amarillo chamber of commerce - HPN Books

SPECIALIZEDTHERAPYSERVICESSpecialized Therapy Services is a place asunique as the children it serves. When KarenDay founded the facility in 2002, she had just$150 dollars in the bank and a rough-aroundthe-edgesdream to make sure every child isable to not just be in their community, but tothrive there. And Day has been polishing thatdream ever since. A speech therapist by trade,Day knew to be successful a solid foundationwas key. So she focused on hiring top-notchtherapists and staff to build the programsthat would become the backbone of STS:speech, physical, occupational therapy, andcase management services.A tour of the STS facilities reveals expansiveareas filled with therapy and trainingequipment. Colorful, open, airy rooms areconducive to placement and use of modern,cutting edge therapy equipment such as theUniversal Exercise Unit–Spider Cage. Fullylicensed and board certified therapists workingunder the medical direction of thepatients’ doctors provide occupational andphysical therapy services such as gait training,neuromuscular habilitation and rehabilitation,wheelchair and other mobility equipmentproficiency training, and motor skilladvancement. Speech and language therapy isconducted in smaller areas with muted surroundingsthat create fewer distractions fortraining and teaching. Computer labs, feedinglabs, and adaptive equipment labs are locatedthroughout the building.More than just brick and mortar and stateof-the-artequipment, the resonating theme atSTS is that the center, everyone who worksthere, and everyone it serves are one big happyfamily. Day envisioned STS as the total package—afacility that would be the head of theclass and a home away from home. That totalpackage feel hasn’t gone unnoticed. The facilityhas grown rapidly—300-percent in athree-year-period since 2008 and it seems it’sonly the beginning. The center’s foundationaltherapy services now fuel the innovativeHands on Achievement Academy.Housed inside STS, Hands on AchievementAcademy is a benchmark skills school focusingon multidisciplinary education programsfor children with autism and other developmentaland physical disorders. They aregenerally children aged two to ten years oldwho do not thrive or are unable to function inpublic school. Many of them who could notlearn to read in public schools are nowreading at Hands on Achievement. Staffed bycertified teachers who have thorough trainingin general, special and early childhood education,the educational therapy programs atHands on Achievement are tailored to meeteach child’s individual needs. The teachersand staff welcome each child—and eachchallenge—with a tough love-meets-a-greatbig-hugapproach. Here, students are set upfor success, and success is celebrated.Wanting to take her dream even further,Day set her sights on a group of childrenand families often undiagnosed and underserved—thosechallenged with autism spectrumdisorders. In 2010, STS became home toAmarillo Area Autism in Action, a parent-ledorganization dedicated to raising awarenessabout autism and generating support for familiesfacing the puzzling disease. Fundraisers,including an annual walk held each spring,raise money to fund Hands on AchievementAcademy and to support a theater programfor all children with special needs.Currently there is no standardized screeningapproach for the early diagnosis of autismspectrum disorders. And many pediatric medicalpractices don’t consistently screen either.Thus, many children aren’t diagnosed untilthey’re three or older. Day hopes to changethat for families in the Amarillo area, by offeringup STS as an autism screening center.The “spectrum” refers to a group of disorderscharacterized by difficulties with verbal andnon-verbal communication, social interactionand repetitive behavior. Disorders on the autismspectrum include autistic disorder, Rett syndrome,childhood disintegrative disorder, pervasivedevelopmental disorder-not otherwisespecified (PDD-NOS) and Asperger Syndrome.To be sure the autism services at STS arebar-none, Day also lured to Amarillo renownedautism and behavior consultant, MariaWheeler. After living all over the country andtraveling the world teaching others, Wheelerdecided the time was right and so was the offerto follow her passion and work directly withchildren again. Wheeler, who carries a string ofAMARILLO - Faces, Places & Open Spaces188