The Insider: January 2012

VOL. 8 NUMBER 1: January 2012VOL. 8 NUMBER 1: January 2012

Welcome to the fi rst Insider for 2012. In this issue, we are looking ahead at the coming year. As I ask myself what might be in store for T2K in 2012, I fi nd myself refl ecting on the year that we are just now wrapping up.

THERAPY 2000 was tested in 2011 more than in any year before. I don’t feel like killing my Happy New Year vibe with recalling the 2011 challenges in too much detail. However, it’s worth recalling the “triple whammy” that hit us last year. First, there were the billing issues with our previous software system (which left our bank account sadly empty-ish). Then, our DFW divisions were tested to the core when we experienced the huge drop in patient census due to our exit from the Amerigroup network. This caused, and to a degree continues to cause challenges to keep all of you fully staffed. Finally, there were the threatened rate cuts of the 2011 legislative session, which were so draconian, they threatened the existence of every pediatric home health agency in the State of Texas.

The point of recalling all this unpleasantness is not to dwell on it, but to learn from it. I learned in 2011 that T2K is a lot more resilient than I realized. We dealt with some really major challenges last year, and we overcame. We transitioned back to HealthWyse, and have enjoyed good billing and collections ever since we’ve been back with them. We increased our marketing efforts and thankfully, were able to keep most of you staffed. We played a lead role in lobbying state legislators, and were able to reverse the threatened cuts to our rates.

I am not sure what is in store for us in 2012. There are continued maneuvers by legislators and regulators that are posing a serious threat to our statewide Medicaid rates. We are continuing our statewide expansion, and we are doing an amount of reorganization, including the merger of the North into the Central and East divisions. In other words, I am sure that we will again face plenty of roadblocks and obstacles in 2012. And more than ever, I am convinced that we will face whatever may come our way head on, and that we will overcome the challenges we’ll face. We’re a resilient bunch…

Best wishes for a safe and healthy 2012 for all of you.

Looking Forward 2012from the administrator, Jerre van den bent, pt

– Jerre

Inside This Issue:

Recently, you completed a survey about joining your fellow T2Kers in community service projects in 2012. 60% of you reported that you are interested in volunteering your time. 66.7% stated that you would like to participate in service outings twice a year. Some of the service areas of interest included: habitat for humanity, area food banks, homeless shelters and overseas opportunities. More information will follow soon. If you are interested in helping lead our inaugural community service event, please contact [email protected].

community service giving back in 2012

Expansion Update ....... 2

DFW Restructure ......2-3

Mentoring .................4-5

Marketing .................... 6

Human Resources ....... 7

Chari-T2000 .............8-9

Holiday Party/

Anniversaries ........10-11

T2K TechTalk ............. 12

Division Updates ...13-20

Lone star terry hutchings, m.ed., ccc-sLp, ceo

THERAPY 2000 is now officially in Houston! Our office is located in the Honeywell building at 1250 West Sam Houston Pkwy South and nicely set in the epicenter of the Houston area. Our office is currently consists of Jamie Lombardo, our Marketer, and Erik Garcia, our AOS/Staffer. Our intention is to be frugal with office employees and only hire as the demand requires. Within the next two years we hope to add an office to serve the Galveston, Clear Lake southern area, and then the Spring/Woodlands northern area. In preparation for our Houston area expansion, we carefully studied the demographics to identify the areas where we know there are children in need of our services.

In the San Antonio region, we are consistently learning of the need for services to the north of our current location. Much of the area is rural or semi-rural with very significant needs for the home health services we provide. Our goal for the area is to have our current San Antonio/Austin Regional Vice President, Priscilla Keating, open a south Austin office in the second half of 2012. Beyond 2012, we hope to help fill a need that exists in the Corpus Christi area as well.

Far out on the tip of west Texas, bordering both New Mexico and Mexico, lies El Paso, a city facing much turmoil and strife in recent times. We know there are many children and families in this area who need our services desperately. In the near future, we hope to help bring our services to this area as well.

My plan is to keep you updated on a regular basis as we strive to deliver excellence to all our future expansions.

It’s time to say goodbye to 2011 and cheer a happy what’s up to 2012. I am really excited about this upcoming year for many reasons. I know THIS is the year that I’m going to be able to keep all of my New Year’s resolutions. Especially the weight loss one – yeah right.

As you know, the DFW divisions are starting the year off with a rather large reorganization project. What were your thoughts when you first heard this? Was it fear? Am I going to lose my current supervisor? Was it frustration? Man, can anything ever stay the same? Was it sadness? I wish things could be like they used to be. All of these are valid feelings. Change can be scary. If you’re like me, change is tough, but I’ve come

to embrace change because change is needed to grow, improve and to keep us from getting stagnant.

A survey was sent out via Survey Monkey asking questions regarding how our therapists felt they were being supported by the office staff and the company. There was a lot of feedback - some positive and some not as positive. Many people reached out to me to voice their opinions and concerns. Some feedback I received was the desire for our growing company to retain its strong sense of pride and keep its personal touch. Nobody wants our growth to make us less efficient or render us too “corporate”. Including me.

Ok, sO we are facing anOther change. what’s in it fOr yOu?

dFW restructure angeLa LaWson, r.n., b.s.n., dFW rVp

Expansion UpdatE WhErE WE'rE hEading

Upcoming Events of interest

(Continued on Next Page)

editorial staff

Jerre van den Bent, PTEditor-in-ChiEf

Kyle ButlerMAnAGinG Editor

Alex ParisCopy-WritEr/Editor

Terry Hutchings, M.Ed.EXPANSION UPDATE

Angela Lawson, RN, BSNdfW rEstruCturE

Belinda Williams, OTRMEntorinG

Jennifer RileyMArkEtinG

Leslie TrillohuMAn rEsourCEs

Kristin Mycke, LCSWChAri-t2000

Maicol Nietoi.t. CornEr

Betty Carter, M.A. CCC-SLPthErApist's story

Lone star terry hutchings, m.ed., ccc-sLp, ceo

3

dFW restructure angeLa LaWson, r.n., b.s.n., dFW rVp

I believe the re-organization will address these aforementioned apprehensions and will also offer you many added benefits. With benefits being directly or indirectly a result of the changes. All of the changes will result in increased communication, efficiency and pride.

Increased communication. First and foremost, I want THERAPY 2000 to be a company with a group of managers, including myself, that listens. I have learned that you guys have great insights and ideas and I need to listen with understanding to what you have to say. We are slowly achieving some of this through the surveys but would like to expand this communication even more. Therefore, we are forming an employee driven advisory board this year. This concept is currently in the baby stages but I hope to start working with employees who are interested in voicing their opinions the first quarter of the year. Look for more information coming your way on this project in the near future.

Efficiency. Another goal of the reorganization is better efficiency. Reducing the divisions from four to three divisions has forced us to look at how we currently do things. Are we doing it because it is the right way or because it is the way it has always been done? In the upcoming months, we will be looking to implement a team approach to many positions. Look forward to case managers and staffers working closely together to better benefit the T2K team and our patients. We will be working to increase our responses to field staff needs and make things more uniform so that you know what the expectations will be regardless of which division you are in. These team approaches will also bring an increased satisfaction to the office staff since they will have input in decision

making and the outcomes. This will be one of the first projects for the advisory committee to tackle. If it affects you, you need to have input. I think I’m going to tattoo that on my forehead.

Pride. We need to foster our sense of overwhelming pride that we are a company that is competitive and hands down lives by the “gold standard”. That is, a gold standard in efficiency, in customer service, in documentation, in patient care and in setting the standard for everyone around us. I believe that we all love our jobs and what the company stands for. I want everyone to feel a sense of pride that you have helped to build this company into what it is today and that you will have an even greater part in building it into what we want it to be for years to come. It’s going to take some effort on everyone’s part. We must power through the initial change phase and embrace where we will be once the change is made.

When I initially started this article, I tried to avoid the word CHANGE since it seems to have such scary connotations here. I think that I used it once and got booed (I’m not bitter ). Instead, I think I would like to get excited about the word CHANGE.

I’d like to reassure you that we are looking at making changes that are gradual and well planned. Your input has been a big factor in the decisions that have already taken place and I will continue to listen as we continue with the process. Whether you need Ativan or yoga to get through it, change is here. Let’s get excited about where we are going in 2012 and beyond. Please feel free to contact me at [email protected] with questions and concerns and if you are interested in joining the T2K advisory board.

eastArc of Dallas

"Live the Dream Expo"January 7th, 2012

Garland Special Events Center

eastDallas Metro 2012 Muscle Walk

February 11th, 2012Cowboys Stadium

north LISD SEPSTA SpecialNeeds Activities Fair

Saturday, March 3rd, 201210 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Upcoming Events of interest

education beLinda WiLLiams, otr, eXecutiVe director oF education & Qa

mEntoring: a mUtUally bEnEficial rElationship

4

Do you know who mentored Robert Epstein, Editor-in-Chief of Psychology Today? How about Evangelista Torricelli, inventor of the barometer? Even if you don’t know, when the

question is raised, one immediately realizes that the world has certainly benefitted at least indirectly from their mentors work. I’ll share the answers a bit later.

Mentoring is a relationship that is defined by one person being entrusted with the counsel and guidance of another. The value of such relationships really boils down to how much we give to each other. The mentee becomes more enriched and skilled and the mentor grows in the graciousness of giving back and often the serendipity of learning something unexpected from their mentee as well. Ultimately both can feel the gratification of making things better.

In our quest to continue to improve our services, we recently provided our Second Annual Mentor Camp which was attended by more than fifty therapists. Our managing therapists, seasoned mentors and new candidates all attended to learn more about the dynamics of the mentoring relationship. While our mentoring program has flourished and nurtured some of the most skilled therapists in the state we should also be proud that our culture is one of perpetual learning. This culture has pervaded all departments at THERAPY 2000 thanks to Jerre, who has mentored just about everyone in the company either directly or indirectly. He encourages leading up, and across in addition to the traditional tenants of leading and mentoring. I think we should all take pride in knowing that we all participate in teaching each other and ultimately making things better for the families we serve!

Ponder these relationships of epic impact:

Robert Epstein (Editor-in-Chief of Psychology Today) was mentored by B.F. Skinner, renowned psychologist, who was mentored by the hard driving, Williams Crozier, Chair of the Department of Physiology at Harvard where Skinner had enrolled as a Psychology major.

Evangelista Torricelli (inventor of the barometer) was mentored by Galileo, inventor of the astronomical telescope, who was mentored by the works of Archimedes, the ancient Greek inventor, mathematician, & astronomer. This a great nod to the power of research left as a legacy to others.

How about Maxwell Perkins? I had never heard of him before, but he must have been a great book editor and writing coach as he mentored authors, Ernest Hemingway and F. Scott Fitzgerald!

As we enter a new year, I encourage all of us to reach out and see who we can nurture, and with whom we might share some precious nuggets of knowledge. It doesn’t have to be a formal relationship. So much is gained in simple fellowship! So here’s a toast to mentors; those who give selflessly, to the betterment of others and by doing so extend the life of their imprint on this earth!

references

Peer Resources, 2011, The Mentor Hall of Fame, retrieved

December 16, 2011 from http://www.mentors.ca/

mentorpairs.html

Skelton, L., 2009, The Biography of Red Skelton, retrieved

on December 16, 2011 from http://www.redskelton.com/

BIOGRAPHY.htm

education beLinda WiLLiams, otr, eXecutiVe director oF education & Qa

How do I become a THERAPY 2000 mentor?

If you are interested in becoming a mentor, you can email the Education Director; Belinda Williams who can help you connect with the lead mentor over your area of interest. They will guide you through the criteria and the process of picking an area of interest.

Mentorship Possibilities include: • Generalist for OT, PT, and ST • Advanced Care, High Risk Infant & Toddler (HRIT), Hearing Impairment (HI), Assistive Technology (AT), or Feeding/VS (VitalStim)• Sensory/Behavior (Pending further development)

I think I need mentoring, how do I find a mentor?

If you are offered a child which has a diagnosis or condition with which you are not experienced enough to provide safe and effective care, your staffer can connect you with the appropriate mentor in your area. A mentor will likely make the first visit with you to assess whether the case is manageable with the supportive mentoring.

If you are treating a child who has a significant change in condition beyond your skill level or scope, you can request assistance by contacting one of the lead mentors who will connect you with an appropriate mentor. If you already have a mentor relationship with someone who has helped you in the past, you may contact the mentor directly.

Lead Mentors:

OT: Jennifer Lawson, OTR, SDC PT: Karen Crain, PT, SDCST: Kate Metzler, SLP, SDCAssistive Technology: Lisa Terry, SLP, AT Program ManagerFeeding/VitalStim: Karen Gillum, SLPHearing Impairment: Lucy Liu, Aud, SLP, HI Program ManagerHigh Risk Infant & Toddler: Alice Anderson, PT, HRIT Program Manager/PT, SDC Sensory/Behavior: Jennifer Lawson, OTR, SDC or Belinda Williams, OTR

answers to mentor puzzle

Just For Fun match the mentor with their mentee(s)

Mentors

Audrey HepburnMichael Jackson (mentored 2 on list)

Johnny CarsonUsher

Red Skelton (mentored 3 on list)Richard BurtonLaurence Olivier

Games: Monopoly

Mentees

Elizabeth TaylorKobe Bryant

UsherMichael JacksonJohnny Carson

Lucille BallBill Gates

Anthony Hopkins (mentored by 2 on list)Justin Beiber

Jay Leno

Audrey Hepburn: Elizabeth Taylor | Michael Jackson: Usher, Kobe Bryant | Johnny Carson: Jay Leno | Usher: Justin Beiber | Red Skelton: Johnny Carson, Lucille Ball, Michael Jackson | Richard Burton: Anthony Hopkins | Laurence Olivier: Anthony Hopkins | Game of Monopoly: Bill Gates

answers at bottom of page.

marketing JenniFer riLey, director oF community reLations

thErapy 2000 hits a homE rUn with Upcoming roughriders partnership

A survey was sent out asking if T2K'ers had any New Year's resolutions (personal and professional) for the New Year. Here what you had to say:

Do you have any professional goals for 2012? Here are a few professional New Year's goals T2K'ers shared:

• Improve knowledge base thru CEUs and receiving

mentorship, possibly begin mentoring others, dedicate

more prep time to each individual client than I do currently.

• Come up with new therapy activities so that I don't stay

in a rut.

• Find mentoring relationships for new skills learned in recent

MBA classes.

• Increase knowledge of oral motor skills and use of taping

for increased articulation skills.

survey says: new year's resolutions

Yes 93.9%No 6.1%

Since our surprise visit from the mascot Deuce

at the DFW Holiday Party, THERAPY 2000 has

been gearing up for our partnership with the Frisco

RoughRiders Baseball Team! We are planning for a

busy RoughRiders season, which begins in April. The

goal of our partnership is to maximize visibility and

referrals for THERAPY 2000 in the North Texas area.

There are many exciting ways that we will benefi t from

this partnership.

THERAPY 2000 will have a tremendous amount of

advertising at every game, which draws around 8,000

attendees. Some of the advertising media includes

concourse signage, website identity, radio ads, print

advertising in the game program, concourse television

exposure and game fi eld exposure. We will have the

opportunity to market in-person at three of the games.

The selected games will have a kid-related theme.

We will also have one large promotion, which will run

during the season giving us valuable exposure in the

Dallas Morning News.

We will also have season-long access to many benefi ts

at the Dr. Pepper Ballpark. Some of these perks

include a business entertainment suite, meeting space,

networking events and more appearances by Deuce.

Three events of note for THERAPY 2000 will occur at

the Dr. Pepper Ballpark. These include; RoughRiders

Kids' Day where we will have 60 invitations for children

of our employees, a Chari-T2000 fundraising event,

and T2K Family Day. This year's Family Day will take

place Saturday, June 23rd. We will all be attending a

RoughRider’s Baseball game!

It should be an amazing partnership in terms of

exposure and the resulting benefi ts for our company.

We look forward to having a winning season with the

RoughRiders!

Since our surprise visit from the mascot Deuce

at the DFW Holiday Party, THERAPY 2000 has

been gearing up for our partnership with the Frisco

RoughRiders Baseball Team! We are planning for a

busy RoughRiders season, which begins in April. The

goal of our partnership is to maximize visibility and

referrals for THERAPY 2000 in the North Texas area.

There are many exciting ways that we will benefi t from

this partnership.

THERAPY 2000 will have a tremendous amount of

advertising at every game, which draws around 8,000

attendees. Some of the advertising media includes

concourse signage, website identity, radio ads, print

advertising in the game program, concourse television

exposure and game fi eld exposure. We will have the

opportunity to market in-person at three of the games.

The selected games will have a kid-related theme.

We will also have one large promotion, which will run

during the season giving us valuable exposure in the

Dallas Morning News.

We will also have season-long access to many benefi ts

at the Dr. Pepper Ballpark. Some of these perks

include a business entertainment suite, meeting space,

networking events and more appearances by Deuce.

Three events of note for THERAPY 2000 will occur at

the Dr. Pepper Ballpark. These include; RoughRiders

Kids' Day where we will have 60 invitations for children

of our employees, a Chari-T2000 fundraising event,

and T2K Family Day. This year's Family Day will take

place Saturday, June 23rd. We will all be attending a

RoughRider’s Baseball game!

It should be an amazing partnership in terms of

exposure and the resulting benefi ts for our company.

We look forward to having a winning season with the

RoughRiders!

human resources LesLie triLLo, hr speciaList

Congratulations to Rachel Smith, this year's Employee Referral Program winner! As you may already know, we have a fantastic referral program in place at T2K. This means if you refer a full-time, part-time, or PRN employee, you receive

a cash bonus once that employee completes their ninety days with T2000. But that’s not all, you also get entered to win a trip valued at $2,500 for every employee you refer! This year’s lucky winner was Rachel Smith, and who knows next year it could be you, so keep those referrals coming! We are getting ready for all the new and exciting changes that are coming in 2012. Starting with the implementation of new human resources information system (HRIS) called Mangrove. This will be the fi rst THERAPY 2000 self-service, all-in-one, employee system. Now, there will be no need to visit multiple websites or links to access your HR information. Now you will be able to easily log on to the Mangrove

system to update and monitor your personal information. Mangrove will give you access to all of the forms that were on MyT2K, a company directory, benefi t enrollment exclusively online, instant access to all your benefi t providers, the ability to view paystubs and W-2’s, and much more. We are in the process of implementing these changes and the new Mangrove software will go live in fi rst quarter of 2012. The growth and expansion taking place throughout all of THERAPY 2000 makes it an exciting time for HR. Especially with the opening of a Houston offi ce and upcoming expansion to Austin! We know it will be a thrill to begin the recruitment efforts to hire in those areas. We are always looking for therapists in the East Texas and San Antonio areas as well, so don’t forget about that referral bonus AND the end of year employee referral trip giveaway! You might be the next Rachel Smith!

Lucky employee referral program

Winner,rachel smith

Leslie trillo

2012 hr Update

Did you set any personal New Year's Resolutions? Here are personal New Year's goals T2K'ers shared:

• Practice yoga regularly, like I did before having kids!

• Be on time!!!

• Be more organized and get back in shape.

• Pay off my student loan and trying to have less clutter.

• Eliminate added salt from my diet.

• Live in the moment.

• Spend more time with my family. Get and stay organized.

• Spend at least 30 minutes a day reading and talking with

my kiddos every evening.

• Do more yoga, spend more time with family.

• Be debt free-pay off student loans and my car!

survey says: new year's resolutions

Yes 81.8%No 18.2%

eber's parents giVe thanks

8

here are the stats!

• 134 people contribute company wide to Chari-T2000 (This is less than half the company. We can do better!)

• $54,259.00 was raised for Chari-T2000 in 2011 (We want to double this in 2012!)

• $36,943.52 in assistance was provided in 2011 (Imagine how many people we can help if we double that!)

break it down!

Eber’s family gave a heartfelt thank you to the Chari-T2000 and THERAPY 2000 team by providing a delicious lunch to all who supported Eber and his quest to get his van and lift. The staff had a great time and enjoyed the personal touch of Eber’s parents providing such a wonderful meal. As you can see, Eber had fun too!

chari-t2000 update

It was a sunny, crisp, fall, school day when Chari-T2000 delivered a van and lift to Eber during his Polytechnic High school pep rally. The entire school cheered! Everyone took part in the presentation; including his family, his principals and teachers, the band and cheerleaders, the varsity football team and the boys' and girls' basketball team, to name a few! Not a dry eye was in the house for the Chari-T2000 team that made the van and lift delivery - our biggest purchase to date. It was an amazing and memorable day for everyone involved!

gimme an E-b-E-r!

We stiLL need your heLp

9

Division Duels • Way to go! Corporate and North are tied with 57% of the staff contributing

• East has 51% of staff contributing

• West has 50% of staff contributing

• Central has 45% of staff contributing

• Tyler has 36% of staff contributing

• San Antonio has 34% of staff contributing

The Chari-T2000 board is extremely proud of the work we accomplished in our second year. Thanks to your donations, Chari-T2000 helped over twenty-fi ve patients in 2011 by providing much-needed equipment to facilitate therapy and their lives. We are especially proud of providing a set of “freedom” wheels to a 16-year-old patient, Eber, our biggest initiative to date. Bigger plans are in store for 2012. Including meeting additional transportation and equipment needs for a growing list of children. In order to meet these increased needs, we are setting an ambitious goal to raise a $100,000 in 2012. Chari-T2000 likes to aim high! $100,000 may seem like an enormous fi gure, but with the help of all T2K employees, local businesses, and foundations we are confi dent that we can reach this goal and make an even bigger impact on the lives of our families in 2012. Won’t you join our $100K TODAY challenge: Here’s 3 ways you can help.

1. Join us.We want to see over 90% of all THERAPY 2000 employees actively contributing to Chari-T2000 through payroll deduction. Any dollar helps us meet our goal.

2. Create Partnerships.

We want to partner with local business and DME providers. Their contributions will ensure that we are able to meet a greater number of patient and family needs. Let a C2K board member know if you have any business connections. We would love to a chance to make more meaningful connections to help our charity.

3. Find More Money.

We would like to pursue additional funding support through grant and foundation opportunities. If you know a good fi t or have experience in this fi eld please shoot us an email.

We helped 25 people in 2011. Let’s double that number in 2012.Support the Chari-T2000 $100K TODAY initiative.

Questions? Ideas? Contact Kristin Mycke, Social Work Case Manager:[email protected] | Tel: 972-526-5870 | Ext: 5886 | Fax: 214-741-3655

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hOLiDay Party 2011

awarDs anD accOLaDes!

Dinner anD Dancing!

what an aMaZing Party it was!

11 YearsRebecca Burgess ................. 01/20/2001

10 YearsSteve Tate .............................01/11/2002

9 YearsLucy Liu................................ 01/08/2003Beatriz Lourido ......................01/27/2003Karen Crain ..........................02/03/2003Cindi Price ............................02/03/2003Erin Bellue ............................03/03/2003

8 YearsVictoria Piper .........................01/13/2004Tamara Shirley ...................... 01/23/2004Akilah Muhammad ............... 01/29/2004Lauren Blackwood ...............02/09/2004Belinda Williams ...................02/09/2004Kristy McBride ......................03/04/2004Lucel Forte' Foster ............... 03/24/2004

7 YearsKaren Neel ............................01/07/2005Betty Carter...........................01/18/2005Lee Kellams .......................... 02/01/2005Courtney Mullaney ............... 02/01/2005Jennifer Asbill ....................... 03/18/2005

6 YearsLisa Terry.............................. 01/02/2006Vanessa Richardson ............. 03/07/2006

5 YearsChristopher Huff ................... 01/23/2007Maria Sanchez ..................... 02/19/2007

4 YearsSally Monterrosa ...................01/14/2008Kimberley Gibson .................02/20/2008Katherine Metzler .................02/25/2008Carol Kretchmar ................... 03/21/2008

3 yearsElizabeth Darby .....................01/07/2009Joyce Carter ......................... 03/16/2009Haley Hilton ...........................03/17/2009Mayra Rivera ........................03/20/2009Javier Trillo............................03/20/2009

2 YearsBrandi Duncan ......................01/04/2010Nancy West ...........................01/22/2010Pamela Simpson ...................02/01/2010Crisann Skinner .....................02/01/2010Rachel Dorman .....................02/15/2010Virginia Crosby ......................02/16/2010Sara Brown ...........................03/01/2010Matthew Spiller .....................03/01/2010Jan Wehmeyer ......................03/15/2010

1 YearJohnnie Aven .........................01/03/2011Kamie Lancaster ...................01/03/2011Jessica Reva .........................01/03/2011Amelia Bihl ............................ 01/10/2011Stacie Turnbow ..................... 01/10/2011David Admire ......................... 01/13/2011Phyllis Carey-Apolinario ..........01/17/2011Melody Chavez ...................... 01/31/2011Klaudia Lopez ....................... 01/31/2011Janet Stanford ....................... 01/31/2011Elaine Hemingway .................02/10/2011Megan Bateman ....................02/16/2011Ana Talamantez ..................... 02/17/2011Lindsay Estrada .....................02/28/2011Evangelina Moncayo .............02/28/2011Shannon Anderson ...............03/07/2011Kelli Green .............................03/07/2011Cynthia Edmiston ................. 03/08/2011Erin Adamek .......................... 03/11/2011

ANNIVERSARIES

www.kaishinlab.com

T2K Tech Talk BY MAICOL NIETO

What’s trending…..Another year has come and gone. And faster than you can say, " I got the new Kindle F i re !" ,

something quicker and faster wi l l be out. S ince i t is our job here in IT to be in the know

on t rending technologies and t ips, here are a few s i tes and apps we are us ing to make

our l ives eas ier.

Carbonite.com/for backing up f i lesWhat it is: Carboni te.com backs up your f i les on your computer. So i f your computer f r ies

your work, p ictures and data is a l ready automat ica l ly backed up. Also, you can access

your f i les f rom other computers inc luding your phone.

Why use it? S%#t happens. Computers get sto len, you accident ly delete f i les, hard dr ives

crash and v i ruses appear. This he lps any of those issues f rom being complete ly d isastrous.

Dropbox.com/ for sharing attachmentsWhat it is: Dropbox is a f ree serv ice that lets you br ing a l l your photos, docs, and v ideos

anywhere. Save a f i le to Dropbox and i t wi l l automat ica l ly save to a l l your computers,

phones and even the Dropbox websi te. I t is easy to share wi th others.

Why use it? Dropbox is great when you are work ing f rom home on a col laborat ive pro ject .

Instead of emai l ing a f i le back a forth wi th a col league, drop i t off in dropbox and let i t l ive

there. Other people can log in and see the f i le too. You can use any computer to access

you f i les s ince they l ive on the websi te not your computer.

Google Voice/for phonesWhat it is: Google Voice lets you choose a new phone number that stays wi th you, not

a dev ice or locat ion. Your Google Voice number won't be your ex ist ing mobi le dev ice or

landl ine number; you se lect a new number when s igning up, which you can use for a l l your

phones. Google voice g ives you one number for a l l your ca l ls .

Why use it? I so ld some concert t ickets through Cra igs l is t last week. Instead of g iv ing my

cel l phone number out I got a google phone number so I knew people were cal l ing about

buy ing the t ickets and I could eas i ly sort my cal ls .

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BY MAICOL NIETO

Another year has come and gone. And faster than you can say, " I got the new Kindle F i re !" ,

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iCan't

Division DirtUpdates on the Super Six

13

North Division FEEDING SUCCESS: PARENT PERSPECTIVE CAROL (AIDEN'S MOTHER)

AIDEN'S BACKGROUNDOur son Aiden was born premature. At twenty-six weeks he weighed 1 pound 14 ounces. Aiden was intubated and on a ventilator. He suffered a brain bled at birth that resulted in Hydrocephalus that caused moderate to severe brain damage. At just a few days old, Aiden’s

Picc Line came out and Aiden almost bled to death. He required several blood transfusions. At ten days, he had a perforated bowl that required emergency surgery. He became septic from the perforated bowel and almost died from the blood infection. Two weeks later he went into kidney failure and again almost died. After three days and many failed attempts, the doctors were fi nally able to get his kidneys functioning. At six weeks, Aiden contracted another infection and was not able to maintain platelets. He would receive a palate transfusion and within just a few hours they would be gone. The doctor’s tested him for every type of infection but they couldn't diagnose what they needed to fi ght. The doctor’s just kept trying different antibiotics and fi nally a combination worked. Over a week period Aiden received numerous palate transfusions. At three months, Aiden required surgery for a VP shunt for the hydrocephalus. The fi rst shunt failed due to drainage issues caused from scar tissue from his perforated bowel. Finally, a second shunt was successfully installed a few weeks later.

PROGRESS After recovery from the last major infection, Aiden became stable. Now that Aiden was stable the doctors could try to wean down on ventilator settings and work towards decannulation. After this did not work, the decision was made to perform a

tracheostomy. We struggled with this decision, but the day after the surgery, Aiden was up in a bouncy chair, comfortable and happy for the fi rst time in his life. We realized just how uncomfortable and miserable he was when he was intubated.

FEEDING ISSUESWithin a few weeks they were giving him a bottle and he was responding well. Even though Aiden was taking part of his feeds by bottle, he was still not taking enough fl uids orally and needed a G-Button to supplement his nutrition. At seven months, Aiden was fi nally well enough to come home. At this point Aiden was taking over half his feeds by bottle. However, shortly after getting home, Aiden got an upper respiratory infection and never took a bottle again. He became extremely orally adverse and disliked anything in his mouth.

FEEDING PROGRESSAiden started eating small amounts of stage one baby food at about twelve months but would not drink. He gradually improved over the next year and was able to move to stage two baby food at about twenty-four months. He also began taking very small sips from a sippy cup with the valve removed as Aiden would not suck. At about thirty months, Aiden was not able to move to stage three baby food as he would not chew and was very limited with stage two food, so we began pureeing regular food. The pureed food started out being very thin and over the next two years we increased the thickness. Aiden also began taking more liquids by mouth.

At the time Aiden started VitalStim he was not chewing or sucking. He would take crackers, puffs and other solid foods that he could dissolve in his mouth but would not chew. He would take sips from a cup but could not use the valve.

(Continued on next page)

14

VITALSTIM SUCCESSWe saw incredible results from VitalStim quickly. By the end of the 1st eight weeks, he was chewing small bites and beginning to swallow thinner liquids. When Aiden started VitalStim it was eight weeks on and eight

weeks off. We would see regression during the eight weeks off. Once VitalStim went to continuous therapy, Aiden advanced dramatically.

Aiden used to sneeze constantly when he was eating due to food getting into his nasal passages, VitalStim built up the muscles and now he only sneezes occasionally. By the time Aiden was discharged at six years of age, he was eating solid foods. He was learning to take bites from sandwiches, chicken nuggets, pizza and cookies. We no longer had to make any special meals. Aiden is now able to suck thick liquids such as shakes through a straw and control the amount. He can also suck thinner liquids such as soda. However, we are still working on him

controlling the amount. Aiden has been discharged for four months and we have not seen any regression, only continued improvement as we introduce more foods and liquids. Aiden still has his feeding button because he does not drink enough fl uids. Unfortunately, this is not due to any medical reason, but is due to his oral aversion.

THEN AND NOWWhen Aiden was two years old, we were told that due to Aiden’s brain damage, we needed to prepare for the possibility that Aiden may never walk, talk or feed himself. We needed to get Aiden in as much therapy as possible and work with him and to not give up hope. When Aiden was three he was fi nally weaned off the ventilator. He was decannulated at fi ve and had his tracheostomy site closed at six.

Aiden is now six years old and is able to walk. He does not talk but he babbles. His speech therapists have worked with him on signing and he has a few signs in order to communicate with us. He has progressed in his development and his speech therapists are now working with Aiden on a technology device. Aiden's progress continues to amaze us every day!

—Aiden's Parents

FEEDING SUCCESS: PARENT PERSPECTIVE CAROL (AIDEN'S MOTHER)

14

Aiden had incredible success with VitalStim (NMES) treatment. He began the treatment in October 2009 at the age of four. At that time, VitalStim treatment was given in alternating eight week on/off increments. At the beginning of treatment, he was able to tolerate very small amounts of thin puree. His mother and father pureed everything that went into his mouth and he was receiving most of his liquids and calories through his G-tube.

Within a few short months of beginning NMES, Aiden showed an increase in the amount of food he was able to eat. We were able to measure his feeding

progress in his daily notes in milliliters eaten as opposed to how many “bites” from the spoon he was able to accept without gagging.

By the winter of 2010, Aiden was able to eat mechanical soft consistencies or textured puree food including; mashed

macaroni and cheese, (Continued on next page)

FEEDING SUCCESS: THERAPIST PERSPECTIVE BETTY CARTER, M.A., CCC-SLP

VITALSTIMWe saw incredible results from VitalStim quickly. the end of the 1weeks, he was chewing small bites and beginning to swallow thinner liquids. When Aiden started VitalStim it was eight weeks on and eight

• 7 months -Aiden comes home

• 12 months- stage-1 baby food but won't drink

• 24 months- stage-2 baby food/ small sips from

sippy cup with valve removed

• 30 months- takes more liquid by mouth and

pureed regular food

• 3 years old- weaned off ventilator

• 4 years old- begins VitalStim therapy

• 5 years old- deccanulated

• 8 weeks into VitalStim Therapy- chewing small

bites and taking liquid

• 6 years old- tracheostomy closed

• 6 years old- discharged and eating solid food,

walks, uses sign-language and is beginning to use

a technology device.TIM

EL

INE

14

mashed lasagna and mashed casseroles.

By the summer of 2010, Aiden had graduated to pureed foods with larger chunks including; yogurt with fruit on the bottom, fruit in a cup,

unaltered macaroni and cheese.

At the end of 2010, Aiden began receiving NMES therapy two times/week every week. He no longer needed to eat pureed foods. He still required some chopping, but no longer needed food to be blended. He could eat hotdogs cut up into small pieces, beans, and steamed veggies.

By the spring/summer of 2011, Aiden was able to eat all foods offered. He still had his preferences for consistencies and foods, but there were no functional limitations with his feeding. He is able to drink from an open cup without spilling and suck through a straw.

I am happy to report that Aiden was discharged from feeding therapy in August of 2011. His parents have reported that they have a blast taking him to McDonald’s to eat French fries, chicken nuggets and, milk shakes.

Aiden’s journey continues with learning a new communication system. He is receiving speech therapy with assistant SLP, Milford Roque. He is a successful user of a Tech Talk and will soon be trying different AAC devices.

FEEDING SUCCESS: THERAPIST PERSPECTIVE BETTY CARTER, M.A., CCC-SLP

15

East DivisionEAST'S EXCEPTIONAL THERAPISTSWe would like to congratulation the following therapists for their strong clinical skills, excellent interpersonal skills, and hard work. Each of these employees consistently went above and beyond and exemplifi ed a model T2K employee. Blaire Griffi n, PT, Carmen Ojeda-Reyes, SLP, Heather Wise, SLP, Sherri Woloszyn, SLP, and Zeke Valdez, PTA. You are truly outstanding. Well done!

blairgriffi n

pt

carmenojeda-reyes

sLp

heatherWisesLp

sherriWoloszyn

sLp

ZekeValdez

pta

EAST HAS A NEW TEAM MEMBER

Jill Glenn, M.S., CCC-SLPWe are excited that Jill has joined the East team as a PRN, SLP. Jill received her Master’s Degree from TWU-TETN program. Jill loves her profession and is always interested in learning from other SLPs. When she’s not working, she loves spending time with her eleven year old daughter, Savannah.

WATCH OUT SANTA!

SUGAR & SPICE

We are thrilled to announce that 75 children were provided Christmas presents as part of this year’s East Angel Tree program. alejandra chaparro did a fantastic job heading up this project. A HUGE thank you goes out to those of you who adopted kids this year. Your generosity was greatly appreciated! We gave Santa some serious competition!

The East Division had a delicious Cookie Exchange on December 9th. It was a fun time for everyone that participated. Appetizers were eaten, wassail was drunk and buckets full of cookies were taken home. It’s amazing we were all able to still fi t into our dresses the next day for the holiday party!

The East Division had a delicious Cookie Exchange on December 9fun time for everyone that participated. Appetizers were eaten, wassail was drunk and buckets full of cookies were taken home. It’s amazing we were all able to still fi t into our dresses the next day for the holiday party!

CONGRATULATIONS ARE IN ORDER

audrey was born August 9th, 2011 to Kerrie Owens. Her older twin sisters are both thrilled with the new addition to their family.

savannah was proudly adopted by Ashley Tarrant, COTA, on October 18th, 2011. Together they make a perfect family!

Gisele Owens, SW, gave birth to giulia on November 23rd. This fi rst-time mom loves this new adventure.

seth was born to Sherry Sauter Parma on November 21st. This little guy is instantly winning over the hearts of everyone that meets him.

audrey9Her older twin sisters are both thrilled with the new addition to their family.

savannahadopted by Ashley Tarrant, COTA, on October 182011. Together they make a perfect family!

16

NEW UPDATES FOR 2012

wet your whistle!We are glad to inform the West fi eld staff that we will have snacks and drinks back in the West offi ce. Drinks will be in the refrigerator and snacks will be in the fi eld staff room starting in January, 2012. So if you need to come by and recharge your battery with an energy bar or to get your chocolate fi x, stop by the offi ce and don’t forget to wet your whistle with a cold drink!

Potlucks – great! Birthday parties – super!!Monthly Potluck/Birthday celebration combos – culinary and sweet treat brilliance not to be missed by anyone with working taste buds!!! (Continued on next page)

West Division

17

NEW UPDATES FOR 2012The West Division is happy to announce that on the last Friday of every month the offi ce will be hosting our monthly potluck and birthday celebration parties beginning at 11:30 - ??? (haha, just kidding, until roughly 1:15 PM). But you are welcome to do a drive by if you are in a hurry and grab some grub from the pots and a piece of cake. Looking forward to seeing everyone!

What kind of food will be there?? Who knows?! It’s a potluck, nosey! Bring your potluck pants/scrubs and your appetite and join the rest of the West Division team to fi nd out what kind of tasty dishes the offi ce has put together and stay with us to celebrate the birthdays for the month.

test sharing: We will implement a system in which therapists will work together in groups to share tests. We have enough of the core tests that a group of therapists can share just amongst themselves. Other tests that we do not have in abundance, or do not use as often, will still have to be checked out from the offi ce.

Quarterly Mixers are coming your way!!!We will be hosting quarterly mixers for our whole division to get together and have some fun! Be on the lookout for dates/times each quarter. Let us know what venue you would like to see. Below are some suggestions, but please feel free to send more ideas our way!

• Happy Hour

• Bowling

• Putt-Putt

• Laser Tag

Do you know of a special-needs event coming up that needs volunteers? Is your church or child’s school active in community service projects and can use some extra helping hands? If so, spread the word! At THERAPY 2000, we like to get involved with our local communities and “give back”. Volunteering as a group not only enhances relationships and builds team-work, it is just plain fun! It also provides great marketing opportunities and helps us get our

name out in the community to new families, recruits, and referral sources. Let us know of a volunteer opportunity or charity event in your area, and we will help spread the word throughout the division for you. Likewise, the offi ce will keep you apprised of any upcoming events as well. Participation is not mandatory, but we would love to see you and spend time with you, building special memories together while helping others in our community.

west charity Opportunities

San Antonio/Austin Division RECOUNTING 2011 AND LOOKING FORWARD TO 20122011 was a busy year for San Antonio! We now have thirty-six employees and approximately two hundred and fi fty patients. As of January 2012 we will begin doing our own intake and insurance authorizations. We have fi ve therapists who are now mentors and we expect to add to that list in 2012. Some of our therapists have exciting projects they fi nd time to work on outside

of their T2K job and one of those therapists, Evangelina Moncayo, has put her project on paper (see below) to tell us about it. “Vangie” is an Occupational Therapist and a Speech Pathologist. As you read her article, you will see why we are so proud to have her on our team.

—Priscilla

San Antonio/Austin Division

Houston Division

SERVICE LEARNING COURSE IN ECUADOR

HOUSTON'S READY TO ROLL

I had the special privilege of p a r t i c i p a t i n g in a two week, culturally rich, service learning course in South America this last summer. I was one of four o c c u p a t i o n a l therapy (OT) p ro fess iona l s

invited to accompany twelve OT students from St. Catherine University in St. Paul, Minnesota and four OT students from Boston University to Quito, Ecuador. The course was led by Paula Rabaey, M.S., OTR/L, and Barb Gilbertson, M.S., OTR/L, CHT, Assistant Professors at St. Catherine University’s OT program and Sue Berger, Ph.D., OTR/L, BCG, FAOTA, Clinical Assistant Professor at Boston University's OT program. The professionals and students were divided into groups and worked alongside personnel in a variety of pediatric settings in and around Quito. In addition, the students attended Spanish classes in the afternoons, based on their level of profi ciency.

I headed a team of four students, two from each of the universities, at a rural day program for very involved children with special needs. This trip began with a long ride through the colorful hustle and bustle of big city morning traffi c and a view of beautiful Cotopaxi,

a majestic Andean volcano, as we left the roar of the city and approached our quieter, rural site.

There was no OT at our site but they did have a (very) small team of caregivers who were there all day and a physical therapist (PT) and two physical therapy students who came in the mornings. We observed, helped out with daily routines and participated in a rewarding exchange of ideas. The students were forced to try out their Spanish and between that and the universal human language of gestures, they did an excellent job communicating.

The students at each site decided on a project based on the exchange with the staff. At our site we observed that the PT here focused mainly on ranging and stretching. While this was very benefi cial for the children, when they were returned to their day room they only had worn out bean bags to lie on. In comes OT with FUNCTION! The site director and the PT rummaged through old equipment and found two dilapidated fl oor sitters. The OT students padded and re-covered these, fi xed pommels, drilled holes for straps, built up the backs, fashioned trays out of some other found material and velcroed a variety of home made and ‘dollar store’ fi nds to these for sensory exploration. Now each child can now have a turn using them after their PT sessions.

This was an unforgettable, enriching experience and I know each student and professional that participated came away with a priceless gift. I know I did!

18

What’s new for 2012? HOUSTON! The Houston division is ready to take this area of Texas by storm. Our offi ce staff is steadily working on building our success and growth. We are looking forward to serving the Houston area and providing excellent patient care to all of our current and future patients. We have exciting opportunities for Physical Therapists, Occupational Therapists, and Speech-Pathologists, so spread the word to your friends about THERAPY 2000. Jamie lombardo

houston marketing specialist

19

CENTRAL RECOGNIZES A HERO

East Texas DivisionWe are celebrating the NEW year with several East Texas award winners. Everyone in East Texas is a winner, but the following individuals have consistently taken the extra step to excel when learning all about THERAPY 2000 policies, procedures and documentation requirements...

NEW AND EXCITING HAPPENINGS IN EAST TEXAS

Our “Rocking Rookies” are...

The Central Division would like to take the opportunity to recognize Emily Estes, a recent KRLD Community Hero, and daughter of Central Division SLP Nancy Estes. Emily has been giving gifts to our patients’ families for over eight years. She started this tradition when our address was still on Sylvan Street. For the last four years, Emily has put together a Holiday party for our patient families. Each year, Emily has saved up money to help provide gifts, snacks, arts and crafts, and gift baskets with gift cards for the THERAPY 2000 families. Emily has done this project every

year with all her heart, and all the families who have come to receive gifts for their children have walked away with such a beautiful experience. We are truly appreciative of all the hard work that Emily has done over the eight years for our division and for our patient families. The smiles and excitement on the kids’ faces when Santa walked in is priceless! For the second year in a row, the kids and parents were able to take pictures with Santa. They were also able to put their pictures in frames they made here at the celebration. Next year, Emily will be a senior in high school, and will be focused completely on school and college plans, so this past party was her last. We wish her much

success in everything she does, and we are so thankful for her many years of generosity and service. For Emily, it has been rewarding to know that some child out there did not have to have a Christmas without a gift under the tree. Emily, you will always have a special place here in Central at T2K! A huge “Thank You” to everyone else who joined Emily in donating gifts, and also to those who came and volunteered the day of our event.

Central DivisionWELCOME BACK!

Udoka Chukwuma, PT, has just returned from maternity leave.

Also Welcome:

Baby boy Nzubechukwu ChukwumaBorn 10/06/11 at 11:24 PM8lb, 2 oz, 20 inches longBorn to Udoka & Chukwudi Chukwuma

20

WELCOME TO OUR T2K EAST TEXAS FAMILY

Michelle Adams, Full time COTA, Tyler area, graduated from Panola College in Carthage, Texas in 2010. Her experience since graduating has been in the pediatric home health setting. Michelle enjoys spending time with her friends and family. She has two children, a daughter, age fi ve and a son, age nine. In her free time, Michelle enjoys sewing and making adaptive equipment. She also makes tracheostomy ties!

Elvira Sotelo-Rosas, PRN interpreter for the Tyler area. Elvira has eighteen years of experience as a bilingual credit and fi nancial consultant. She lived in Arizona with her husband and two sons before relocating to Tyler, TX in 2006. She enjoys reading, walking her dog, bicycling and playing Wii with her family, especially. Just Dance.

Aden Abrego, PRN interpreter for the Tyler area. Aden also works as an interpreter for the Tyler ECI program. She has three children and her oldest son just recently got married. She is also the proud grandmother of a little girl. Aden enjoys going to soccer games in her free time.

WE ARE ALSO VERY EXCITED TO START OFF THE NEW YEAR WITH 100% OF OUR SPEECH LANGUAGE PATHOLOGISTS VITALSTIM CERTIFIED!!! WOOHOO!!!

We will be venturing into NEW territories in East Texas including Jacksonville, Palestine, Marshall, Longview and possibly Greenville.

Due to our expansion into NEW territories, some of our therapists have been driving an extremely high number of miles. As a part of a pilot program for rural and high mileage therapists, certain full-time therapists will be driving NEW, bright red, THERAPY 2000 company cars. Watch for us out in the Piney Woods…. You won’t be able to miss us!!!!

THE LONG AND WINDING ROAD...

Of course, we can’t fail to mention one other person that is not NEW but has consistently gone above and beyond the “call of duty” when taking care of the needs of the East Texas Division. Please congratulate Darla Grant!!!!! Our “Oldie but Goody!”

Kimberly WestbrookCourtni MarshallStacy Fitts

Darla Grant

Morgan Hanhart