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BRANDON CHILDREN’S THERAPY TEAM. Our Current BusinessTeam. Yvonne Hodge, Brandon School Division Dale Kotowsky, Brandon RHA - Audiology Sharon Moore, SMD Kris Tufts, Family Services & Housing Shannon Webber, Brandon RHA – Rehabilitation Services Marlene Waldron, RCC
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Our Current BusinessTeam • Yvonne Hodge, Brandon School Division • Dale Kotowsky, Brandon RHA - Audiology • Sharon Moore, SMD • Kris Tufts, Family Services & Housing • Shannon Webber, Brandon RHA – Rehabilitation Services • Marlene Waldron, RCC • Laurie Jackson, CFS of Western MB. • Jan Loe, Brandon RHA Public Health
The Process 1. Demonstration project • Ran from September 30, 2003 – March, 2004 2. Prioritized service gaps • As identified by demonstration project • School-age OT • Pre-School Speech, for children with severe to profound speech/language needs 3. Funding for services received • Established contract with NRCS to purchase OT services for school-aged children for May & June, 2005 • Established contract with SLP to deliver speech/language services for May & June, 2005 • Full time OT hired in August, 2005 • Continued with contract for SLP services • Full time SLP hired in June, 2006
The Process 4. Centralized Intake • SLP at BRHC, POTC, and those in LEAPs program already using this method for pre-school speech • Process expanded to include centralized intake for OT /PT services as well • 5 managers meet twice/month to perform intake function and work out administration issues • Business team meetings semi monthly to discuss business issues- i.e.. Program Manual 5. Evaluation • A survey was conducted of all children receiving school age OT in June 2006 • Both parents and referral agents at the schools were surveyed • Results showed that generally all were pleased with services provided • There were some concerns with lack of communication to the parents re service provision and timely reports • Issues are being addressed this year by providing direct information to the parent when a service provider is assigned, and by asking all service providers to meet standards as outlined in the new manual
5. Outcomes: • Barriers to receiving services have decreased • Developed common referral from and Program Manual for all services • Program pamphlet designed and distributed • People have a better understanding of how OT fits into the educational process • Have eliminated duplication of services • More children being seen; providing service where it is needed, when it is needed and in the form it is needed • Parents and teachers also benefit from these increased services – an inservice day for kindergarten and resource teachers was held in Feb. 2007 fine motor development and when an OT referral is required- copies of the assessment form are available • OT groups occurring in the school setting; CTI OT and BRHC OT
5. Outcomes, continued: • Improved communication between therapists of different programs • Less consultative service and more direct service in all three disciplines • Development of central, cohesive management team has allowed therapist to spend more time in direct patient care *Secondary outcomes: • Managers discuss issues in common and try to identify plans for disadvantaged children • All SLPs using provincial outcome measures • Therapists use same language and process when working with children
6. Continuing Challenges • Different fiscal years for RHA and School Division • Continuing issues with communication and reporting forms • The provision of more service has increased expectations resulting in an increase in referrals and waiting lists developing for all types of service • Uncertainty of funding continuation and/or increases results in inability to plan long term solutions • Difficulty in recruiting and hiring SLP in other areas creates issues for Brandon • Brandon RHC is a provider of service to numerous regions – as each is at a different stage of development communication is key.
7. Next steps • Recruitment of SLP for maternity leave • Completion of a chart audit by the service providers in keeping with the standards outlined in the manual • Client satisfaction survey for all therapies to be conducted in the Spring of 2007 • Continue to lobby for increased funding to ensure continuation of both FTE’s hired by CTI team • Plan to combine human & financial resources to further improve services • Exploring the possibility of hiring of part time intake coordinator to reduce time required by managers for this function