Special Needs Living – Sponsor of the Month - K1ds Count Therapy

By Maria Smietana

In six short years, Lindsay and Frank Knez have expanded K1ds Count Therapy from its first location in a small farmhouse in Brownsburg, IN, to the second one in Crawfordsville and are looking to open a third location within the next year. In addition, they serve approximately 35 public and charter schools around the area.

K1ds Count Therapy provides speech, occupational, physical, and mental health therapies to all children as well as a comprehensive autism services program that is grounded in ABA therapy.

The Knezes have called the Brownsburg community home for the last 11 years. They feel that faith drives their mission to SERVE Together with their KCT team to positively impact kids, families, and the community. “The little farmhouse has grown into a campus of six buildings,” Lindsay said, “and we have developed such supportive relationships with the Town, the Parks and Recreation Department, and the local schools.”

The Crawfordsville location came about because as a Wabash College graduate, Frank had a soft spot in his heart for the community. Equally important, the Knezes wanted to bring comprehensive therapy services to a very underserved area of the state. Within the next year, they hope to open their third and final location on a 12-acre plot in Whitestown. They feel connected to Whitestown through Traders Point Christian Church and School, where the family worships and the children attend school. “We are excited to open a new center with large, simulated classrooms, acres of land for K1ds Count Therapy inclusive athletic programs, and much more!” Frank said.

Within the next year, they hope to open their third and final location on a 12-acre plot in Whitestown. They feel connected to Whitestown through Traders Point Christian Church and School, where the family worships and the children attend school. “We are excited to open a new center with large, simulated classrooms, acres of land for K1ds Count Therapy inclusive athletic programs, and much more!” Frank said.

Lindsay, a Bloomington, IN, native, has been working to help children with autism and their families since she was 18 years old. As a high school senior, she worked for a buddy’s program and then at a group home, serving six children with autism every weekend, something she continued while attending college at IU. “Those kids were like family,” she recalled. “They gave me a sense of purpose since I was considering a career as a speechlanguage pathologist to give all children a voice.”

After staying on at IU to earn a graduate degree in speech-language pathology, Lindsay worked for First Steps, outpatient clinics, and at Damar, a residential school on the far southwest side of Indy for children with autism and other developmental challenges.

At Damar, Lindsay said, “I served so many children for many years. I became a board-certified behavior analyst (BCBA), had the chance to work and collaborate with other disciplines, learned about Language Acquisition through Motor Planning (LAMP), and had several great mentors.”

Frank and Lindsay met when she first joined the team at Damar Services as a speech-language pathologist. Frank also became involved with Damar and volunteered on behalf of Gatorade, his employer at the time, to help support the Damar Prom. Frank loved serving the kids, and from that point on, he and Lindsay began a journey together to help kids and families.

“We met wonderful people dedicated to the same mission along the way,” Frank said. This team became K1ds Count Therapy, serving all children in need of ABA, and speech, occupational, physical, and mental health therapies and services.”

New Outpatient and Admin Building

Lindsay believes that the truly comprehensive service model of K1ds Count Therapy is what makes it unique. “As a therapist and a mom, I know that each therapy discipline can play such an important role for a child,” she said. Some children may need

many types of therapy, while others might require only one or two, but having them all under the same roof is not only more convenient for families, it allows for a more coordinated care plan for the child.

Lindsay and Frank encourage parents of children of all abilities to always remember and celebrate the “little things.” When they started K1ds Count Therapy, their first son was just 6 months old, and he went to work with them daily. K1ds Count Therapy has been instrumental in his development. This year, he began kindergarten and received a book called Oh, How I’ve Grown, a reminder of all of the “little things” as he continues on his journey through school. As parents, we know that each “little thing” is also a great accomplishment!”

Now the parents of three boys, Lindsay and Frank don’t have much free time. However, as the children who have been served at K1ds Count Therapy grow into adults, some of the parents of those kids inspired the Knezes to start a non-profit company called Building Essential Skills Together (BEST) to create employment opportunities for adults of all abilities. See www.buildingessentialskills.com to learn more!

Business Contact Information Frank Knez K1ds Count Therapy 1353 E. Main St. Brownsburg, IN 46112 Phone Number: 317-294-5242 www.kctherapy.com Frank@kctherapy.com