Leanne Sherred, M.S., CCC-SLP
It’s not always easy to find the right speech therapist in Abilene. You need to think about cost and waitlists, but also the therapy approach and setting.
Depending on your child’s age and their needs, speech therapy is often available free through Early Childhood Intervention (ECI), a state program for children under 3. For older kids, public school districts must evaluate and treat speech and language needs at no cost. Alongside these options, families often use private clinics, university clinics, or teletherapy providers like Expressable for personalized, 1:1 care. This guide walks through each speech therapy option in Abilene so you can choose with confidence.
Key takeaways
Start with these questions: Where do you want speech therapy delivered? How will you pay? What credentials and therapy approach matter most to you?
Consider your child’s age: If your child is under age 3, Betty Hardwick Center – Early Childhood Intervention offers free ECI evaluations (325-627-0908). Age 3 and older, Abilene ISD must evaluate and treat speech needs for free (Child Find: 325-677-1444).
Understand all your options: They may include ECI, school-based therapy, private clinics, local universities, and virtual care.
Ask about waitlists: They’re common in speech therapy, but earlier treatment leads to faster progress for your child.
Know that most speech therapy is covered by Medicaid, CHIP, or commercial insurance: You can also pay for therapy yourself via private pay. Ask if the speech therapist accepts your payment method, but think about other factors such as location and therapy approach when comparing.
Looking for a speech therapist?
Get started nowYour speech therapy options in Abilene
Abilene anchors the Big Country region of West Texas, with about 131,000 residents. Some speech therapy options are free public programs; others are private or virtual. If you’re new to speech therapy and want to understand how it works, start with our ultimate guide to speech therapy for children.
Early Childhood Intervention (ECI)
For children up to age 36 months, many families start by contacting Early Childhood Intervention (ECI). This is the birth-to-3 program every state runs under federal law (the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, or IDEA, Part C) to support babies and toddlers with developmental delays. In Taylor County, ECI is run by Betty Hardwick Center – Early Childhood Intervention, serving Taylor, Callahan, Jones, Shackelford, and Stephens counties.
Who it’s for: Infants and toddlers with a developmental delay or disability.
Cost: Evaluation, service coordination, and interpreting are free. Ongoing speech therapy uses an income-based sliding fee and is never denied for inability to pay.
How to start: Call 325-627-0908. Parents can refer their own child, no doctor needed. Office location: 765 Orange St, Abilene 79601.
Are there downsides to ECI? It’s a fantastic program for many families, but a few tradeoffs are worth understanding:
It ends at the third birthday. ECI is birth-to-3 only. At 3, your child transitions to school-district services, sometimes with a gap in between. This can be hard after building a relationship with a speech therapist.
You have to qualify. ECI requires a measurable developmental delay (or a qualifying medical diagnosis). A child with a milder delay may not be eligible for speech therapy, even if they’d benefit from it.
Access isn’t guaranteed. Some ECI programs have funding and staffing challenges, leading to waitlists
It’s not always free. ECI bills your insurance, and out-of-pocket costs follow an income-based sliding scale. Depending on your plan and income, some families find it isn’t much cheaper than a private clinic.
School district (Abilene ISD)
Once a child turns 3, federal law (IDEA) requires public schools to find, evaluate, and serve children with disabilities at no cost—first through early childhood special education, then school-age services. Most of the city is Abilene ISD, with parts in Wylie ISD (Abilene) and nearby districts.
How school-based services work through Abilene ISD’s Child Find (325-677-1444):
You or a teacher submit a written referral.
The district gets signed consent, then has 45 school days to evaluate your child’s speech and language.
An ARD (Admission, Review, and Dismissal) meeting is held within 30 calendar days.
If eligible, your child gets an Individual Education Plan (IEP) that can include speech therapy.
Tip: You can look up any Texas district’s special education compliance record through the Texas Education Agency’s annual Results-Driven Accountability determinations.
Are there tradeoffs to school-based therapy?
Eligibility is tied to educational impact, not just a delay. A child qualifies only if their speech or language issue affects school performance. A concern that doesn’t clearly hurt schoolwork may not get services, even if you’d like speech therapy for it.
Goals are educational, not comprehensive. School therapy targets the communication a child needs in the classroom, not necessarily every goal a family cares about (such as social communication, feeding, or a speech sound error that doesn’t affect learning).
Speech therapy is often group-based, not individual. With so many kids needing therapy, services are often given in small groups. Your child may get less individual attention than in a private clinic.
Your child may not get as many sessions as they need. Because of speech therapist shortages, your child may get only 30 minutes of therapy a week, which isn’t enough for some kids.
Scheduling is driven by the school. Therapy happens during the school day on the school’s schedule. Children are sometimes pulled out of class for therapy sessions. Therapy usually pauses over the summer unless your child qualifies for extended-school-year services.
It can be a process you have to push. School speech therapy runs through referrals, evaluation timelines, and ARD/IEP meetings. Parents sometimes have to advocate to get an evaluation or the right services for their child.
You’re usually not in the room. School therapy happens without you, which makes it harder to reinforce skills at home—and home practice is what tends to drive the fastest progress.
If your child receives school speech therapy, learn when private therapy might also be needed, plus info about speech therapy costs and finding a therapist.
Online speech therapy
Virtual speech therapy connects your child with a licensed speech-language pathologist over video, from home (here’s how online speech therapy works).
For most Abilene families, the practical barriers to speech therapy aren’t whether a nearby clinic exists. It’s the commute, the long waitlists, and finding a speech therapist who takes their insurance. Texas is short an estimated 2,000 speech therapists, and roughly half of school districts report shortages. This is a big reason local waitlists stretch for months.
Online speech therapy opens up a statewide pool of therapists, instead of only the clinics near you. There’s often less of a waitlist, and there’s no commute needed.
Most notably, research shows virtual therapy is as effective as in-person care for the large majority of speech, language, and communication needs. Because sessions happen in the child’s own home, parents are part of the process rather than waiting in a lobby.
Online speech therapy opens up a statewide pool of therapists, instead of only the clinics near you. There’s often less of a waitlist.
Expressable is a virtual speech therapy provider built around that last point. Its licensed speech therapists work directly with your child and you, the caregiver. That way, you can reinforce the right speech strategies during everyday routines, not just during the weekly session. Parents attend sessions, learn how to prompt language at home, and leave each visit with techniques to practice and personalized home activities.
Because so much of a child’s progress happens in the hours between appointments, this caregiver-led model tends to lead to faster progress. Plus, it’s available across Texas regardless of where in the Abilene area you live.
Is there a downside to online care?
Online therapy isn’t the best fit for the most hands-on needs. A small subset of children—typically those with severe feeding and swallowing needs—may not be a good fit for virtual care. After the evaluation, your speech therapist will recommend whether ongoing virtual care is appropriate.
It works best with a caregiver nearby. Caregiver attendance matters, especially for younger children. It’s what makes home carryover work—but it does take some of your time.
You need a device with Internet. For online speech therapy, you’ll need a device like a computer or tablet, a decent internet connection, and a quiet spot in your home.
How does online speech therapy work? Learn how virtual speech therapy helps children and adults improve communication skills from the comfort of home.
Private speech therapy clinics
A number of private pediatric speech therapy clinics operate across Abilene, serving families through insurance or private pay. Availability, specialties, and wait times vary clinic to clinic. It’s worth calling a few to compare how soon they can start and whether they treat your child’s specific need.
Hospital and university clinics
You can also receive speech therapy through hospital outpatient programs and university teaching clinics. Children’s hospitals are best for complex or medical needs, or children who need a team of specialists. University clinics, where graduate clinicians treat under licensed faculty supervision, are often more affordable. However, they tend to have the longest waitlists and run on the school calendar.
Hendrick Health – Pediatric Rehabilitation (Hendrick Children’s Hospital) offers pediatric speech plus feeding/swallowing therapy; a referral is required. 325-670-6000.
Hardin-Simmons University Speech & Language Clinic, a university teaching clinic, provides speech, language, and swallowing services for kids and adults at no charge. Graduate clinicians are supervised by licensed speech therapists.
Abilene Christian University also runs a speech clinic.
Are you concerned about your child's speech and language skills, or your own? Our screener will let you know if a speech evaluation is needed.
How to pay for speech therapy in Abilene
Texas has the highest rate of uninsured children in the country: about 13.6% in 2024, more than double the national rate of 6%. So sorting out coverage for speech therapy is often an Abilene family’s first hurdle. Taylor County’s overall uninsured rate is high (roughly 19%). Here’s how the main options work.
Medicaid (STAR and STAR Kids). Most Abilene children on Medicaid are in managed care. In the MRSA West service area, STAR plans are Aetna Better Health, Superior HealthPlan, and Wellpoint. STAR Kids (for children with disabilities) is offered by Superior HealthPlan and Wellpoint. Speech therapy is covered when medically necessary. (Note: Be sure to verify before you enroll, because which Medicaid plans operate in your area may change. Confirm your plan is still active locally and that your speech therapist is in-network.)
CHIP. Children who don’t qualify for Medicaid may be eligible for CHIP, which also covers speech therapy.
Commercial insurance. Most private plans cover medically necessary speech therapy, though coverage for “developmental” delays varies by policy (what insurance does and doesn’t cover). Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas is the most common commercial insurer statewide. Always confirm your speech therapy benefit and any annual visit limits before starting.
Private pay. The cost of speech therapy varies by provider and setting. Considering virtual speech therapy? Expressable accepts 250+ insurance plans, including Medicaid in Texas. About a third of its patients are on Medicaid, and most families pay $0–$21 per visit after insurance.
Free and low-cost options. Beyond insurance, free or income-based speech therapy in Abilene includes:
Your school district (free, age 3 and up)
ECI (sliding scale, under age 3)
The Hardin-Simmons University Speech & Language Clinic (free) or the ACU Center for Speech, Language and Learning
Head Start/Early Head Start, run locally by Region 14 ESC Head Start / Abilene ISD Crockett Early Head Start, which screens young children and can catch speech delays early.
Learn the pros and cons of private pay versus using insurance for speech therapy for adults and children, plus free options for young kids.
Deciding between in-person and online speech therapy
Both in-person and online speech therapy have been proven to work. The best fit depends on your child’s needs, your family’s schedule, and how quickly you need to begin.
In-person speech therapy tends to be the better fit when:
The need is truly hands-on: Nearly all communication disorders can be treated just as effectively online. However, severe feeding and swallowing disorders likely require the therapist to be in the room.
You’ve found the right local provider: There is a local speech therapist who can treat your child’s specific needs, is able to show real outcomes, involves you as the caregiver, and fits your schedule.
You’re prepared to wait: Clinics at hospitals or universities often have long waitlists, so check before counting on them.
Online speech therapy (teletherapy) tends to be the better fit when:
You want to start sooner: Providers like Expressable often have near-immediate availability. You can start in days, not months.
Travel or scheduling is a barrier: Care happens from home, with flexible scheduling (including evenings and weekends). You get a Texas-wide pool of speech therapists instead of only nearby clinics.
You want to be involved: In teletherapy, sessions happen at home with the caregiver present. Research shows this is one of the most effective ways for children to make progress in therapy.
Learn more about how online speech therapy works and why teletherapy is as effective as in-person care.
Research shows that online speech therapy is just as effective as speech therapy delivered in person in a practice-based setting.
What to expect when starting speech therapy
Most speech therapy starts with an evaluation. The speech therapist assesses your child’s speech, language, and sometimes feeding, then recommends whether therapy is needed and how often. If speech therapy is recommended, your therapist will create a custom care plan.
Sessions are typically 30-45 minutes, once or twice a week. For young children, sessions look a lot like structured play, since play is how kids learn communication. Expect periodic progress reviews and goal updates as your child improves. Here’s more on how long speech therapy usually takes.
Checklist: How to choose a speech therapist
Beyond setting and cost, a lot goes into choosing the right therapist. It’s worth being picky! You and your child may build a long relationship with this person.
Here’s a short checklist for finding a speech therapist:
Parent involvement: Does the therapist involve you in sessions? A child may spend only 30 to 60 minutes a week in therapy. Research shows that caregiver coaching, where the therapist shows you how to use therapy techniques during daily routines, drives the fastest progress. Ask whether the therapist will coach you and provide ways to practice at home between sessions.
Measurable outcomes: Will the speech therapist track your child’s progress toward their goals and share results with you? Do they have outcomes data they can share from their other patients?
Credentials: Your therapist should be a licensed speech-language pathologist (SLP), licensed to practice in Texas, with a Certificate of Clinical Competence (CCC-SLP) from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA). You can verify a Texas license through the state licensing board.
Specialty match: Speech therapists treat a wide range of people, from toddlers with speech delay to older people recovering from a stroke. Make sure your therapist is experienced with your child’s specific need (articulation, stuttering, apraxia, feeding, bilingual). In a city as bilingual as Abilene, it’s worth asking about Spanish-language experience if that matters for your family.
Insurance and cost: Is your speech therapist in-network with your plan? Does your insurance have any limits on how many speech therapy visits it will cover?
Wait time: Ask the speech therapist how soon they can actually start. The length of time can vary a lot!
Expressable is built around the first two items. Caregiver coaching is its primary therapy model, and it publishes its outcomes. At Expressable, 96% of patients make measurable progress within five sessions, as tracked on standardized assessments.
When starting speech therapy, there are many important questions to ask your speech therapist. Use this list of questions to know what to ask.
Spanish and bilingual speech therapy services
About 27% of Abilene residents are Hispanic or Latino, and Spanish is the most common language other than English spoken at home. That means bilingual speech services are in real demand, though they can be harder to find.
ECI provides interpreting at no cost, and university clinics often offer bilingual speech-language services. When you call a speech therapy provider, ask whether bilingual therapy or on-demand interpretation is available.
Local resources and parent support in Abilene
Getting speech therapy is only part of it. Navigating evaluations, ARD meetings, insurance, and waitlists can be stressful. These Taylor County and Texas organizations help families understand their rights, connect with other parents, and find support.
Local advocacy and support
Disability In Action — An independent living center serving Taylor and surrounding counties. disabilityinaction.org
Statewide resources (open to every Texas family)
Disability Rights Texas — The state’s federally funded legal advocate for people with disabilities; publishes a plain-language guide to Texas special-education rights. disabilityrightstx.org
SPEDTex (Special Education Information Center) — A statewide helpline for IEP and special education questions. (855) 773-3839, spedtex.org
Texas Parent to Parent (TxP2P) — Matches parents of children with disabilities with experienced mentors, plus a special-needs resource library. (866) 896-6001, txp2p.org
Navigate Life Texas — A statewide, parent-written guide to raising a child with disabilities or special health needs; dial 2-1-1 (or 877-541-7905) for local referrals. navigatelifetexas.org
Please note that contact details, program offerings, and program availability may change.
Not sure your child needs speech therapy?
If you’re still deciding whether to look into speech therapy, a good first step is to see how your child’s speech and language compare to typical milestones. When in doubt, an evaluation is the surest way to know. Check out these guides as well:
Speech milestones by age
Learn more about speech therapy
The complete guide to speech delays in toddlers and young children
Take our free quiz: does your child need help with speech and language?
Frequently asked questions (FAQs)
If your child is under age 3, call ECI/the Betty Hardwick Center at 325-627-0908. You can refer your own child, and the evaluation is free. If your child is age 3 or older, contact your school district’s Child Find office (Abilene ISD: 325-677-1444).
There's no minimum age. Early intervention often produces the best outcomes, and children under 3 can be evaluated for free through ECI. If you notice warning signs, it's better to evaluate early than to wait.
They vary widely. Some university and hospital clinics have reported long waits, while virtual speech therapy providers and some private clinics can start much sooner. Ask about wait times on your first call.
Yes, research shows teletherapy is as effective as in-person care for most speech and language needs, with the added benefit that caregivers are involved in every session. Only a small subset of children—typically severe feeding and swallowing needs—may require in-person care.
ECI serves children ages birth to 3 with family-centered services and a free evaluation. At age 3 and older, your public school district provides free, IEP-based speech services.
Article sources
ASHA — communication milestones
Cleveland Clinic — speech therapy overview
Texans Care for Children / U.S. Census — uninsured children in Texas, 2024
ASHA — Texas SLP workforce shortage
Expressable — published outcomes
U.S. Census Bureau — QuickFacts: Abilene
Texas HHSC — STAR / STAR Kids (MRSA West) plan charts
Last reviewed July 2026. Program contacts, Medicaid plan availability, and waitlists change over time; we re-verify periodically.
How Expressable Can Help
Concerned your child isn't reaching age-expected milestones? Looking for communication support from a professional? Expressable is a national online speech and occupational therapy practice serving children and adults. We treat all major areas of communication, feeding, and developmental skills, offer flexible hours including evenings and weekends, and accept most major health insurance plans. We’re proud to have earned more than 4,500 5-star reviews from our clients (4.83/5 average).
Our therapy model is centered on parent and caregiver involvement. Research proves that empowering caregivers to participate in their loved one’s therapy leads to better outcomes. That’s why we combine live, 1-on-1 speech and occupational therapy with personalized education and home practice activities for faster progress.
