>> ONE OF THE LARGEST AUTISM
THERAPY HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS IN
THE NATION STARTED RIGHT HERE IN
INDIANA, AND THE COMPANY IS
HAVING YET ANOTHER GROWTH SPURT.
HOPEBRIDGE AUTISM THERAPY
CENTERS WILL ADD UP TO UP TO 40
NEW CENTERS THIS YEAR. BUSINESS
OF HEALTH REPORTER KYLIE VELETA
HAS MORE.
KYLIE.
>> THANK YOU, GERRY.
THE NEW LOCATIONS SET TO OPEN
THIS YEAR WILL BRING THE TOTAL
TO 140 CENTERS IN 12 STATES.
SPECIALIZING IN AUTISM SERVICES
FOR CHILDREN, HOPEBRIDGE ALSO
PLANS TO DOUBLE ITS WORKFORCE,
HIRING FOUR THOUSAND NEW
EMPLOYEES THIS YEAR.
THE COMPANY STARTED WITH A
SINGLE CENTER IN KOKOMO ABOUT 17
YEARS AGO, WHEN FOUNDER AND
CHIEF CLINICAL OFFICER KIM
STRUNK SAW A NEED IN HER
COMMUNITY. SHE JOINS ME NOW TO
TELL US ABOUT A BIG YEAR AHEAD
FOR HER COMPANY.
HI, KIM, WELCOME TO THE SHOW.
>> HI, KYLIE.
THANK YOU.
>> WELL, LET'S TALK ABOUT THIS
EXPLOSIVE GROWTH.
WHAT IS CAUSING SO MUCH GROWTH
FOR HOPEBRIDGE?
>> REALLY FOR THE LAST 17 YEARS,
THE PREVALENCE AND THE NEED FOR
THE SERVICES HAS JUST BEEN KIND
OF MIND-BLOWING.
THE RECENTLY, THE CDC JUST
UPDATED THEIR PREVALENCE RATE
FOR AUTISM TO ONE IN 44.
I THINK THAT ALONG THE WAY WE'VE
SEEN SUCH PROGRESS IN DIAGNOSTIC
PROCESSES AND PROCEDURES THAT
WE'RE JUST REALLY STARTING TO BE
ABLE TO SEE THESE KIDS, THE NEED
REALLY SHOW, AND EXCITED TO BE
ABLE TO PROVIDE THE SERVICE THAT
THEY NEED TO GET THEM HELP AND
HELP THEM LIVE THEIR BEST LIFE.
>> ALSO, I WANT YOU TO MENTION
YOUR ACQUISITION, BECAUSE THAT
REALLY DRUMMED UP NUMBERS FOR
YOU, TOO, RIGHT?
>> YEP, ABSOLUTELY.
HOPEBRIDGE, FOR THE FIRST TIME
WE ACQUIRED ANOTHER AUTISM
COMPANY, WHICH ALLOWED US TO
EXPAND OUR FOOTPRINT TO 12
STATES.
WE ARE REALLY A NATIONAL
PRESENCE.
MOSTLY MIDWEST.
BUT WE DO HAVE A COUPLE OF
CENTERS OUT WEST.
>> WE MENTIONED UP TOP YOU'RE
HIRING 4,000 EMPLOYEES THIS YEAR
ACROSS YOUR 12 STATES.
TALK ABOUT WHAT THAT GROWTH IS
GOING TO LOOK LIKE HERE IN
INDIANA?
>> YEAH.
SO EXCITED.
WE HAVE 19 CENTERS IN INDIANA.
I THINK LAST TIME WE SPOKE, WE
WERE JUST GETTING READY TO OPEN
OUR ELKHART INDIANA CENTER.
EXCITED TO TELL YOU THAT IS UP
AND RUNNING, DOING REALLY WELL.
BUT IN INDIANA, WE ARE STILL
LOOKING AND EXPLORING AREAS THAT
MAY NEED A CENTER.
WE ARE LOOKING AT 450 JOBS
CREATED IN INDIANA ALONE OUT OF
THOSE 4,000, ABOUT 450 WILL BE
IN INDIANA.
AND THAT WILL BE FULFILL THE
1/CENTERS, ALSO EXPANDED CARMEL,
DOUBLED IN SIZE.
EXPAND IN INDIANA AS WELL AS
CONTINUE TO LOOK FOR ADDITIONAL
SITES THAT MIGHT BE GOOD.
>> OKAY.
SO WE MENTIONED YOU'RE HIRING
4,000 COMPANY-WIDE, ABOUT 450
HERE IN INDIANA.
WE HEAR A LOT ABOUT THE GREAT
RESIGNATION RIGHT NOW,
HEALTHCARE WORKERS ARE FACING
BURNOUT, THERE'S A LOT OF
CHALLENGING MARKET FORCES RIGHT
NOW.
SO HOW CONFIDENT DO YOU FEEL
ABOUT THE PIPELINE OF
SPECIALISTS TO BE ABLE TO FILL
AS MANY JOBS AS YOU'RE PLANNING
TO FILL.
>> YEAH.
HEALTHCARE IS A TOUGH BUSINESS
TO BE IN RIGHT NOW.
AND SERVING AUTISM -- IT'S A
HARD JOB, TO BE HONEST.
THE REALITY IS THAT WE REALLY
SERVE A NOBLE MISSION.
AND SO I AM REALLY CONFIDENT
THAT WE ARE GOING TO BE ABLE TO
HIT OUR NUMBERS THIS YEAR.
BECAUSE WHAT WE ARE DOING MAKES
SUCH A DIFFERENCE.
I THINK PEOPLE ARE REALLY DRAWN
TO BEING ABLE TO BE A PART OF
MAKING A DIFFERENCE IN A WILD
AND FAMILY'S LIVES.
SO WHILE IT IS AMBITIOUS, THE
GOAL, FOR SURE, IT IS -- I DO
BELIEVE GOING TO BE VERY
ACHIEVABLE.
>> KIM, I WANT YOU TO TALK A
LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE AMAZING
JOURNEY THAT YOU'VE HAD.
WE MENTIONED THIS STARTED WITH
ONE CENTER IN KOKOMO.
AND NOW GROWN TO OVER 100.
I FEEL LIKE -- THAT'S GOT TO
AMAZE EVEN YOU SOMETIMES.
>> YEAH.
IT'S -- IT HAS REALLY BEEN
PROBABLY THE MOST REWARDING
JOURNEY OF MY LIFE TO BE ABLE TO
BE A PART OF THIS.
SO 17 YEARS AGO, THAT WAS BEFORE
THE AUTISM MANDATE.
SO IT WAS REALLY BEFORE THERE
WAS ANY ABILITY TO GET SERVICES
PAID FOR.
IT WAS ALSO BEFORE THERE WAS A
REAL AWARENESS OF THE NEED TO
DIAGNOSIS THESE CHILDREN EARLY,
AND THE VALUE IN THAT.
AND EVEN JUST THE AWARENESS OF
AUTISM IN GENERAL HAS BEEN
TREMENDOUSLY IMPACTED PRIMARILY
BY GRASSROOTS EFFORTS OF THESE
FAMILIES WHO HAVE JUST REALLY
FOUGHT FOR SERVICES FOR THEIR
CHILDREN.
AND SO TO BE A PART OF THAT
JOURNEY WITH THOSE FAMILIES HAS
BEEN EXTREMELY REWARDING.
>> I WANT TO TALK BRIEFLY ABOUT
THE BOTTLENECK THAT YOU'VE
MENTIONED OFF CAMERA.
YOUR COMPANY REALLY FOCUSES ON
DIAGNOSTICS, AND THAT ADDRESSES
A BOTTLENECKS THAT A LOT OF
FAMILIES COME UP AGAINST.
CAN YOU EXPLAIN THAT A LITTLE
BIT.
>> YEAH.
IN ORDER TO GET THE INSURANCE
COMPANIES TO REIMBURSE FOR THE
ADA SERVICES, THE CHILDREN MUST
HAVE A DIAGNOSIS OF AUTISM.
AND THAT HAS HISTORICALLY BEEN
WHERE FAMILIES GET TIED UP.
THE WAIT-LIST FOR A DIAGNOSTIC
APPOINTMENT CAN BE UP TO TWO
YEARS.
FOR THESE KIDS, TWO YEARS IS A
LIFETIME.
YOU'VE MISSED SO MANY
DEVELOPMENTAL OPPORTUNITIES AND
WINDOWS WHEN YOU HAVE TO WAIT
FOR THAT DIAGNOSTIC APPOINTMENT
BEFORE YOU CAN EVEN START TO
THINK ABOUT TREATMENT.
SO ONE OF THE THINGS ABOUT NINE
YEARS AGO WE INTRODUCED
DIAGNOSTIC SERVICES INTO OUR
SERVICE LINE.
AND WE'VE REALLY HAD AN IMPACT
ON THE ABILITY TO SERVE THESE
CHILDREN AND INCREASE THEIR
ACCESS TO THE SERVICES AND THE
INTERVENTION.
SO IT'S SOMETHING WE ARE REALLY
COMMITTED TO.
WE ARE ACTIVELY SEEKING AND
RECRUITING PSYCHOLOGISTS TO