Leanne Sherred, M.S., CCC-SLP
It’s not always easy to find the right speech therapist in Amarillo. You need to think about cost and waitlists, but also the therapy approach and setting.
Depending on your child’s age and 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. Other speech therapy options include private clinics, university clinics, or virtual providers like Expressable for personalized, 1:1 care. This guide walks through each option in Amarillo so you can make an informed decision.
Key takeaways
Start by considering: Where do you want speech therapy delivered? How will you pay? What credentials and therapy approach matter most to you?
Know the options for your child’s age: Under age 3, Texas Panhandle Centers – Early Childhood Intervention offers free ECI evaluations (806-358-8974). Age 3 and older, Amarillo ISD must evaluate and treat speech needs for free (Child Find: 806-326-1000).
Understand all your choices: ECI, school-based therapy, private clinics, local universities, and virtual care.
Ask about waitlists: They’re common in speech therapy. But the earlier treatment starts, the faster progress your child will likely make.
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 weigh other factors such as location and therapy approach when comparing.
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Find a speech therapistYour speech therapy options in Amarillo
Amarillo anchors the Texas Panhandle, with about 200,000 residents across Potter and Randall counties. 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 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 Potter and Randall County, ECI is run by Texas Panhandle Centers – Early Childhood Intervention, serving Potter, Randall, and surrounding Panhandle counties.
Who it’s for: Babies 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. Therapy is never denied for inability to pay.
How to start: Call 806-358-8974. Parents can refer their own child, no doctor needed. Office location: 901 Wallace Blvd, Amarillo, TX 79106.
Are there downsides to ECI? It’s a fantastic program for many families, but there are a few tradeoffs:
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 means they’ll need to start working with a new 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 it would help them.
Access isn’t guaranteed. Some ECI programs have funding and staffing challenges, with waitlists in certain areas.
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 (Amarillo 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 Amarillo ISD, with parts in Canyon ISD (serving south Amarillo and Randall County).
How school-based services work through Amarillo ISD’s Child Find (806-326-1000):
1. You or a teacher submit a written referral.
2. The district gets signed consent, then has 45 school days to evaluate your child’s speech and language.
3. An ARD (Admission, Review, and Dismissal) meeting is held within 30 calendar days.
4. 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 speech problem. A child qualifies only if their speech or language issue affects them in school. 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 1:1. With so many kids needing therapy, services are often delivered 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 speech 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. This makes it harder to reinforce skills at home—and home practice is what helps kids make 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
With virtual speech therapy, your child works with a licensed speech-language pathologist over video, from home (here’s how online speech therapy works).
For most Amarillo families, the 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. Rural West Texas has among the state’s lowest staffing of speech therapists, so families across the Panhandle often travel to Amarillo—or online—for care.
Online speech therapy opens up a pool of speech therapists across Texas, instead of only the clinics near you. There’s often less of a waitlist, and there’s no commute needed.
Online speech therapy opens up a pool of speech therapists across Texas, instead of only the clinics near you.
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.
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 approach tends to lead to faster progress. Plus, Expressable speech therapy is available across Texas, no matter where in the Amarillo 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 parent or 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 the basics. 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.
Research shows that online speech therapy is just as effective as speech therapy delivered in person in a practice-based setting.
Private speech therapy clinics
A number of private speech therapy clinics operate across Amarillo, 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 the most affordable route. However, they tend to have the longest waitlists and run on the school calendar.
Northwest Texas Healthcare System – Children’s Hospital Pediatric Therapy offers speech therapy for kids, including feeding therapy.
There’s no university teaching clinic in Amarillo. The nearest is the WTAMU Speech and Hearing Clinic at West Texas A&M University, about 18 miles south in Canyon. It’s usually a lower-cost option.
How to pay for speech therapy in Amarillo
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 Amarillo family’s first hurdle. Here’s how the main options work.
Medicaid (STAR and STAR Kids). Most Amarillo children on Medicaid are in managed care. In the MRSA West service area, STAR plans are 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 Amarillo includes:
Your school district (free, age 3 and up)
ECI (sliding scale, under age 3)
The WTAMU Speech and Hearing Clinic (in Canyon, ~18 miles south)
Head Start/Early Head Start, run locally by ESC Region 16 Head Start/Early Head Start, which screens young children and can catch speech delays early
Learn how insurance companies decide whether to cover speech therapy. Plus, tips for finding affordable speech therapy for your child or yourself.
Choosing between in-person vs. 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 well 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’s experienced with your child’s specific needs, able to show real patient 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 availability right away. 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 best 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.
Discover the top 5 reasons online speech therapy may be a better choice than in-person speech therapy for you and your family.
What to expect: Evaluation and first sessions
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 to get progress reviews and goal updates as your child improves. Here’s more on how long speech therapy usually takes.
Checklist for choosing 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 your speech therapist, so you want to find the right 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 trains you to use communication-building techniques during daily routines, drives the fastest progress. Ask whether the therapist will show you how 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 patient 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 Amarillo, 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.
Speech therapy that gets results
At Expressable, our research-based care model delivers meaningful outcomes for kids and adults. See our results from more than 13,000 clients.
See our outcomesSpanish-language and bilingual speech therapy services
About 34% of Amarillo 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.
When starting speech therapy, there are many important questions to ask your speech therapist. Use this list of questions to know what to ask.
Local resources and parent support in Amarillo
Getting speech therapy is only part of it. Navigating evaluations, ARD meetings, insurance, and waitlists can be stressful. These Potter and Randall County and Texas organizations help families understand their rights, connect with other parents, and find support.
Local advocacy and support
The Arc of Potter and Randall Counties — Advocacy and support for families of children with intellectual and developmental disabilities. 2610 S Ong Street, Amarillo 79109. (806) 282-0535. thearc.org/chapter/the-arc-of-potter-and-randall-counties/
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 peer 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)
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.
If your child is under 3, call ECI/Texas Panhandle Centers at 806-358-8974. 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 (Amarillo ISD: 806-326-1000).
Yes. Speech therapy is covered when medically necessary under STAR, STAR Kids, and CHIP. In your area of Amarillo, the main plans are Superior HealthPlan and Wellpoint. Be sure to confirm your plan is still active, as plans change.
Yes, through ECI (for kids under 3, free evaluation and income-based fees) and your public school district (free speech services from age 3 and older). University and hospital clinics offer lower-cost options but may have long waitlists.
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: Amarillo
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.
