin Simmons 16:54
You're right. You're right.
Jeanette Benigas 16:56
Amazin. So good.
Kevin Simmons 16:57
It's playing detective work. I mean, as a speech therapist, we are constantly playing detective work. And I think that's why I love the music integration. But I especially love the sensory hair, because every person is different. And I got to figure out if this thing doesn't work out, what can I do? Like I just did a haircut for a little girl and I'm getting better with women's haircuts. And what does she loves? She loves Sesame Street. So some of the countdown techniques I've done. Maybe that doesn't work, but I can do my account voice where she loves that. And I'm like spraying the water 103 and loving me so just always playing detective work. I'm telling you. It's so fun. It's so fun.
Jeanette Benigas 17:39
Yeah. And so for anyone who hasn't seen him doing that, cowboys, head over to Instagram immediately press pause, go over and listen to it's hilarious. It's amazing. I showed it to my husband last night. He's like what's going on? I'm like this speech therapy with kids. You didn't marry this person like this. This I tried it. It didn't work out for anyone. He has never heard me make a choice when reading to my children.
Kevin Simmons 18:08
Is this straight? Yeah.
Jeanette Benigas 18:11
Kids are not my jam.
Kevin Simmons 18:12
Yeah, no. I feel Yeah.
Jeanette Benigas 18:16
Once I found my dementia calling that was I was all in dementia is my jam. Yeah. Demenia and crusty throats. I own a FEEs business too. So I love doing endocopy. Love fees love dementia kids. No, thank you. So if if some of these people are your clients don't fall into the IADL category? Can you write goals for this? Still on the sensory haircut thing, by the way, not the music. Do you ever have goals so they can get to that point where they could get a haircut? Do you do incorporate both in your practice? I guess?
Kevin Simmons 18:51
Yeah, that's good. I think I've always wanted to open up a speech therapy clinic alongside a sensory barbershop for that by that sensory barber side. I think I would write goals, Kevin Jr. comes in, and he can acclimate to this sound for 30 minutes or whatever, even if he doesn't get his hair cut. But for the speech therapy right now, I think I think our occupational therapists they write it up not necessarily like haircuts, but a sensory brush or even brushing their hair. Because sometimes I have a lot of kids that won't even let you touch their hair. So yeah, OTs write that up. I think the closest goal I'll have is a social emotional goal. I leave that to the OTs and then when they come in, I'll help regulate and try to try my best with all the sensory strategies I have.
Jeanette Benigas 19:46
So I obviously I don't have a lot of money, but down the road when you're ready to start that clinic. If it appears online that I have money, reach out, I'll invest Alright, I will invest in that concept because I think it is so good. So good. Okay, so let's circle back to the music. I know there's a lot of controversy about music therapists and encroachment. Are you familiar with any of this?
Kevin Simmons 20:17
Actually no. Educate me. Yeah, yeah. Tell me Tell me more.
Jeanette Benigas 20:22
I mean, I don't know if I know enough. I think it's very similar to ABA and encroachment. Are you following that song? Oh, yeah, yeah, okay, or occupational therapy and dysphasia. Were in some, in some adult companies, some adult rehab companies are making their OTS treat dysphasia. So basically, our codes aren't protected in speech pathology, like they are in physical therapy. So in physical therapy, the physical therapy membership ship Association has done a very good job protecting the CPT billing codes. years ago, there was some encroachment, especially with chiropractors, you would do these exercises in office after adjusting their patients. And they were using the codes that physical therapists use to Bill and so the Physical Therapy Association did a very good job of protecting those codes. So the only people who can build those codes are physical therapists. So now, if a chiropractor wants to offer those exercises and those services, they have to employ a physical therapist to build the codes if they want to make money. So that's encroachment when other people are weaseling their way into our profession. And so the same thing is happening with dysphagia. It's happening with ADA and language and with music, there is a place in this world for music therapy. Absolutely. When my mom was in the ICU recently, there is a music therapist that came by her room and said, Hey, I'm a music therapist. My mom was like, No, thank you, ma'am. I was like, I want that comeback. Wasn't there for me. But when they're using that therapy, in order to build and make money to improve speech and language, they are not trained speech and language experts shouldn't be using our codes to build those things. So that's the same thing that's going on, I think, much more heavily with ABA. And then again, in the adult medical world, it's happening a little bit with dysphasia. But I know it's happening with music therapists too. So I wondered, okay, okay. But if you don't know about it, you should not give a public opinion on this podcast, because I will get so many emails about how incorrect we are then. I might foward them to you.
Kevin Simmons 22:39
I mean, thank you for educating me, the music part. That's interesting. That's definitely interesting.
Jeanette Benigas 22:46
So it's really something that ASHA has not done a very good job of for our profession, is protecting how we make money, as therapists. And I know in these areas, and I am hopeful, soon ish, that I am going to have someone in the ABA space come talk about this too. And what needs to be done to start protecting these codes. I've always felt like it's an area where Asha can advocate effectively. This isn't state by state, this is a big, almost like Medicare kind of and they don't do it. It's it is a project they could take on and just have it. And I don't think anyone understands why. So maybe someday mix SLP will do that. But man, right now. I'm struggling, just getting podcasts out. Yeah, I know, there's been a lot of fear and concern coming from students, and CFs and new grads about what has been happening in this profession as it relates to the CCC and Asha. So as a younger SLP, who's maybe still has some rosy glasses on. I know you've been following fix SLP. You said yes to coming on this podcast. So tell me, what are your thoughts about what's going on?
Kevin Simmons 24:06
I think initially, I mean, so I'll give the listener some background. If you don't know me, I'm black. So I think one of the first things that perked up to me, with the price increased, I immediately thought, wow, there it goes more recruitment for black and brown. And I knew some listeners may be like, Why is this about? And I've seen a couple of posts and comments or viewers will be like, Why is it surviving? But I think it has to be a black thing around everything because then you just don't see any black SLPs. And I think with the fear when I was getting into the field, there was always a constant fear of oh, man, maybe you know, my classmates think that I'm getting special privileges, privileges to me, you know, quota or something like that. And it sounds unreasonable, but it's just my thought. It's just how I've been raised to Always be on alert. So again, with the price increases, like, oh, man, I've been luckily, and I've been privileged to have my parents raised me and middle income family, and I was able to have jobs to support myself to go to school and all this. But what's that to say with a lot of the population, the black population that lives in poverty, and even though the scholarships that we may have, that doesn't take us into our jobs? I just finished my CF about a year ago. I don't have that price increased until next year, if that makes sense. Because
Jeanette Benigas 25:39
Cause you're in their special two year package.
Kevin Simmons 25:43
Yeah. Yeah. So I I hate to hate to be roped in. But, but I was mad for all of y'all. I was his because I feel like we all have this fear of speaking up. And I'm so glad you have created this page. Because a lot of people have asked me like, well, aren't you scared of like, what could happen, but if nothing is done, or nothing is changed, it's going to be the same thing. It's going to be the recruitment of 90% of the field, which is why and the kids that I've worked with, they won't be like, Oh, wow, you know, someone that looks like me. And I'm telling you, girl, when I hear that it's so humbling and encouraging to walk alongside this black male I have that looks like me, and I can support him. And so anyway, yeah, I was initially very, very mad, just because of all the hard work. And you know, my parents have always raised me as like, you have to work 10 times as hard just to get be looked at or to get that job. So now it's like, Alright, I gotta work 20 times as hard to make up for that money. So that was the first initial thoughts, the money part, because it just It still upsets me to this day. I mean, yeah.
Jeanette Benigas 27:06
I'm glad you said something, because that's something that we've been aware of since this platform started and that, and then when the price increase happened, there's definitely a race element to this, and to white women and white faces can't really talk about that. And then we'll be tried to, you know, there's all this controversy. So I'm glad you brought it up. And full disclosure, Kevin, and I did not have an agenda. There was no pre discussion. And so I'm glad I'm glad that you brought it up, because it's important to talk about, it's something that needs to continue to be highlighted on this platform. But I'm not the person to do that. So I thank you for speaking to that, because it is so important. And...
Kevin Simmons 27:48
Oh, sorry, cut you off. Because I'm thinking about just young grad students, not black or brown, just the young grad student, I was a leveler. So at Radford, they had a program where my background was in exercise science and psychology. So I applied to the field. And I was admitted into their three year program. The first year, I do all their prereqs. So different colleges call it a different name, but I was a leveler. So I didn't know a lot about speech. I knew that I liked it. I knew that, you know, speech therapists work on articulation, but I didn't know it was as expansive as dementia feeding all that stuff. So you think about my myself coming from Johns Creek, Georgia, a good part of Georgia, and, and all the resources, but I didn't have a clue about speech therapy until I shadowed and did all this stuff. So you take me educated man. And you compare that to we can bring in the diversity piece, you bring in another black man, and we're the city of Atlanta, who never hears about a speech therapist. And I think that's the thing that really ticks me off about ASHA. I mean, I'm telling you, it took me 23 years until I talked with someone else about speech therapy to sense where, okay, I understand what a speech therapist is 23 years. So if I don't have those resources, I'm already behind. And then when it comes to, I mean, I was gonna say I feel like it's manipulation when it comes to the student plans and like the payment payment of Astra fees. I was in grad school and I was like, Okay, well, I guess we have to pay for this. And I thought to 25 I thought that was a discount. I was like, Oh, that's a pretty good steal. And now I'm looking at it and paying bills. What that is manipulation and its finest and I just feel for all the younger grad students because they don't have these resources. And myself, I'm not the reader. I'm not about to read through all the things that ASHA has first. Because to when I went to Asha, I don't know if I'm going to be paying this much for a ticket. I should, I'm telling you, I should be pampered to the max. I just and I didn't feel that. So. Yeah, I that was that was another thing that takes me off just the education behind what they're doing. It's so complex to find this page on Asha or to find this resource. And so to educate, you know, a 13 year old or 14 year old, on like, Oh, you want to be a speech therapist? Like, why is this so easy for identifying resources on WebMD? Or to be a doctor? You know what I mean? So yeah, that piece definitely ticks me off, too. It's just it's the manipulation.
Jeanette Benigas 30:57
There's so much to unpack there.
Kevin Simmons 30:59
Alright, let's increase these numbers, because we're going to now for these 30 bucks here. We're gonna do this. No, I don't, I didn't ask for that. I didn't ask for it. You know what I mean?
Jeanette Benigas 31:11
Yeah. So as a student and a CF, did you know that the CCC was optional?
Kevin Simmons 31:18
No. And that's the thing it almost to a point. It was required. That was the language and that's not again to Radford now. Like, oh, there, but like, that was the education behind second years. I was talking to like, it was required. You know what I mean? That's the language.
Jeanette Benigas 31:39
Yeah. Yeah. That's the culture. That's the culture. And there's bad there is, I've got a meeting coming up, there might be someone from academia coming up. Finally, someone brave enough to come talk to me about some of this. So we'll see maybe in a month or so depends on how fast I edit? And if she actually comes on, but yeah, I mean, that's, it's the culture. And so how do we start to change that? Because it's okay to choose it? If that's what you want. But certainly, you should be educated from the beginning that this is did you think it was a license? Or did you know, it was a certificate product?
Kevin Simmons 32:16
I knew it was a certificate. But like, even then, the language still made me think even again, reading through Asha. And I remember asking so many people, okay, do I pay for this now in grad school, all this stuff, if there was a theater, if I don't have this, I won't have a job. And that's this stupid, sad thing about it. That's me. And you know, I, I'm very particular about finances and just getting things done. Just imagine the next grad student were not saying they're careless, who isn't as like, financially savvy, or whatever. And it's just like, oh, yeah, that's fine. Like, I'll pay for that when they don't need to.
Jeanette Benigas 32:57
I remember when I graduated, and I finished my car. But I was trying to explain, actually, to a family member, what the CCC was, I would confuse myself because I thought it was required. And really, back then it was because I graduated in Michigan before there was a state license, and you had to have your CCC. So even though I was living and going to stay practicing in Ohio, that's all we heard through grad schools, you have to have this. That was true. It wasn't a lie. You did have to have it. The word says certificate. And I was like, trying to explain this to a family member. I was like, it's like our national license, but I don't really think it is a license, but you kinda just have to have it. You don't know how to say what this thing is, right? Because it's so unclear.
Kevin Simmons 33:44
I have to look at it again, even the process to get your seeds, that little map. I remember seeing that. And I was like, Okay, get these hours, pick my supervisor. I just remember getting towards the end. And I was like, This is so confusing. If I don't want my Cs do I have to pay to be an ASHA to get the resources. And that's why I was so confusing. I was like, Well, you know what? To stop the confusion. Let me just pay for it. And I think that's to where the manipulation is, because I'm telling you, I'll be interested to look back at it again, to not have your sees it was so confusing. It was alright, you still need to register or something. It was just so confusing. And it's like at the grocery store. It's like, oh, well, I'll just pay for it. Because I don't feel like going through it all.
Jeanette Benigas 34:33
Yeah, yeah. So for anyone who feels this kind of confusion, I have not exactly put out a map I did put out a podcast episode called the CCC dilemma, which is meant for students and CFC. So if you have students, if you supervise students or CFs if you are one of those in one of those groups, give it a listen because I called Asha and had a very lengthy conversation about when you pay when you doesn't pay Believe it or not, the lady from Mash said, Oh, they should wait till the end of their CF. So they get a full benefit. Because once you pay for that two year package, the clock starts ticking. And she was like, yeah, she's like, so if they end their CF in mid December, she's like, they should really just wait till January and then you cycle and then they get two full years of the package as a certified and licensed SLP. So she didn't, she was saying, you know, pay right away. And so my advice was, if you're afraid or you're scared, and you're in a place where you don't have to have the CCC, you actually have 48 months to apply. So you can kind of sit on it for a while you can go through the process, get your paperwork in order, like you don't have to pay and like fully apply for it until that 48 months is up because practice scores only good for five years, right? You take it some time has passed. Usually it also depends, well, it doesn't depend on the practice, make sure your practice score doesn't expire. But they say 48 months from the start of the CF is when do you have to complete an apply? So my advice was, if you're not sure, sit on it. If your employer doesn't require it, if you're not in a state where you need it for billing, then sit on it. And if you need to get it, they get it. But if you're not sure, you're going to be a completely different clinician from day one CF to 48 months later, but 48 months later, you can start supervising yourself, so knows where you're gonna be, and who knows what fix SLP will have done by that look, like just a half of a year. Wow, that was my advice, do it you were not in a safe space right now where maybe people shouldn't get it because they don't have a pathway. If you don't get that MLM style supervision where you're being supervised by someone who holds the CCC, there is no way to get that after the fact, where they have that pathway for audiologists. So if audiologists are supervised by someone without the CCC in school or during their CF, there is a pathway after they are practicing to gain those who quote supervise hours by someone with the CCC A, but they don't have that pathway for SLPs. So if you don't get that supervision, you are making a permanent decision. I suspect it might change I said this and somewhere along the way. I think that podcasts are different episode. Eventually, maybe fix SLP will have to take that on or maybe Asha will start saying okay, we have to make that change. And they'll just duplicate the pathway because that's all they have to do they already have a system in place, just change the verbiage to AUD and SLP that's all they all they have to do is add three little letters to that policy. So maybe someday they'll do it, but they haven't right now. So choosing to not get your CCC is a permanent decision. Wow. I can see how it's scary. I can I can see that. So you have your CCC? What are your thoughts for your CCC future? You think you're gonna let them know you're gonna keep them? No judgment? I'm not judging you.
Kevin Simmons 38:10
Yeah, I think um, I mean, I think I'll let them go. Because I have been because really is just the only thing to get from Asha that like I need. I honestly don't get like any papers.
Jeanette Benigas 38:25
You're using that rental car discount, aren't you? You're getting office supplies.... I see you over there with that stapler.
Kevin Simmons 38:33
Yeah, I think I think I will. Because so I still want to supervise and I think that will be a cool education for students. Because I'm very passionate about a lot of things, music integration, but you see on my page, like grad school advice and stuff like that. So I would love to just have that Kevin Simmons speech therapist, MS/SLP. So um...
Jeanette Benigas 38:55
If you let your CCC goal though, you can't supervise students.
Kevin Simmons 38:59
Oh, well, then... shoot.
Jeanette Benigas 39:03
See, that's something that we need to they need to have. Because this is a valid conversation we've been having with everyone. Are you less compentent. If you have that CCC at year, three and a year, three day in one month? You let your CCC go? Are you less competent? Are you less qualified to supervise that student?
Kevin Simmons 39:25
Absolutely not. Yeah.
Jeanette Benigas 39:26
no. Yeah. I mean, there's no change in your competency. If anything, every day, you're becoming more competent, right? As long as you're growing and learning as an SLP. And that's the problem. You have to have been supervised by someone with the CCC to help that person get the CCC. That's why I said MLM like multi level marketing style you have to pay to play, pay to play. My argument is as long as we keep funneling money into that system, it's going to pinch academia. It's I'm not hurt, because finding placements are already hard, especially in Atlanta, I've tried to play students there. And it is like a sealed container like you cannot, you cannot penetrate into Atlanta, don't even try, I had one person tell me, if your student is set, her family was moving there. And she's like, if you're set on getting someone, if she sat on having her her supervised experience there, you're gonna have to start looking at our outside of the city. So it's already hard. And so people letting their CCC go is going to make it harder. But until that happens, this policy where you have to have the CCC is actually coming from universities, athletes not saying it. So universities aren't going to change. Ash is never going to make that pathway to get supervised hours after the fact for as long as people keep feeding into the system. Why will there be any change? Sometimes change hurts a little bit? I get a lot of negative feedback for having that opinion. And that's okay. Because as a college professor, someone who's been in academia, I see that other side of it. And I know what I'm saying. I know the repercussions of that. But is there going to be a change without the pain? Change hurts, right? Yeah. I don't have any good answers yet. Audiologists had to sue Asha to get those changes. Do we want to be embroiled in a lawsuit with Asha? Probably not. Yeah, I'm tired. I don't want to be. Right. Right. Yeah. So now you have a lot to think about. Yeah. Now when you're when your sweet little two year packages of, you're gonna have to renew. And then when you get to year three, you can decide? I don't know, maybe by the year three, we'll we'll have changed things that make it so Kevin can let his CCC go in a year and a half. I just manifested that out into the world without them. I like that. Right. What else? Kevin, you have anything else you want to put out there?
Kevin Simmons 42:07
Music? Haircuts? That's about me. Dancing.
Jeanette Benigas 42:11
Oh! You Dance, too?
Kevin Simmons 42:12
Oh, yeah. I mean, I have to compensate, since I can't actually sing so...
Jeanette Benigas 42:17
So you're a good dancer then? Have people that you're a good dancer or is that self like, I'm really good dancer.
Kevin Simmons 42:24
I mean, some people have said, the kids. You know, they're they matter.
Jeanette Benigas 42:32
They kids with all their life experience. Well, that's good. Are they dancing in your sessions too? When they can to your songs?
Kevin Simmons 42:40
Yeah, they are. They're running around chasing them. After the time.
Jeanette Benigas 42:44
I hope you'll hold on to that energy for the rest of your life.
Kevin Simmons 42:49
I pray so I'm getting some gray hairs. So you said you said I'm a baby. I'm like 12 years old. No, it's showing. Got some gray hairs.
Jeanette Benigas 42:57
I got my first gray at 24.
Kevin Simmons 43:01
Wow, that is young.
Jeanette Benigas 43:05
It stayed and it didn't spread. At the end - I'll put this out in the universe too. Preston says this is where I self incriminate. At the end of grad school. I was engaged. And 30 days before the wedding I cancelled and let me tell you about on doing a wedding 30 days before.
Kevin Simmons 43:25
I don't want to hear that sounds....
Jeanette Benigas 43:29
It's a lot. And so it was after that that I had some gray hair. Yeah, just and it's yeah, it didn't spread so maybe you're you'll be lucky like maybe you'll just have those couple little greys by the way, and that person is now a speech language pathologist too. We don't stay in touch, but I did change that man's life. So if he's out there listening Hey, boy. Yeah, so um, yeah, maybe you won't get any more. You'll just get those little baby grays still stay for another 20 years. Yeah. All right. Anything else?
Kevin Simmons 44:11
I don't think so.
Jeanette Benigas 44:12
Kevin, thank you for sharing your story, all the things you're doing. I'm going to be obsessed forever. Your biggest fan. So I'm just so grateful that you gave me some time to come on to the pod and keep doing what you're doing. And when you're ready to open that barber shop? Call me for some money. I might not have it, but I'll send you five bucks. All right, everybody. If you love what we're doing, as I'm sending five bucks to Kevin, you can send five bucks to fix SLP. We have a sustaining partnership program that you can find out more about that at www.fixslp.com. And I'll see you next time. Thanks for fixing it!
Kevin Simmons 44:49
Let me give you the outro gene into SLP. It's a fix it SLP. (outtro music)
All right. Okay 10% of royalties.
Jeanette Benigas 45:07
If only I was making money, that would be amazing. I would give you all the money. Maybe now people will be calling like, I want to sponsor that that! Listen, I've got this right now. And in four hours I'm recording with Jordan LeVan who is @fightingformyvoice. He's not a speech therapist. He's someone living with apraxia if there is there are two people on the internet that I fan girrk over - it is you and Jordan Levan. Today's the best day of my life, I told Preston who's sort of been helping with the podcast a little bit, I said, Listen, you're not allowed on when I record with them because I'm gonna like propose and stuff and it's gonna get weird with you there. I'm like, nevermind that I could be both of their mothers.
Transcribed by https://otter.ai