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Heartspring and Wichita State University’s College of Health Professions Announce Partnership for Physical Therapy and Audiology Services
WSU faculty will provide direct care to clients at Heartspring’s Pediatric Clinic. Students gain hands-on learning and future job opportunities.
For Immediate Release
Heartspring Media Contact:
Clara Miller, Director of Marketing & Communications
m. 316-833-9287 | cmiller@heartspring.org
WSU College of Health Professions Media Contact:
Gregory Hand, Dean of College of Health Professions
316-978-3600 | gregory.hand@wichita.edu
WICHITA, Kan., March 28, 2024 — Heartspring and Wichita State University’s College of Health Professions announce their new partnership that brings faculty and students on-site at Heartspring’s Pediatric Clinic to provide physical therapy and audiology services.
Heartspring provides interdisciplinary therapies that help children with neurodevelopmental differences realize their full potential in communication, social interactions, mobility and daily living.
“We continue to see a growing need for assessing children's neurodevelopmental skills and providing individualized therapies,” said Dan Soliday, President and CEO of Heartspring. “This partnership expands Heartspring’s ability to meet the region’s increasing demand for our specialty health care services, while developing the future workforce.”
Heartspring offers an engaging, therapeutic environment where children gain confidence to learn and build functional skills. From a wheelchair-accessible treehouse and therapy playground to a fully-equipped physical therapy gym and audiology suites, children and families have access to the latest evidence-based resources and care.
“The partnership between Heartspring and the College of Health Professions has become a focal point for our faculty who focus on pediatrics and particularly children with neurodevelopmental challenges,” said Dr. Gregory Hand, dean of the WSU College of Health Professions. “The special population of children at Heartspring not only provides a unique experience for our faculty and students, but it also is an opportunity to positively impact the lives of the Heartspring students and their families. We look forward to a continued and growing partnership.”
Wichita State Physical Therapy student Clara Jackson says her experience at Heartspring has been unique because she has been able to treat a child with autism and find inventive ways to do pediatric physical therapy.
“I really appreciate that they thought about any possible thing that could be used for therapy and made it available for the providers and students…,” said Jackson. “Heartspring has made it possible for me to get hands-on experience and learn on-the-fly thinking to work toward the child's goal of playing community soccer.”
Physical therapists at Heartspring, including WSU faculty and students, provide treatments that improve independence and functional mobility, allowing children to explore their environment more effectively. Areas of focus include strength, range of motion, endurance, balance, coordination, motor control, functional mobility, posture and safety.
Heartspring’s audiology services include free newborn hearing screenings, pure-tone testing, tympanometry, hearing aid evaluations, assistive listening devices, swim/noise plugs and auditory processing testing. WSU faculty supervise students as they learn to perform evaluations and provide these therapies.
“At Heartspring we coordinate multiple therapies to create one cohesive experience for our families with varying needs,” said Kara Gibson, Heartspring’s Clinical Director for Outpatient Services. “We’re pleased to enhance our physical therapy and audiology services with ongoing student learning as part of our broader offering that includes occupational therapy, speech, language and feeding therapy, mental and behavioral health and applied behavior analysis (ABA).”
Children do not need a specific diagnosis to attend Heartspring, but a physician’s referral is typically required for insurance coverage. Heartspring accepts most major commercial insurance, including Blue Cross Blue Shield, Aetna and United Healthcare. Financial assistance options are also available. For more information or to schedule an appointment, call 316-634-8701.
More information on Heartspring’s services can be found at www.heartspring.org/outpatient. More about Wichita State University’s College of Health Professions can be found at www.wichita.edu/CHP.
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About Wichita State University
Wichita State University is Kansas' only urban public research university, enrolling more than 23,000 students between its main campus and WSU Tech, including students from every state in the U.S. and more than 100 countries. Wichita State and WSU Tech are recognized for being student centered and innovation driven.
Located in the largest city in the state with one of the highest concentrations in the United States of jobs involving science, technology, engineering and math (STEM), Wichita State University provides uniquely distinctive and innovative pathways of applied learning, applied research and career opportunities for all of our students.
The Innovation Campus, which is a physical extension of the Wichita State University main campus, is one of the nation’s largest and fastest-growing research/innovation parks, encompassing over 120 acres and is home to a number of global companies and organizations.
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About Wichita State University College of Health Professions
The mission of the College of Health Professions at Wichita State University is to improve the health of the community by engaging students, faculty, staff, and the larger community in the preparation of healthcare leaders, scholars, and professionals. We are leading change in healthcare education through state-of-the-art technology, applied learning, research, community outreach and industry partnerships. The College offers more than 20 health professions programs at the baccalaureate, master’s and doctoral degree levels. All six professional clinical programs are nationally accredited through their respective accrediting bodies. For more information visit www.wichita.edu/chp.
About Heartspring
Heartspring provides therapies and special education for pediatric neurodevelopment. Through its Pediatric Outpatient Clinic, Therapeutic Residential & Day School and Community Engagement programs, Heartspring addresses the gap in specialty healthcare and services for children with neurodevelopmental delays and disabilities. Originally founded in 1934 as the Institute of Logopedics, Heartspring is celebrating its 90th year and continuing its tradition of integrating evidence-based therapies into innovative support models that help children realize their full potential in communication, social interactions, mobility and daily living. Learn more at www.heartspring.org.
