SPEECH-LANGUAGE AND OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY DEPARTMENTS OUTPATIENT DEPARTMENT DEPARTMENT UPDATES

We are gearing up for our Therapeutic Summer Programs in the outpatient Speech-Language and Occupational Therapy departments. We have hosted 3 virtual parent Open Houses as opportunities for the community to learn more about our exciting summer programs and all 7 weeks are nearly fully enrolled. Each program will be co-led by a Speech-Language Pathologist and an Occupational Therapist as well as other assistants and volunteers Weekly themes this summer include Fun with Friends, Stars and Stripes, Down on the Farm, TLC Under the Sea, Roar, Roar Dinosaur, Under the Big Top and Monster Mash. Several special visitors are already lined up to visit our camps including a therapy dog, a miniature pony, and a dance therapist.

Our outpatient Occupational Therapy and Speech-Language Therapy departments have also been busy this Spring offering free screenings in our clinic as well as providing these screenings in local private schools.

Brigid Baker, OTR/L, Director of Outpatient Clinical Programs, completed a year-long collaboration with the Harbor School in Potomac, MD. The focus of this collaboration was on creating sensory-friendly classrooms. Brigid provided workshops for Harbor staff during their professional development days, visited classrooms, met individually with teachers, and provided input on how best to integrate tools and strategies for individuals and groups of students in day-to-day learning.

Registrations for our Summer Interaction Group, co-led by Shirley Wietlisbach and Kelly Strub, are nearly fully enrolled this summer. The Interaction Group is based on the DIR/Floortime model – a Developmental, Individual Difference, Relationship-based model. It promotes development across a wide range, including regulation, joint attention, communication and language, motor skills, cognition, ideation and execution, and social problem-solving Our Interaction Groups run year-round.

Our Occupational Therapist department continues to grow, and we have hired two additional full-time staff who will begin this summer!