Congratulations to Jordan Bills, MA, CCC-SLP, TSSLD, for graduating from the Apraxia Kids Intensive Training Institute (Apraxia Boot Camp)!

Jordan received her bachelor’s degree from the University of Virginia and her master’s degree from the George Washington University. Her passion for working with children with CAS began in graduate school, where she was fortunate to have an Apraxia Kids Bootcamp graduate as a supervisor. Since graduating, Jordan has worked with numerous children with suspected and confirmed CAS in both the U.S. and the U.K. She started her own private practice in 2021, Nurture Speech and Feeding Therapy, with a special interest in evaluating and treating children with CAS. She is honored to now be Recognized by Apraxia Kids for Advanced Training and Expertise in Childhood Apraxia of Speech. Jordan believes children make the most progress when they are engaged and having fun! She prides herself on providing the best evidenced-based treatment methods while tailoring therapy sessions to the unique needs and interests of each child. She enjoys working closely with parents to identify strategies for continued support outside of sessions and collaborating with other professionals on a child’s team.

Jordan offers services in New York City, New York.
Check out Jordan’s Apraxia Kids SLP Directory Listing to learn more.

Apraxia Kids: What are the top 3 things you learned from this training experience?
Jordan: 1) I learned how to use the Index of Phonetic Complexity as an assessment tool and as a way to confidently select targets for treatment, ensuring I am gradually and systematically increasing the complexity of targets.   2) I learned about the importance of using a variety of outcome measures to monitor progress in addition to probe data for treatment targets and scores on standardized tests of articulation and phonology.   3) I learned about a new scoring system to use with probe data called the Multilevel word Accuracy Composite Scale (MACS) which better reflects subtle changes in speech accuracy and helps distinguish between productions that are accurate and those that are very close approximations.

Apraxia Kids: How did the boot camp experience change or expand your network of colleagues/friends?
Jordan: It was amazing to be surrounded by so many passionate, intelligent SLPs who strive to provide the best possible care for their clients with CAS. It was easy to become friends with the SLPs at Bootcamp as we shared this passion. I continue to talk to several of them since completing the training and know I can always call on them for support. In addition, having a connection to the incredible mentors from Bootcamp is something I don’t take for granted. I would feel comfortable reaching out to the mentors with any questions down the road.

Apraxia Kids: How have you implemented the knowledge you gained at boot camp?
Jordan: Since attending Bootcamp, I am even more intentional with how I plan treatment sessions for children with CAS on my caseload and am always analyzing what I am doing and why. I consistently use the Index of Phonetic Complexity now to inform my target selection and am using new progress monitoring tools to evaluate the impact of treatment on an ongoing basis. I feel much more confident in my treatment decisions and ability to discuss CAS with the families I work with.

Apraxia Kids: What is an example of how you have been able to (or plan to) use your expertise as a local resource/support for other professionals and/or families since attending the intensive training?
Jordan: I have consulted with a few local families seeking treatment for suspected CAS by providing advice on what to look for in terms of treatment and an SLP’s experience when I was unable to work with the child myself due to location/schedule. I hope to offer trainings/workshops for other SLPs who would like to expand their knowledge of CAS and feel more confident working with children with possible CAS on their caseloads. In addition, I would love to share my knowledge with prior colleagues and new connections in London, U.K. where it was common for SLTs to have very little knowledge on appropriate assessment and treatment for CAS.

Apraxia Kids: What would you say to someone considering applying to boot camp next round?
Jordan: Go for it! This was the best learning experience I have had since graduate school, and you won’t regret it. Although the training is intense and requires a lot of work, the knowledge, skill, and confidence you gain from this training are absolutely worth the effort.