Root for The Home Team: Caregiver Coaching & Family Capacity Building in EI

Course Number: ABIO2521

When: Available November 24, 2025 – November 24, 2030

Where: Audio available under “Course Content” at the bottom of this page.

Description: This course explores evidence-based strategies for caregiver coaching and family capacity building in early intervention. Participants learn to apply a coaching framework that supports caregivers as adult learners, embed intervention into daily routines, and use coaching techniques in telepractice to deliver effective, family-centered services.

Who This Course Is Good For:

Any ASHA member, CCC holder, or other professional that is licensed or credentialed to practice speech-language pathology (SLP) or audiology or preparing to earnASHA CEUs.
A professional who works with pediatric clients that have limited natural speech
A professional who works with pediatric clients that use augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) systems or may be good candidates for AAC
A speech-language pathologist (SLP) who works in an early intervention setting
A speech-language pathologist (SLP) who works using teletherapy
A professional who works with pediatric clients that exhibit challenging behaviors

Who This Course Isn’t Good For:

Any professional who has an extensive background in caregiver coaching with children that exhibit challenging behaviors
Any professional who is not familiar with the terms caregiver coaching or early intervention
Any professional that does not currently work with any pediatric clients or plan to in the near future
Professionals that solely provide one on one therapy in a medical setting as this course is focused on daily routine implementation in a home-based setting.

Presenters:

Venita Litvack, M.A, CCC-SLP

Venita is an Assistive Technology (AT) Consultant in south Florida. She has a passion for using AAC, AT, and literacy to support individuals with complex communication needs, autism, and other disabilities. Venita has delivered poster presentations on several topics related to AAC at ASHA and co-presented several ASHA CEU accredited courses. Venita co-authored two articles published in ASHA Leader’s online publication, as well as the Lou Knows What to Do book series published by Boys Town Press. Recently, Venita started utilizing the power of social media to empower and motivate educators across the country through the Speechie Side Up podcast, blog, Instagram account, and YouTube channel.

Mollie Romano, Ph.D

Mollie Romano, a professor and Assistant Director of the Communication and Early Childhood Research and Practice Center at Florida State University. Her research focuses on caregiver implemented interventions to support the development of infants and toddlers with disabilities and those at risk for delays, professional development approaches for early childhood providers, and interventions that target prelinguistic communication skills.

Disclosure Statements

Venita Litvack has the following relevant relationships to disclose: ownership interest in Speechie Side Up, LLC and Tassel Learning, LLC; royalties from the Lou Knows What to Do book series. Venita is a member of the ASHA Special Interest Group 12.

Mollie Romano has the following relevant relationships to disclose: Dr. Romano is an employee of Florida State University. Some of her salary is supported by grants and contracts that encourage the implementation of caregiver coaching models in early intervention.

Learning Outcomes

As a result of this activity, participants will:

Identify at least 3 evidence-based strategies for caregiver coaching and family capacity building in early intervention
Describe at least three factors to consider when recommending a coaching framework to support caregivers as adult learners
Describe at least 3 ways families can embed intervention into daily routines that are meaningful to the family
Describe at least 3 ways to use a coaching framework in telepractice for early intervention

Agenda

Time	Topic
5 min	Introductions and Backgrounds
15 min	Discussion on how families can embed intervention into daily routines that are meaningful to the family
23 min	Discussion of factors to consider when recommending a coaching framework to support caregivers as adult learners
10 min	Discussion of at how families can embed intervention into daily routines that are meaningful to the family
10 min	Description of how to effectively use caregiver coaching through telepractice with early intervention