WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:03.436 >>GERRY: THE PREVALENCE OF AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER CONTINUES TO GROW, WITH ONE IN 46 KIDS BEING DIAGNOSED. 2 00:00:03.436 --> 00:00:10.410 AS A RESULT, THE DEMAND FOR THERAPISTS AND OTHER SPECIALISTS TO HELP KIDS WITH AUTISM FAR OUTPACES THE SUPPLY. 3 00:00:10.410 --> 00:00:16.483 THAT'S WHY AN INDIANAPOLIS-BASED AUTISM TREATMENT CENTER IS PLANNING A MAJOR EXPANSION. BUSINESS OF HEALTH REPORTER 4 00:00:16.483 --> 00:00:24.924 KYLIE VELETA HAS MORE... >>KYLIE: HOPEBRIDGE AUTISM THERAPY CENTERS STARTED ABOUT 15 YEARS AGO IN INDIANAPOLIS WHEN 5 00:00:24.924 --> 00:00:29.896 ITS FOUNDER REALIZED KIDS WITH AUTISM WEREN'T GETTING THE THERAPY THEY NEEDED. WHAT STARTED HERE IN THE HOOSIER 6 00:00:29.896 --> 00:00:35.168 STATE HAS NOW GROWN TO ONE OF THE LARGEST AUTISM THERAPY HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS IN THE NATION WITH CENTERS IN SIX 7 00:00:35.168 --> 00:00:41.875 STATES. AND HOPEBRIDGE IS NOW PLANNING ITS LARGEST EXPANSION YET, OPENING UP TO 20 NEW CENTERS, 8 00:00:41.875 --> 00:00:47.614 INCLUDING A NEW ONE IN ELKHART. JOINING ME NOW TO TELL US MORE ABOUT THE GROWTH IS KIM STRUNK, THE FOUNDER AND CHIEF CLINICAL 9 00:00:47.614 --> 00:00:55.688 OFFICER OF HOPEBRIDGE. THANKS FOR BEING ON THE SHOW TODAY. >>: THANK YOU. 10 00:00:55.688 --> 00:01:03.730 >>: YOU HAVE A BIG EXPANSION COMING, BUT FIRST OF ALL, LET'S TALK ABOUT WHAT YOU HAVE 18 CENTERS THE NEW ONE IN ELKHART 11 00:01:03.730 --> 00:01:10.837 WILL MAKE 19 AND YOU SAY WHAT REALLY MAKES A HOPE BRIDGE UNIQUE IS THE APPROACH TO CARE WHICH IS CALLED HOPE BRIDGE 360 12 00:01:10.837 --> 00:01:17.510 CARE. TELL US ABOUT THAT. >>: SURE, SURE. OUR MISSION IS TO BE ABLE TO 13 00:01:17.510 --> 00:01:26.286 PROVIDE ACCESS TO CHILDREN WITH AUTISM FOR SERVICES THAT ARE APPROPRIATE AND SOME OF THAT IS MAKING SURE WE BRING IN A 14 00:01:26.286 --> 00:01:31.724 VARIETY OF SPECIALISTS THAT ARE ABLE TO PARTICIPATE IN THAT CARE. SO ONE THING THAT REALLY SETS US 15 00:01:31.724 --> 00:01:38.598 APART IS DIAGNOSTIC SERVICES. A LOT OF CHILDREN RUN INTO A BOTTLENECK IN BEING ABLE TO ACCESS INTERVENTION BECAUSE THEY 16 00:01:38.598 --> 00:01:45.705 DON'T HAVE A DIAGNOSIS AND SOMETIMES THE WAITLIST CAN BE UP TO A YEAR IN ORDER TO BE DIAGNOSED. 17 00:01:45.705 --> 00:01:54.113 SO WE BROUGHT DIAGNOSTICS INTO OUR SERVICE MIX IN ORDER TO HELP INCREASE THAT EXCESS. THE OTHER COMPONENT THAT IS 18 00:01:54.113 --> 00:02:03.022 IMPORTANT FOR THESE FAMILIES IS JUST CONVENIENCE. HAVING OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY, SPEECH THERAPY AND ALL THERAPIES 19 00:02:03.022 --> 00:02:09.329 UNDER ONE ROOF ALLOWS THEM TO ACCESS ALL THE SERVICES THAT ONE TIME AND IT'S MORE CONVENIENT FOR THEM. 20 00:02:09.329 --> 00:02:18.104 >>: THIS EXPANSION UP TO 20 NEW CENTERS IN SIX STATES, WHY DID YOU SEE A NEED TO OPEN AL THESE NEW CENTERS? 21 00:02:18.104 --> 00:02:25.712 >>: THE PREVALENCE OF AUTISM CONTINUES TO GROW. ONE IN 54 KIDS. IT IS JUST AMAZING THAT THE 22 00:02:25.712 --> 00:02:35.255 COMMUNITY STILL HAVE SUCH A GREAT UNMET NEED SO, AGAIN, OUR MISSION IS TO INCREASE ACCESS FOR CHILDREN TO APPROPRIATE CARE 23 00:02:35.255 --> 00:02:42.061 AND SO WE CONTINUE TO FIND COMMUNITIES THAT NEED SERVICES AND THAT'S WHERE WE ARE GOING. >>: LET'S TALK ABOUT THE 24 00:02:42.061 --> 00:02:47.934 PANDEMIC. I THINK IT HAS BEEN HARD ON CHILDREN EVERYWHERE FOR A LOT OF DIFFERENT REASONS, BUT 25 00:02:47.934 --> 00:02:55.441 ESPECIALLY HARD ON KIDS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS. WHAT KINDS OF CHALLENGES HAVE YOU SEEN FAMILIES WITH KIDS WITH 26 00:02:55.441 --> 00:03:02.515 AUTISM STRUGGLING WITH DURING THE PANDEMIC? >>: THE PANDEMIC AS YOU SAID IT'S BEEN HARD ON EVERYBODY BUT 27 00:03:02.515 --> 00:03:09.722 SPECIAL NEEDS CHILDREN PARTICULARLY HARD AND FAMILIES THAT ARE TRYING TO MAINTAIN SOME TYPE OF CONTINUITY OF CARE FOR 28 00:03:09.722 --> 00:03:16.229 THEIR CHILDREN, THAT'S BEEN A REAL CHALLENGE FOR SERVICES THAT GET INTERRUPTED AND YOU LOSE THAT CONTINUITY OF CARE. 29 00:03:16.229 --> 00:03:26.306 IT IS SO CRITICAL TO AVOID ANY REGRESSION IN THEIR SKILLS. THE OTHER IS SOCIAL ISOLATION. AND FOR CHILDREN WITH AUTISM, 30 00:03:26.306 --> 00:03:34.647 SOCIAL SKILL DEVELOPMENT IS REALLY A HALLMARK ON CHALLENGE FOR THEM. SO THE ISOLATION AND SOCIAL 31 00:03:34.647 --> 00:03:41.854 DISTANCING AND THE RESTRICTIONS HAVE PUT ONTO THESE FAMILIES HAVE ONLY COMPOUNDED THAT. AND YOU ADD IN AS THE KIDS ARE 32 00:03:41.854 --> 00:03:49.829 GOING BACK TO SCHOOL MASK WEARING. A LOT OF THESE KIDS HAVE SENSORY CHALLENGES IN SENSORY AVERSIONS. 33 00:03:49.829 --> 00:03:57.837 A LOT HAVE COMMUNICATION ISSUES AND SO THEY MASK WEARING INHIBITS AND CAUSES PROBLEMS IN THOSE WAYS AS WELL. 34 00:03:57.837 --> 00:04:03.509 >>: DO YOU THINK ALL OF THOSE CHALLENGES HAVE REALLY UNDERSCORED THE NEED FOR YOUR SERVICES? 35 00:04:03.509 --> 00:04:12.418 >>: ABSOLUTELY. IT IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN EVER AND WE HAVE WORKED VERY HARD AS ESSENTIAL HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS 36 00:04:12.418 --> 00:04:19.826 TO STAY OPEN IN A SAFE MANNER SO THAT OUR PATIENTS AND STAFF ARE SAFE. IT IS REALLY CRITICAL THAT THEY 37 00:04:19.826 --> 00:04:24.631 HAVE THE CONTINUITY AND WE ARE AVAILABLE TO ADDRESS THEIR NEEDS. >>: WE'VE TALKED A LOT ABOUT 38 00:04:24.631 --> 00:04:32.772 THE CARE YOU PROVIDE BUT GOOD BUSINESS ANGLE TO THIS, TALK ABOUT SOME ADVANTAGES YOUR COMPANY BRINGS AS A BUSINESS TO 39 00:04:32.772 --> 00:04:40.980 THE COMMUNITY A MAC ONE OF THE GREAT THINGS OBVIOUSLY PRIORITY IS PROVIDING EXCELLENT CARE FOR THESE CHILDREN AND FAMILIES. 40 00:04:40.980 --> 00:04:48.721 BUT WHEN WE GO INTO A COMMUNITY TO BE A PARTNER AND PROVIDE JOBS. SO THAT IS WE ARE COMMITTED TO 41 00:04:48.721 --> 00:04:59.098 PROVIDING JOBS IN EVERY COMMUNITY WE GO TO SO THE YEAR 2021 WE WILL OFFER 400 NEW JOBS IN THE STATE OF INDIANA ALONE. 42 00:04:59.098 --> 00:05:05.938 WITH ALL OF OUR EXPANSION OPPORTUNITIES WE CONTINUE TO BRING SPECIALISTS IN, BUT THEY ARE LICENSED PROFESSIONALS THAT 43 00:05:05.938 --> 00:05:11.744 ARE COMING INTO THOSE COMMUNITIES TO PROVIDE JOBS FOR THOSE COMMUNITIES AND FAMILIES. >>: VERY GOOD. 44 00:05:11.744 --> 00:05:12.745 THANKS FOR BEING ON THE SHOW