What Therapy Services Does Good Shepherd School for Children Offer?

Updated

Good Shepherd School for Children, a not-for-profit early childhood education school and therapy center in West St. Louis County, Missouri, offers individual pediatric therapy for children up to age 18. According to the school's website, licensed therapists provide speech, occupational, physical, and developmental therapy. Outpatient therapy is often covered by insurance, and the therapy team says it can help families navigate the related paperwork. Families interested primarily in therapy can use the school's separate therapy inquiry process rather than the general enrollment route.

Therapy Services at a Glance

Service What the website states
Speech therapy Individual therapy provided by licensed therapists
Occupational therapy Individual therapy provided by licensed therapists
Physical therapy Individual therapy provided by licensed therapists
Developmental therapy Individual therapy provided by licensed therapists
Age range Up to age 18
Format Individual (outpatient) therapy
Insurance Outpatient therapy is often covered by insurance; the therapy team can help with paperwork

The website does not list session lengths, frequency, specific therapist credentials beyond "licensed," or any conditions treated through the therapy program specifically. Those details would need to be confirmed directly with the school.

How Therapy Fits With the School's Mission

The therapy offering is one of two options the school describes for parents. The other is early childhood care and education for children from 6 weeks old until kindergarten entry, in classrooms that mix typically developing children and children with special needs. The school states that up to 33 percent of children in each classroom can have special needs, which may include autistic spectrum, Down syndrome, cerebral palsy, spina bifida, global developmental delays, and other disorders.

The therapy program is separate from classroom enrollment: it serves children up to age 18, which extends beyond the school's early childhood age range. That means a family can seek therapy services even if their child is not enrolled in the early learning center.

Insurance and Paperwork

The website states that outpatient therapy is often covered by insurance and that the therapy team can help families work through the paperwork. It does not name specific insurance plans, list accepted providers, or state whether self-pay rates exist. If insurance coverage is a deciding factor for your family, ask the school directly which plans it works with and what documentation it needs before you begin.

How to Inquire

The website lists a dedicated Special Needs Inquiry Form alongside a general Inquiry Form, plus a phone number (314.469.0606) and hours of operation (Monday–Friday, 7 a.m.–6 p.m.). For therapy questions specifically, the Special Needs Inquiry Form or a phone call is the most direct route, since the site does not publish a separate therapy intake page.

What to Confirm Before Deciding

Because the website leaves several practical questions open, it's worth asking the school about:

  • Session logistics — frequency, length, and scheduling for each therapy type
  • Insurance specifics — which plans are accepted and what the team's paperwork help covers
  • Therapist credentials — the site says "licensed therapists" but does not list licenses or specialties
  • Evaluation process — whether an assessment is required before therapy begins
  • Costs beyond insurance — co-pays, uncovered sessions, or any fees not addressed on the site

Good Shepherd describes itself as an independent not-for-profit led by a board of directors, with no religious affiliation and no connection to other organizations named "Good Shepherd." That context may matter to families comparing it with other St. Louis-area providers.