Make the Most of Your NC ESA+ Funds: Services Available at Developmental Therapy Associates
With the September 11 deadline to accept 2026–27 ESA+ awards approaching, many North Carolina families may be considering what accepting their award could mean for their child—and, importantly, how those funds could be used throughout the year.
If you’re weighing your family’s options, it can be helpful to understand just how many possibilities ESA+ funding may provide. Beyond educational expenses, ESA+ funds can potentially open the door to therapy services and specialized programs that support your child’s communication, independence, confidence, regulation, and everyday skills.
At Developmental Therapy Associates (DTA), we want families to understand the resources available to them and the different ways ESA+ funding may help support their child’s individual goals.
Whether you’re deciding whether to accept your child’s ESA+ award or already have funds available, here are some of the ways you may be able to put those resources to work at DTA.
What Is the NC ESA+ Program?
The Education Student Accounts (ESA+) Program is administered by the North Carolina State Education Assistance Authority (NCSEAA). The program provides eligible families of students with disabilities funding that can be used toward approved educational expenses.
Depending on a student’s eligibility, families may receive significant funding each school year to help pay for qualifying educational services, therapies, curriculum, and other approved expenses.
For families already receiving ESA+, the important question becomes:
How can we use these funds to support our child?
That is where DTA may be able to help.
Use ESA+ Funds for Speech Therapy
Communication impacts nearly every part of a child’s day—from expressing wants and needs to building friendships and participating in school and family activities.
ESA+ identifies Speech Therapy as an eligible educational therapy service when program requirements are met.
At DTA, our Speech-Language Pathologists work with children across a wide variety of communication needs. Depending on your child’s individual goals, services may address areas such as:
- Expressive and receptive language
- Articulation and speech sound development
- Social communication
- Fluency
- Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC)
- Feeding and oral-motor needs when appropriate
- Other functional communication skills
Our goal is not simply to work on skills inside the therapy room, but to help children communicate more successfully throughout their everyday lives.
Use ESA+ Funds for Occupational Therapy
ESA+ also recognizes Occupational Therapy as an eligible educational therapy service when applicable program requirements are met.
Pediatric occupational therapy can support the skills children need to participate more independently and confidently at home, at school, and in the community.
Depending on a child’s individual needs and goals, DTA’s occupational therapy services may address:
- Fine motor development
- Sensory processing
- Self-regulation
- Motor planning and coordination
- Daily living skills
- Independence
- Executive functioning
- Participation in routines and everyday activities
For some families, ESA+ funding can provide another avenue for accessing these important services.
Explore Specialized Programs at DTA
One of the exciting things about ESA+ is that families may have opportunities to use their funds beyond traditional weekly therapy.
DTA offers specialized programs designed to help children develop practical skills, increase participation, and experience greater success in their everyday lives.
Depending on ESA+ eligibility and approval, families may be able to use their funds toward qualifying DTA programs and services.
Safe and Sound Protocol (SSP)
DTA offers the Safe and Sound Protocol, a listening-based program designed to support regulation and sensory processing.
Families have previously been able to use ESA+ funding toward SSP services at DTA.
If you have been interested in exploring SSP for your child, ask our team about the program and the ESA+ payment process.
Bike Riding Instruction
Learning to ride a bike can represent much more than learning a recreational skill.
Bike riding can involve coordination, balance, motor planning, body awareness, confidence, and independence. DTA has provided specialized bike riding instruction to help children develop these skills in a supportive environment.
Families have also successfully used ESA+ funds for qualifying bike riding services at DTA in the past.
Because ESA+ approval can depend on the individual service and program requirements, our team can help you determine the next steps before getting started.
Explore Specialized Programs at DTA
One of the exciting things about ESA+ is that families may have opportunities to use their funds beyond traditional weekly therapy.
DTA offers specialized programs designed to help children develop practical skills, increase participation, and experience greater success in their everyday lives.
Depending on ESA+ eligibility and approval, families may be able to use their funds toward qualifying DTA programs and services.
Safe and Sound Protocol (SSP)
DTA offers the Safe and Sound Protocol, a listening-based program designed to support regulation and sensory processing.
Families have previously been able to use ESA+ funding toward SSP services at DTA.
If you have been interested in exploring SSP for your child, ask our team about the program and the ESA+ payment process.
Bike Riding Instruction
Learning to ride a bike can represent much more than learning a recreational skill.
Bike riding can involve coordination, balance, motor planning, body awareness, confidence, and independence. DTA has provided specialized bike riding instruction to help children develop these skills in a supportive environment.
Families have also successfully used ESA+ funds for qualifying bike riding services at DTA in the past.
Because ESA+ approval can depend on the individual service and program requirements, our team can help you determine the next steps before getting started.
ESA+ Can Help Families Think Beyond Insurance
For families accustomed to navigating health insurance, it can be easy to think about services only in terms of what an insurance company will or will not cover.
ESA+ creates another potential resource.
That may allow eligible families to explore services and programs that support their child’s development but may not fit neatly within their traditional insurance benefits.
It can also give families an opportunity to consider additional goals for their child—whether that means communication, sensory regulation, independence, coordination, participation, or learning a new functional skill.
You May Be Able to Prepay for Therapy
Another helpful feature of ESA+ is the ability to prepay for qualifying educational therapy services.
Under current NCSEAA rules, families may prepay for a block of educational therapy sessions during each semester, subject to ESA+ requirements.
That can make it easier for families to plan ahead and dedicate a portion of their ESA+ funding to their child’s therapy needs.
Already Using Insurance? Ask About ESA+
Having health insurance does not necessarily mean ESA+ isn’t relevant to your family.
Under ESA+ rules, eligible educational therapy expenses may include certain costs associated with therapy when medical insurance is also involved, including applicable copays or therapy services after insurance benefits have been exhausted, subject to NCSEAA requirements.
If your child receives therapy through insurance and also has ESA+, it may be worth asking our team whether ESA+ can help with eligible expenses.
Don’t Let Your ESA+ Funds Go Unused
Your child’s ESA+ funding is an opportunity to invest in the skills that can make a meaningful difference in their everyday life.
If your family has ESA+ funds available, we encourage you to think about the goals you have for your child.
Would you like them to communicate more independently?
Build greater confidence in everyday activities?
Develop stronger sensory and regulation skills?
Improve coordination and motor skills?
Learn a new functional skill, such as riding a bike?
Explore a specialized program such as Safe and Sound Protocol?
There may be a DTA service that can help.
Talk to DTA About Your ESA+ Funds
Developmental Therapy Associates provides pediatric Speech Therapy, Occupational Therapy, and specialized programming designed around the individual needs of children and families.
If your child participates in North Carolina’s ESA+ Program, contact DTA and let us know that you have ESA+ funding. Our team can discuss the services and programs currently available and help you understand the next steps for using ESA+ funds at DTA.
Your ESA+ funds are there to support your child’s development and education. Let’s explore how you can put them to work.
ESA+ eligibility, allowable expenses, provider requirements, and payment approval are determined by the North Carolina State Education Assistance Authority (NCSEAA). Previous approval of a particular service does not guarantee future approval. Families should consult current NCSEAA ESA+ program requirements and DTA regarding eligibility before purchasing services.