VOL. 7 NUMBER 4: October 2011VOL. 7 NUMBER 4: October 2011

I am re-energized after performing two days of an activity that I used to dread; chart reviews! For the past two days, I have been part of a “mock survey” squad. Mock surveys are an important part of our Quality Assurance Plan. A group of senior T2K folks get to harass the division offi ce staff for a day performing a pretend state survey. We

request and review records, ask in depth questions about documentation and go through policies and procedures. We attempt to make the survey as realistic as possible so that it serves as a good practice run for an actual state survey. Beyond the pomp and circumstance, we carefully study our patient records, to make sure that our interventions are appropriate, and that documentation is refl ective of the high quality care that is being provided.

After having spent two days reading through hundreds of daily notes, evaluations, discharge summaries and the likes, I am positively pumped. This is remarkable, as my history with chart reviews is one of dread, despair and disgust. (Okay, I am exaggerating slightly, but it’s kinda true, and you have to admit, those three d’s are really rocking that sentence!!) The 2011 mock surveys have left me with a renewed appreciation for the incredible differences that we are making in people’s lives, for the discipline and professionalism displayed by our therapists in their daily documentation and with a new

understanding of why quarterly chart reviews are now offi cially my favorite T2K managerial duty.

The randomly selected charts I reviewed over the past days were a true representation of the incredibly diverse patient population we serve. There was a two month old, and a fourteen year old, with relatively mild delays, and there was an extremely low functioning child. There were kids who were seen like clockwork (Tuesday and Thursday three PM, rain or shine), and kids who only got their visits in through multiple

rescheduling attempts. The therapists responsible for the care ranged from fully licensed to therapist assistants, and from brand new grads to very experienced.

The care delivered was highly ethical, highly effective and inspiring. There were small and large victories. Kids who took a fi rst step, a fi rst bite, or tolerated something extremely “eww and yucky” on their hands for the fi rst time. There were numerous examples of effective care coordination, either between T2K therapists, or with the ordering physician, DME or nursing providers. There were mentor visits, hearing screenings, and kids responding positively to a round of Vital Stim.

The care that was provided was documented extremely well. Sure there was room for improvement. We “dinged” several therapists on goal writing, as we are demanding participation level goals. We were tough on documentation of medical necessity in routine daily notes, and fl agged several therapists who are writing truly magnifi cent evaluations, but need to improve their daily notes. However, the overall trend was truly excellent. It reminded me of the caliber of therapist we have been able to attract to THERAPY 2000. It takes discipline, professionalism and a personal desire for excellence to come home after a long day in one hundred degree weather, maybe take care of your own children, and then open your laptop and bust out seven or eight daily notes (and/or, evaluations…).

The drive for excellence I saw in our therapists is what made this round of chart reviews so energizing for me, and, it made me realize why I used to dread them. The agencies I worked for before I started THERAPY 2000 did not have Excellence as a core value. When we performed chart reviews, we audited to the “good enough” level. And although it did keep us in compliance with state regulations, it left me frustrated. “Good enough” means glossing over areas of possible improvement, and ultimately, it means mediocre or sub-standard care.

2011 has been a challenging year for us in many ways. I am extremely thankful to see that with the ups and downs we have experienced this year, we have been true to our "Excellence" core value in the area that matters the most: our clinical care. I sincerely thank all of you out there in the fi eld for making this happen and I look forward to many more mock surveys and continued excellence in care delivery.

we strive for excellencefrom the administrator, Jerre van den Bent, pt

—Jerre

our therapists in their daily documentation and with a new

•Houston ...................2

•Education .................3

•Houses of Hope .......4

•Chari-T2000 .............5

•T2K Tech Talk ...........6

•HR Update ...............7

•10-Year Anniv. ...... 8-9

•Family Day........ 10-11

•Birthdays ................12

•Anniversaries ..........12

•Division Dish ..... 13-20

Inside This Issue:

houston: prepared for launchSo, you’re asking yourself, “Why Houston?” Here are a few facts

about Houston.

• Houston is the fourth most populous city in the nation (trailing only

New York, Los Angeles and Chicago), and is the largest in the

southern U.S. and Texas.

• The 2010 census lists Houston at nearly 2.1 million people.

• Houston has among the youngest populations in the nation.

• Assuming that one-third of Houstonians are children, then there are

700,000 of them.

• With the recent census data indicating that 12% of all people are

disordered, we can assume 84,000 children need our help or help from others.

• The city has the third-largest Hispanic population in the United States.

• Houston is home to the Texas Medical Center, the largest medical center in the world,

More than 52,000 people work within its facilities. Altogether 4.8 million patients visit

them each year.

• We offer services that market research says they need—our specialty programs which

have been honed for excellence.

Where are we today?

We are currently deciding between two office spaces along I-10. One of which will become our

first ‘home’ in Houston. A mixer is planned for October 6th to introduce us to the area. From HR, we

have learned that resumes are beginning to pour in. We will soon begin doing interviews and will be

selecting the best of the best, as we have for our six other divisions. We have learned several things

from opening other offices in other cities. One, is that we need to adjust the amount of office staff to

begin this journey. We have also learned that we need to ramp up time for insurance contracts, which

we have been working on for nearly three months and will continue to do so. We are ever learning

from our past and planning strategically for our future to reach for excellence in all we do.

I’ll keep you posted. Until next time...

—Terry

Terry HutchingsM.Ed., CCC-SLP, CEO

how we strive for excellenceI strive for excellence with each visit I make. I take pride in the plan I create for each patient, and feel a great joy when I see progress. I make adjustments to my plan as needed. If I see that the patient is bored, or if I'm not satisfied with the treatment or progress, I make changes. I feel that I have a great support team with the East Division. They always offer great therapy tips and listen to my ideas. I also read the latest ASHA articles and look online for therapy ideas. It's important to me to give my best with each patient and with each visit I reflect and make changes as necessary.

—Darla Camacho, CFY-SLP

I would have to say that in striving for excellence in delivery of clinical care I try and stay educated in the latest therapy techniques by attending conferences & reading research articles/online training. I have also started using Speech Therapy apps on my IPad during therapy from super duper which keep data for me during an activity for me. This is beneficial for documenting progress in goals. For instance, I'm working on categorization with one patient, and instead of me having to tally correct/incorrect responses, the app keeps track and gives you a percentage at the end. The kids are extremely motivated by the IPad!

—Adrienne Smith, SLP

I try to strive for excellence daily in my clinical skills. THERAPY 2000 provides me with appropriate continuing education from evidence based research that I can implement daily in my treatment sessions. Mentors are also available for consultation when needed. I take advantage of these learning opportunities as often as possible to help my patients achieve good outcomes.

—Darla Grant, PT

editorial staff

Jerre van den Bent, PTEditor-in-ChiEf

Kyle ButlerMAnAGinG Editor

Alex ParisCopy-WritEr/Editor

Terry Hutchings, M.Ed., CEOHOUSTON

Belinda Williams, OTREduCAtion

Maicol Nietoi.t. CornEr

Chris Moody-Musick, CCC-SLPthErApist story

Matthew SpillerhuMAn rEsourCEs

Lauren Blackwood, CCC-SLPBEhind ruth's suCCEss

Kathy Gamble, PTALosE thE

trAininG WhEELs

Heather Pitner, PTChAri-t2000

suCCEss story

houston: prepared for launch education Belinda williaMs, otr, executive director of education & Qa

how we strive for excellence

WE STrivE fOr ExCELLEnCE, BECauSE EvEry faMiLy COunTS

Business exceeds the

simplicity of getting tasks

done on a daily basis. We

are not here to just create

and process referrals. We

are not here only to manage

dozens of departmental

details, provide trainings,

supervision or even to just make visits. Our mission is to

improve the lives of the families we touch. The vital link for

our continued success as an agency is directly related to

well cared for and highly satisfied families.

There are three simple ‘C’s to be remembered as

we strive for excellence in caring for our families: Create

positive experiences, Correct or compensate, and

Check-in.

Creating positive experiences is about thoughtfully and

intentionally managing all communication and situations in

order to show the family how important they are. Since

the family’s impressions are the sum of their experiences

from the first phone call to the discharge visit, consider how

the family would describe the part of the overall experience

that you’ve provided. Was it just “okay”? Or, was it truly

remarkable? The difference is easy to appreciate and not

all that hard to accomplish.

For example, if you say you will call back within twenty-

four hours with needed information, but you learn within

a few hours that this is not going to be possible, it would

be better to call as soon as you know to update their

expectation, rather than waiting until the next day to let

the family down with an apology. As a customer, it would

feel good to know that my expectations are important to

the agency. This applies to schedule changes, financial

arrangements, insurance issues and especially therapy.

We can always provide a little more information, a little

better care, a thoughtful addition to what the family is

already expecting. That extra attention is what makes the

difference between “okay” and “excellent” care!

Correct or compensate for problems that arise. Of

course, mistakes do happen and we sometimes have to

apologize for not meeting expectations. Any responsible

employee would naturally apologize, but after that,

we should ask ourselves, “What can I do to correct or

compensate for the situation?” After I correct the main

problem, can I give the family a little extra time, provide

additional assistance, or research a resource for them? I

thought it was very customer friendly when a restaurant

offered free desserts because our order had not been

entered (after we had already waited over thirty minutes).

When we checked, the waiter had forgotten to submit the

order. We were annoyed. However, when the manager

personally apologized, promised that our meal would be

prioritized and offered the sweets, we felt a lot better. Don’t

settle for just apologizing…offer something extra. In ethics,

this is called compensatory justice—a well researched

approach to making things right!

“Checking–in” is a useful, proactive maintenance

strategy. Taking the time to ask “Have I addressed all of

your concerns today?” or “How am I doing?” might mean

that you will spend several minutes listening to either a few

compliments or flood of complaints. That few minutes

can be invaluable when you listen with your heart for the

family’s needs or concerns. Be prepared for the worst

so that you are able to listen without defensiveness. You

want to encourage them to share examples if possible. If

there are a lot of issues ask them to give you some time to

address each and every one, and then do it. Checking-in

with sincere interest communicates that you care about the

family’s concerns or worries and this will often lower their

anxiety immediately.

With a little extra time and energy you can make sure

every family you serve knows that they really do count!

3

houses of hope chris Moody-Musick, ccc-slp

HouSeS of Hope is in Zacapa, Guatemala.

Zacapa is considered the hottest region of Guatemala

(and yet it was still 20 degrees cooler than here in Texas!!!).

Zacapa is one of the more impoverished and underserved

areas in Guatemala. There are many remote mountain

villages, and many orphans. Guatemala is closed to

international adoptions due to previous corruption in the

government. Therefore, most orphans have no choice but

to live in a government-run institutional orphanage or to

receive room and board with a distant relative in return for

servitude. Many orphans run away from the institution by

the age of fourteen and chose to live on the streets rather

than remain at the orphanage.

Houses of Hope is a ministry where couples (some

American, some other nationalities) commit to be house

parents, to live long-term in Guatemala and give orphans

the opportunity to be raised in a home environment. Two

of these house parents, Peter and Carolyn Bell, knew that

there was something different about a little boy named Benji

as soon as he arrived in their home. He was imemdiately

diagnosed with global delays, but only later received a

diagnosis of autism.

I first met Benji when I visited House of Hope last year.

I was able to do some work with him, primarily focused

on using signs/gestures to make simple requests and

encouraging him to imitate speech. But it was very clear

to me at the time that he really needed an alternative form

of communication that would promote initiation. So this

year, I came prepared. I brought with me a portable printer

(courtesy of THERAPY 2000 Holiday Party), cold laminating

sheets, and sticky velcro strips.

Over the week, I worked with his foster mother, Carolyn,

to create a PECS communication notebook for him. Then

I trained Carolyn and several of Benji's older foster brothers

and sisters how to help Benji learn to use the notebook.

We were able to help Benji master Phase 1 (giving

a card to get an object) and were working on phase 2

(requiring Benji to travel to deliver card) by the time my

week there ended. Now, I am keeping in touch with Carolyn

through email to help guide her through the remaining

steps. Carolyn was very excited and appreciative, not only

for the materials, but also just for the chance to speak with

someone knowledgeable about Benji's condition. Before

I left, I showed her how to make additional PECS cards

and left her plenty of supplies so that she could continue

to make more cards as Benji grew and his needs changed.

In addItIon:The portable printer from THERAPY 2000 also proved

useful on the trip when we went up into the remote mountain

village of Lampacoy. There was no electricity, so the addition

of a battery pack enabled us to take and imemdiate print

photos of the villagers. They were fascinated by the printer,

and were extremely grateful and proud to receive their very

own family photo. For many, it will be the only photographic

legacy that their family will ever have.

We also held a general medical clinic. Since I am

bilingual, I was able to translate for the nurse and the

pharmacists and help ensure that people received the

correct medicine for their ailments, which included anything

from pink eye and infected ant bites on babies to a severe

calcium deficiency in a young teenager.

Chris and Carolyn

Benji and Peter

Pictured Below L-r: Benji; Benji and house parent Peter; Benji and Chris; Chris and house parent Carolyn

chari-t2000 update

MakE SOME nOiSE! iT’S TiME fOr CHari-T2000’S SECOnd

annuaL SiLEnT auCTiOn!Get ready for a wonderful evening of dining, dancing and bidding! Chari-T2000 is gearing up for its second annual silent

auction to be held during THERAPY 2000’s holiday party. Last year, the auction raised over $4,500 that went directly to help

our patients in need.

To make this auction a success we need your help! Chari-T2000 is currently looking for donations to be auctioned that

night. Are you a gift basket making pro? Do you have a masseuse, hairdresser or restaurant that you frequent? Time to call in

a favor. Chari-T2000 is looking for donations to make this silent auction stand out. If you have a good or service that you think

would be suitable for the silent auction, please contact: Kristin Mycke, LCSW, IPR at Kristin.Mycke@t2000.com | 214-467-

9787 or Kimberly Gibson, RN, kimberley.gibson@t2000.com | 214-467-9787. Donations are needed by November 1st and all

donations are tax deductable!

rEady TO rOLL! EBEr’S frEEdOM van uPdaTE!

Good news! Thanks to all of our generous THERAPY

2000 employees we raised over $12,000 to go towards

buying a van and lift for Eber. Eber’s family is also contributing

the required 10% for the purchase. Using these funds and

the general Chari-T2000 funds, we were able to purchase

a great van. Randy and Lift-Aids, Inc. of Euless have been

helping us every step of the way and are currently installing

a lift to go in the van. Please stay tuned for our van delivery

date and celebration; we want everyone to be a part of it.

We could not have done it without all of you!

CHari-T2000 SuPPLiES a LifT fOr aWELL dESErving LiTTLE BOy

Kenneth is one blessed little boy. He has two older brothers

and five older sisters who all adore him! This large family loves

to spend time together, but up until now they have had difficulty

going places as a family because there hasn't been a way to take

Kenneth out in the community in his power wheelchair. Kenneth

got his power chair about a year ago, and is working hard in

therapy to master maneuvering it with his three-way head array.

He is now able to move himself independently in his power chair,

and loves to explore bushes and be outside with his siblings

while they play softball. Thanks to the generous donation from

Chari-T2000, Lift-Aids, Inc. of Euless installed a lift for their van, and the family has been able to take Kenneth to church and

shopping in his power wheelchair. For the first time in this six-year-old boy's life, he has been given the opportunity to move

independently in the community with his family by his side. Thank you for helping to make this possible!

—Heather pitner, pt

5

Eber's van

kenny, Lift, and family

www.kaishinlab.com

T2K Tech Talk BY MAICOL NIETOnetbooks and Laptops 101This month for T2K Tech Talk we assembled a Top Ten of How To and How Not To take care of your portable computers. Remember, your computer is your f r iend and you should t reat i t l ike one. I f you t reat i t wi th respect i t wi l l respect you back!

1. do keep food and drinks away from your laptop. We know i t is hot in Texas…but your laptop doesn’t need a long, cool s ip of ice tea. As temping as i t is , p lease do not dr ink coffee, soda or water near your laptop. Accidents do happen. Spi l l ing l iqu ids may damage the internal components of your computer, and data could be destroyed. Same for food. Crumbs in the keyboard are not only messy, but a lso an inv i tat ion to smal l bugs (eewww) and can i r r i tate the c i rcu i t ry.

2. don't leave your laptop in a car unattended. I t ’s hot and that can damage your laptop. Not to ment ion a backpack in the back of a car is an inv i t ing target for a smash and grab thef t .

3. Carry your netbook in your t2K backpack. I t is best to carry your laptop in the safety of your THERAPY 2000 backpack. I t is padded to keep your computer safe. I f you need a “sk in” for extra padding please let us know.

4. don’t do the wif i hokey pokey. What is that you ask? That is dance many people do to catch wi f i f rom another source (of ten f ree) whi le hold ing the i r computer over the i r head. You of ten see people doing th is on a balcony whi le they search for f ree wi f i f rom thei r ne ighbor’s house. I t is dangerous to hold your computer in the a i r to f ind a s ignal . Th is of ten resul ts in a sad ending for many computers.

5. don't pul l on the power cord. P lease don’t tug your power cord out f rom the power supply f rom afar. A lways put your hand di rect ly on the p lug in the socket and pul l i t out . Tugging your power cord out f rom the power socket can break off the p lug or damage the power socket. A lso t ry not to ro l l over the cord in your chai r.

6. don’t hold and l i ft the computer by the screen. Use the base. You could damage the d isplay or the h inges by l i f t ing i t by th is part a lone.

7. do turn it off at night. Just l ike you, your computer needs rest . P lease power off your computer when i t is not in use. Leav ing i t on dra ins your battery. Power ing down a lso extends the l i fe of your hard dr ive.

8. don’t tape your passwords on your computer screen. In th is day and age we a l l have a lot of passwords, and we know i t is hard to remember a l l of them. But we must protect the k ids we serve, so p lease protect your passwords. I f you must wr i te-down your passwords, p lease password protect your phone and keep them there. Better yet , memor ize your passwords or p ick ones that you can easi ly remember.

9. don’t leave your computer unlocked. A lways h i t ct r l+ a l t + delete and c l ick lock when you aren’t us ing your computer. This is another way of protect ing your in format ion and the k ids you serve.

10. don’t let your cat sleep on your laptop. Cat fur in the computer. Enough said.

Do let us know i f you have problems. We are here to help! Computer c l ick ing? mouse pad not moving? Put in a t icket . I t is best to f ix a problem ear l ier before i t is too late! See you next t ime at T2K Talk.

For more tools or tips contact:Maico l N ieto maico l .n ie to@t2000.com

BY MAICOL NIETO

How To and How Not To take care of your portable computers. Remember, your computer is your f r iend and you should

We know i t is hot in Texas…but your laptop doesn’t need a long, cool s ip of ice tea. As temping as i t is , p lease do not dr ink coffee, soda or water near your laptop. Accidents do happen. Spi l l ing l iqu ids may damage the internal components of your computer, and data could be destroyed. Same for food. Crumbs in the keyboard are not only messy, but a lso an inv i tat ion to

I t ’s hot and that can damage your laptop. Not to ment ion a backpack in the back of a car is an inv i t ing target for a smash

I t is best to carry your laptop in the safety of your THERAPY 2000 backpack. I t is padded to keep your computer safe. I f

iCan't

7

huMan resources Matthew spiller, hr specialist

HR IntRoduCeS ManGRoVe!

Sometimes, we can feel overwhelmed with the

amount of computer systems that we need to use

on a daily basis in the offi ce or in the fi eld. Just

remembering the different user names and passwords

alone can be confusing: (Healthwyse, Blue Ocean,

MyT2k, Quickbooks, ACT, and countless numbers

of forms and Excel spreadsheets, just to name a

few!). The HR Department is excited to announce

the implementation of a new Human Resource

Information System (HRIS), MANGROVE!

What does this mean for the employees?

Consolidation! You may think we have lost our

minds by implementing another system; however,

MANGROVE will eliminate Blue Ocean, MyT2k,

and pay stubs through email. This leaves you with

Healthwyse for your clinical needs and MANGROVE

for your employment needs.

What else can it do?

MANGROVE will have an employee self service portal

where you will be able to change your address,

direct deposit, print paycheck stubs, request time

off, request CEU courses and fi nd a form or policy.

Not done yet…it will also notify you when your

certifi cations are up for renewal, track equipment and

checked out items, and have a full company directory

with an organizational chart layout. Phase II will

happen in 2012 and will include on-line performance

reviews, on-line benefi t enrollment, and a recruiting

tracking tool. It is super easy to use and just what we

need for our growing company. As THERAPY 2000

continues to grow and expand throughout Texas,

it has become necessary to use a comprehensive

and inclusive system for our growing number of

employees. Integrating all of the different systems

we use into one centralized place will help connect all

of our divisions.

When will we be able to use it?

Over the next few months Katie Neal and I will be

working with our MANGROVE project manager to

build and implement this new system. We will be

conducting our fi rst payroll and the employee self

service will go live starting in January of 2012. We

want to do our best to make sure that this system

is going to meet the needs of everyone. Since this

system is going to be your system, I want to give all of

our THERAPY 2000 family members an opportunity

to offer feedback on specifi c features that you would

benefi t from or like to see in such a program. Please

feel free to contact me at 469-533-2888 or email me

at matthew.spiller@t2000.com with any questions or

suggestions.

Making yOur TECHnOLOgy LifE a LiTTLE EaSiEr!

8

2001 Holiday party

Five THERAPY 2000 year-one employees celebrate

their ten year anniversary

Becky took a leap of faith when she accepted a job with Jerre at THERAPY 2000.

After all, it was a brand new company, with no benefits and an office out of the owner’s

basement. But what THERAPY 2000 lacked in structure and establishment in that first year

was more than made up for in great ideas and the enthusiasm its leader, Jerre, exuded.

Becky, human resource specialist, was the first to join Jerre on the THERAPY 2000 team

followed by Monica Davila, CFY-SLP; Areti Hadjigeorgiou, CCC-SLP; Guillermo Monjaras,

PTA; and Ezekiel Valdez, PTA. This year they are all celebrating a decade with THERAPY

2000. Congratulations!

If you think Second Friday parking is bad at Lone Star you should have tried to

find parking at the old Sylvan office on Second Friday. Legend has it that it was almost

impossible! Having outgrown two previous offices (Jerre’s basement and 1881 Sylvan),

in addition to decentralizing and expanding for a total of six new offices,

THERAPY 2000 has also undergone a tremendous amount of growth in the

last ten years.

A few of the “5 in for 10” original staffers mentioned one of the biggest

changes to take place over the last decade was due to this expansion.

These days you no longer recognize everyone’s face in the hallways. Often,

you may not even meet fellow THERAPY 2000 employees due to size of the

company and the locations. This means you don’t necessarily get to know

all your co-workers as well as you did in the “old days”. A bonus to all the

growth is smaller therapist territories. One thing Zeke doesn’t miss from the

old days is driving throughout the entire metroplex. “I worked from Arlington

to Terrell, and Cedar Hill to Coppell. That was a huge area!”

Not only has the company experienced tremendous growth, so have

each of the staff members who have been here since 2001. All five employees

have taken advantage of career advancement opportunities offered by

THERAPY 2000. Two examples of such growth are Monica and Guillermo,

both of whom started out as translators and utilized the T2K Career Track

Assistance program to expand their horizons. They had a variety of jobs

along the journey but Monica is now a practicing

SLP and Guillermo is a practicing PTA. The career

development opportunities that THERAPY 2000

provides have been a great way to keep all lines

of work fresh. Becky and Areti both served on the

founding board of THERAPY 2000’s non-profit

Chari-T2000. This ambitious non-profit finally came

to fruition in 2010 and was created to improve the

quality of life of many THERAPY 2000 patients and

is funded by the employees of THERAPY 2000.

A lot has changed over the last ten years,

but it is clear the core values have remained the

same, including, “We Strive for Excellence”. When

posed the question. “ What has stayed the same

throughout her tenure here?” Monica

Davila put it this way, “The focus on

staying current in the field and the

expectation of excellence.” Guillermo

answered, “THERAPY 2000 has

never stopped changing, that is its

constant. Every time you look from

your desk Jerre has a new brilliant

ideas that changes policy, company

wide.”

When asked where do you see

THERAPY 2000 in the next ten years

Zeke answered, “Hopefully with the

values that built the company in the

days working out of the basement.”

Everyone is excited to see where the

next ten years takes their career and

THERAPY 2000.

5 in for 10 t2k 10 year anniversaries

ThenJerre’s Dogs at the Office

Holiday party at On the Border for 15

Paper Trails

Paper and Pen

Friday Lunch on Jerre

1 Therapist

Jerre's Driveway

1 Basement Office

Academy Award for Best Picture-Gladiator

Price of Gas $1.29/gallon

Reality TV Hits it Big

Dave Campo head coach of Cowboys

(We took the liberty of adding a coupleof faces. Sorry Zeke and areti.)

9

along the journey but Monica is now a practicing

SLP and Guillermo is a practicing PTA. The career

development opportunities that THERAPY 2000

provides have been a great way to keep all lines

of work fresh. Becky and Areti both served on the

founding board of THERAPY 2000’s non-profi t

Chari-T2000. This ambitious non-profi t fi nally came

to fruition in 2010 and was created to improve the

quality of life of many THERAPY 2000 patients and

is funded by the employees of THERAPY 2000.

A lot has changed over the last ten years,

but it is clear the core values have remained the

same, including, “We Strive for Excellence”. When

posed the question. “ What has stayed the same

throughout her tenure here?” Monica

Davila put it this way, “The focus on

staying current in the fi eld and the

expectation of excellence.” Guillermo

answered, “THERAPY 2000 has

never stopped changing, that is its

constant. Every time you look from

your desk Jerre has a new brilliant

ideas that changes policy, company

wide.”

When asked where do you see

THERAPY 2000 in the next ten years

Zeke answered, “Hopefully with the

values that built the company in the

days working out of the basement.”

Everyone is excited to see where the

next ten years takes their career and

THERAPY 2000.

5 in for 10 t2k 10 year anniversaries

nOWElsie and Edgar outside Central Offi ce

Holiday party at Omni for way more than 15

Electronic Records

Laptops

2nd Friday Lunch on Jerre

240+ Therapists

Parking Lot

6 Division Offi ces

Academy Award for Best Picture-Avatar

Price of Gas $3.28/gallon

Reality TV Still Big

Jason Garrett head coach of Cowboys

2011 Holiday party

Becky BurgessHuman Resources

Specialist

guillermo MonjarasPTA

Monica davilaCFY-SLP

areti HadjigeorgiouCCC-SLP

Zeke valdezPTA

(We took the liberty of adding a coupleof faces. Sorry Zeke and areti.)

10

HooRaY foR faMILY daY

Go-carts zippinG, Merry-Go-round MelodizinG,

Video GaMes buzzinG,unliMited pizza choMpinG,Miniature-Golf puttinG,

Gift card GiVinG,and coMradery aboundinG!

faMily day 2011 was a fun for all, biG and sMall!

Happy Annivevev rsaryryr

12

10 Years

Monica Davila .................... 10/18Guillermo Monjaras ............... 11/8Areti Hadjigeorgiou ............. 11/30Ezequiel Valdez .................. 12/17 9 Years

Kristy Winiger .................... 10/17 8 Years

Rhonda Gayle ..................... 12/1 7 Years

Sandra Ordaz ......................10/4Marisela Martinez ............... 10/18Jennifer Barbee .................. 12/14 6 Years

Jennifer Riley .......................11/7Bradley Jef fery .................... 12/1Cynthia Fountain ................12/20

5 Years

A'Donna Corbin .................. 10/16Karen Vardiman .................. 11/13Maicol Nieto........................ 12/5Sheryl Sauter Parma ........... 12/15 4 Years

Tara Wisdom ....................... 10/9Sherri Woloszyn ................. 10/15Ashley Tarrant ...................... 11/5Jessica Martinez ................. 12/3 3 Years

Theresa Hill ........................ 12/1Kathleen Millay ................... 12/15Jorge Marquez ................... 12/17 2 Years

Jenifer Kamper................... 10/12Julie Walker .......................10/20Anne Pinkenburg ................10/26Vicki Prouty .......................10/28Diana Terry .......................... 11/2Patricia Gurinsky ..................11/9Diana Perez ....................... 11/27Joanna Littler ..................... 11/30

1 Years

Darla Grant ......................... 10/1Risa Grace ...........................10/4Kerri Bennett .................... 10/11Nickie Daraphone ............... 10/11Suomi Gandara .................. 10/11Emily Johnson .................... 10/11Katherine Cantrell ............... 10/18Marina Lakhmanchuk ..........10/25Theresa Mai .......................10/25Amy Payne ........................10/25Adrienne Smith ..................10/25Carissa Tracy .....................10/25Bonita Keeling ...................... 11/1Georgina Suick .................... 11/8Jean Belcher ...................... 11/10Juan Martinez .................... 11/15Michael Basham ................. 11/29Melissa Smith .................... 11/29Jennifer Philips ................... 12/1Edward de la Cruz ............... 12/6Ana Rothschild .................... 12/6Stacey Willmon ................... 12/7Heather Gordon ................. 12/16Ryan Baggerley ..................12/20Andrea Beach ....................12/20Karen Cannon ....................12/20Lisbeth Estrada ..................12/20Gisele Owens .....................12/20

anniversaries

Birthdays

oCtoBeR

Vicki Prouty ................................ 3Kristi Garrey ................................ 3Carmen Ojeda-Reyes ................... 4Elizabeth Darby ........................... 5Keane Byrom .............................. 5Anna Sharp ................................. 6Lucel Forte' Foster ...................... 6Theresa Mai ................................ 7Ana Talamantez ........................... 8Melinda Coyne .......................... 10Arlene Feinberg ......................... 10Federico Mendez ....................... 10Areti Hadjigeorgiou .................... 13Stacie Turnbow ......................... 13Brianne Richardson ................... 13Kathryn Baesl ........................... 14Jeri Ward .................................. 14Yvette Reeves ........................... 15Keli Day .................................... 16Tonya Ferguson ......................... 16Jennifer Ellis ............................. 18Pamela Simpson ....................... 20Emily Schmidt ........................... 20Kristy Winiger ........................... 25Ryan Baggerley ......................... 26Edith McCollom ......................... 26Rachel Dorman ......................... 26Isaac Lasky .............................. 26Vicki Sitzer ............................... 27

Karen Neel ................................ 27Rebeca Goncalves .................... 31

noVeMBeR

Juan Martinez ............................. 3Joan Rubin ................................. 5Beatriz Lourido ........................... 6Melody Benson ........................... 8Sandra Ordaz.............................. 9Michelle Jenkins ........................ 10Janet Stanford .......................... 11Melody Chavez ......................... 12Bernardine Harshman ................ 12Patricia Gurinsky ......................... 5Cassie Brasher............................ 5David Admire ............................ 15Danielle Harston ........................ 15Morgan Hanhart ........................ 17A'Donna Corbin ........................ 17Amber Krumholtz ...................... 17Sherri Woloszyn ........................ 18Christina Hansen ....................... 19Elizabeth Salazar ....................... 22Edward de la Cruz ..................... 23Victoria Piper ............................ 23Amy Evett ................................. 23Priscilla Keating ........................ 24Maicol Nieto ............................. 25Vanessa Flores .......................... 27Phyllis Carey-Apolinario ............. 28

Evangelina Moncayo .................. 29Steve Tate ................................ 29

deCeMBeR

Darla Camacho ........................... 1Brenda Badillo ............................ 3Lisa Chance ................................ 4Jessica Reva .............................. 5Cynthia Fountain ......................... 6Aden Abrego ............................... 6Nicole Giglio ............................... 6April Beaty .................................. 9Amy Peterman ............................ 9Ashley Tarrant ............................. 9Courtney Mullaney ..................... 10Eileen Wade .............................. 10Lucy Liu ................................... 12Tonia Kline ................................ 13Leslie Trillo ................................ 14Chessa Jones ........................... 15Carol Kretchmar ........................ 15Heather Pitner ........................... 16Jennifer Rosene ........................ 18Deborah Krueger ....................... 20Melody Millsap .......................... 21Georgina Suick ......................... 21Jennifer Ramsey........................ 22Jarrod Butler ............................. 22Gisele Owens ............................ 22Nancy Estes ............................. 30Mary Arellano ............................ 30

Central divisionDivision DirtUpdates on the Super Six

kudos for central therapist

More tips

i need a hero

tips froM central

13

Yeah to Melody Benson, CCC-SLp, for bringing it to Kimmy’s attention that one of Melody’s patients was hooked up to a feeding pump and IV pole for twenty-one hours a day. Melody wanted to know if there was a way to administer the feeds through a backpack delivery system. Kimmy went to work and spoke with the home health agency and the GI doctor to fi nd out if they were in agreement and could make arrangements for this to happen. The doctor said, “Absolutely!” The patient’s supply company is going to provide the back pack delivery system and train the nurse and family on how to use it. Everyone involved is so excited that this three-year-old will now get to move about and explore the world like other 3 year olds!

Karen Lewis, ot, participated in a heroic act by helping to

evacuate one of her patients who lived in a home near the

chemical plant explosion in Waxahachie. Great job, Karen!

T2K at its best!

Being a therapist is demanding in many ways: physically, emotionally, mentally, you name it! We often feel a lot of pressure (from ourselves, mostly) for our patients to make progress. Have you ever had a time when you think one of your kiddos may have felt some of this pressure? Maybe they weren’t really excited about an activity. Maybe they wouldn’t even try. Maybe they cried. Real tears! As a result, your relationship with that family might even have suffered…maybe the parent wasn’t happy with your approach, or the next time you showed up, the child automatically became upset. What can be done to fi x situations like these, or prevent them from ever happening? Relax, and have fun! Children by nature are joyful, and we therapists can use that to our advantage! Remember, sometimes you need to take a step back to take a few steps forward. Focus on having fun, and making therapy fun for each child, and you will be amazed at the progress you see.

Central tip: Please keep in mind where your patients’ families may be emotionally. We recently had a family mention to a therapist that they are saving money for their child’s funeral because they are not able to get life insurance on the patient due to the patient’s medical condition. This is a reality for some of our patients and their families. With this in mind, we must be sensitive when dealing with our patients’ families and the realities that they face on a daily basis.

14

east divisionBehind ruth's success

conGratulations are in order

Ruth is a six year old girl that was diagnosed with a profound bilateral sensorineural hearing loss at two years of age. With this severity of hearing loss she was unable to gain information through listening alone. She received her fi rst cochlear implant at the age of three years and her second one just after her fourth birthday. The progress that she made over the last three years while at THERAPY 2000 has been incredible!

Ruth has had a strong team working with her. Lucy Liu and Lauren Blackwood have both worked with Ruth and her family. Ruth’s mother and older brother (and father, when available) actively participate in all of Ruth’s speech therapy sessions. Lauren stated, “Mom has been very involved in learning and understanding auditory-verbal strategies taught during therapy. Because of this the family provides a great language model in the home for Ruth.” Ruth’s family has played a key role in her success.

One time, Lauren arranged for Ruth’s family to meet another T2K patient

that had a similar hearing loss. This encounter helped Ruth’s family to truly understand Ruth’s verbal potential, despite her hearing impairment. After that meeting, Ruth’s family made the decision that they wanted Ruth in an oral program at school rather than a total communication program. Ruth’s family made the diffi cult decision to move to another city in order to be in a district with a strong oral program. T2K continues to provide this specialized therapy in their new home.

When Ruth was initially evaluated in the fall of 2008, she could only approximate one consonant and discriminate environmental sounds such as the telephone or doorbell. Today, she produces fi ve-plus word sentences, can answers various “wh” questions without visual cues, and understands stories without pictures. She even gets verbal humor. She is successfully being mainstreamed half-day in a regular fi rst grade classroom.

Ruth is an excellent example of the progress a little girl can make given a devoted family and skilled speech therapists.

Congratulations to Jennifer asbil, ot, on the birth of her second son, Cole.

(Cole is 3-months-old in this picture.)

Congratulations to Rosy flores who was recently engaged. WoW look at

the size of that RoCK!

15

north division MEET OUR NEW EMPLOYEES

east division

emily Schmidt, ptI've lived in Frisco for about fi ve years with my husband Brad, and our little girls; Haley, who is sweet three-and-a-half-year-old, and Lily, who is a busy sixteen-month-old. We also have Bella, our beagle, who thinks she is a kid too. I've always worked in pediatrics and have past experience at Children's Medical Center and ECI. I was off for a year at THERAPY 2000, learning how to be a mom of two young kids, but I'm glad to be back! In my free time I enjoy running, watching Aggie football, volunteering at church and chasing my crazy family around everywhere!

Jennifer Rosene, StHi, my name is Jennifer Rosene. I joined the T2K family at the beginning of August as a PRN, speech therapist. Like most people working in pediatrics, I am defi nitely a "kid-person". I have been working in pediatrics for thirteen years and also have three girls of my own at home, ages four months to fi ve years old. One fun fact would be that I met my husband on a blind date!

east open house

Meet tHe neW dIGS!

The East opened their new office doors to the whole THERAPY 2000 company last month for an open house. Thanks for visiting our new digs! We had fun showing off the space and mingling with fellow T2Kers and their family.

16

“Working out at the gym” took on a whole new meaning as my son Jason and I walked, jogged, and ultimately ran behind riders for fi ve days at Lose the Training Wheels during August 8th-12th. The camp, divided into fi ve daily 75-minute sessions of eight riders each, was sponsored by the Down Syndrome Guild of Dallas for the fourth year and held on the UT Dallas campus. Forty children and adults with a variety of disabilities pedaled around the gym for the fi rst several days on bikes custom-built by engineer and founder Dr. Richard Klein, advancing through eight graduated, tapered rollers that replaced the

rear tire. Handles mounted behind the seats (available at bike shops) allowed the volunteer spotters to steady the bikes and control the inevitable spills. Thirty-seven campers completed the week, and all but three or four were up on a conventional bike by Friday at various levels of independence.

Katie, a bright, enthusiastic, straight-A, ten-year-old, was a twin born at twenty-seven weeks with CP, PVL, and hypoglycemic seizures. She had given up riding her bike because she was embarrassed to ride with training wheels. Katie was fl ying on her own bike by the end of the week, all smiles in her coordinating pink and purple outfi ts, bike, and helmet! Cole, a sweet, sensitive, 12-year-old with a need for speed, has made tremendous progress since a stroke in-utero. He was cheered on by his entire supportive family on the last day. He was overcome with tears of joy and apprehension when he transitioned to the two-wheeler Thursday afternoon. By Friday, his dad, a fi t runner, barely managed to keep up with him as he pedaled furiously around the gym and outside. Cole’s family will continue to work on his bike control and scanning ahead for safety.

Sharon Colantonio, Floor Supervisor, John Reyes, Bike Technician, of LTTW, and Neely Holland, DSG Executive Director, kept the campers rolling smoothly. Eighty events were held in 2010, including independent camps and school-sponsored events. Campers’ fees vary, with sponsor groups raising the balance of the cost and often offering scholarships to families in need.

The non-profi t organization’s website, losethetrainingwheels.org, lists riders’ requirements for enrollment and success, as well as a sizing and bike fi tting guide for new riders, on the Parents’ page. You can also link to the organization’s Facebook page from the website, where parents post updates and success stories.

I learned some great tips to help prepare my patients for bike riding (and hopefully attending a future camp), including safely using the handle, ‘fi t to learn’ for safety and confi dence, and learning to push off for self-starting. I also plan to refer my parents to the online sizing and bike guides. I highly recommend Lose the Training Wheels for your patients who can pedal a tricycle or bike with training wheels, as well as ambulate without assistance or assistive devices. I look forward to volunteering next year! See you there!

—Kathy Gamble, pta

lose the traininG wheels caMp

donations froM west faMilyOne of our families graciously donated (27) fi ve-gallon buckets of canned and boxed food. The family specifi cally requested that the food be distributed to THERAPY 2000 families. Our therapists quickly stepped up to the plate and advocated on behalf of their families by delivering buckets to those who

were struggling. Twenty-one total families from the West division benefi ted from this free food. We give special thanks to all the people who made this possible: Angelina Safford’s family, for their generous and heart-felt contribution; Joanna Littler, PT, for notifying the offi ce of the family’s request; West offi ce staff, for picking up and sorting the food; and all the West therapists who delivered buckets to their families.

—amy Bihl, LMSWSocial Work Case Manager

West division

17

San antonio/austin division happy Birthday to us

save the date, san antonio

THERAPY 2000, San Antonio, celebrated our one-year anniversary in August. We now have twenty-nine therapists treating over two hundred children throughout the San Antonio metroplex. We also had Joseph Valdez from the west offi ce join us and although he still does case management for the West, he has been a great help and resource to us here in San Antonio. On December 17th, San Antonio will host our fi rst holiday party at the Hilton Hotel. Wow! We really are a region now.

Our wonderful staff continues to go above and beyond for our community. In September we had a great turnout of staff participating in the annual "Buddy Walk for Downs". Michelle Jenkins, COTA, organized a clothing and household items drive for the victims of the fi res in Bastrop and our staff brought the goods. On October 25th, we will participate in a Halloween Carnival in New Braunfels for "Any Baby Can", a non-profi t organization for children with autism. The staff here never ceases to amaze me!

THERAPY 2000 INVITES YOU AND A GUEST TO

“Disco Nights”

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 17, 2011

7:00PM-12:00AM

DINNER, PRESENTATION

& DANCE CONTEST!

HILTON SAN ANTONIO AIRPORT

611 NW LOOP 410

SAN ANTONIO, TX 78216

RSVP DEADLINE: 12/5/11

210-457-2000

upCoMInG eVentSPLEASE JOIN THERAPY 2000 AT THESE UPCOMING EVENTS

northBabies Day out Luncheon November 1st

Walk for autism on November 12th

http://www.walknowforautismspeaks.org

CentralWalk Now for Autism Nov. 13th

east texasAbilities Expo on November 11th-12th

Trinity Special needs Mom’s Group January 25th

WestBuddy Walk Oct. 15th

18

east texas division

welcoMe to our t2k east texas faMily

Stacy fitts, part time SLp, graduated from the University of North Texas in Denton with her MA in Speech Language Pathology. She comes to THERAPY 2000 with eighteen years of experience and has worked in the outpatient, nursing home, ECI, home health, acute care, and school settings. Stacy’s hobbies and interests include: CrossFit/working out, watching her boys play football and baseball, spending time with her family and friends, and anything that challenges her to grow stronger mentally, physically or spiritually.

Lauren davis, our new full-time marketer, graduated from UT-Tyler with a BA in Marketing. She has fi ve years of experience in the marketing fi eld. In her free time, Lauren enjoys spending time with her husband and son, Jaxon, reading, scrapbooking, watching cooking shows, and being outdoors.

Kimberly Westbrook, Full-time OTR, graduated from TWU in Denton with a BS in OT. She has twenty-nine years of experience in the following settings: home health, ECI, outpatient, SNF, inpatient rehab and the school setting. Kimberly enjoys reading non-fi ction, hanging out with her family, and card making when she has free time.

Christina Hansen, PRN OTR, comes to THERAPY 2000 with thirteen years of experience, graduating from TWU with her Master’s in OT. She has worked in ECI, home health, nursing home and school settings. Christina has certifi cations in infant massage and SIPT. She also has a Master’s Degree in Counselor’s Education and a BA in Social Work from Ohio University. Christina enjoys taking care of her animals (fi ve dogs and fi ve cats), home improvement projects, fi shing, and relaxing by the water (when it’s not so hot) when she has free time.

The East Texas Offi ce has been growing by leaps and bounds! We have grown in the number of precious patients that we are serving, the number of staff that we have and the number of visits that we are completing each month. In fact, we’ve grown so much that we are having to move to a different offi ce space! We haven’t fi nalized which space we will be occupying, but have some excellent choices for relocation.

Here are some of our milestones…

• We’ve all made it through the Palmwyse transition , without any casualties, other than a few extra wrinkles and gray hairs for a few of us.

• Several of us have celebrated our one year anniversary in the East Texas Branch, including Crystal Marshall, Leslie McCorkle, Kristi Hickman and Melody Millsap.

• Our Patient Census reached over 100 in June and is still growing like crazy!!!! Yeehah!

Please read on to meet our awesome new therapists, our outstanding new marketer, and a couple of added bonuses that we got with two of our newest employees!

howdy froM east texas!

19

east texas divisionwelcoMe to our t2k east texas faMily

east texas has new BaBies

Becky Bloomfi eld, pRn pt, comes to THERAPY 2000 with eight years of experience in the acute care, pediatric home health, outpatient and school settings. Becky graduated from TWU Houston in 2003 with her MS in PT. In her free time…when she has some…she enjoys reading, taking walks with Abigail (her daughter) and Sadie Belle (her golden retriever), swimming and doing craft or home improvement projects. She is also the children’s choir director at her church.

Lisa Chance, PRN PT, has over nineteen years of experience and graduated from the University of South Alabama with a BS in PT. Her experience includes working in the NICU, PICU, home health, outpatient, and school settings. Lisa enjoys reading, shopping, and traveling in her free time.

Jeri Ward, Full-time SLP, transferred from the East Division to the East Texas Division. Jeri graduated from the University of Texas at Dallas with her Master’s Degree in Communication Disorders. She has fi fteen months of experience and has been with THERAPY 2000 that entire time! Jeri says she loves the people in East Texas and the fact that she can go ANYWHERE in her city in less than seven minutes! In her free time, Jeri likes to go on road trips with great music and friends and try new recipes. She is currently researching old tea party recipes and plans on having an offi cial “low tea” party for the women in her family.

Lauren davis, Marketer, is our other new mom with an adorable new baby boy. She gave birth to Jaxon Lee davis on February 10, 2011 who weighed 6 lbs, 11 oz!

Becky Bloomfi eld, pRn, pt, has a beautiful new baby girl…abigail Leigh Bloomfi eld, born on June 23, 2011,weighing 8 lbs, 4 oz!

octoBer incentive: eMployee referrals ~ help Grow our faMily!

introducinG t2klassifiedsEver buy anything off eBay and fi nd out later that you didn't exactly get what you paid for? Have you sold anything off

Craigslist and wondered if the person you are selling to has ideas of maybe keeping his/her money AND taking your product? Dealing with strangers in situations like this can be a scary proposition.

Introducing T2Klassifi eds.com! This is a marketplace to buy and sell things from people you know and trust. No more meeting up with a stranger in an unknown location with a handful of cash and/or a high dollar item. You can safely meet up with someone who's part of the T2K family and complete your sale or purchase. It couldn't be simpler!

• Visit www.t2klassifi eds.com• Click on "Publish a new Ad"• Register with your e-mail and password (you'll be sent an e-mail to confi rm)• Choose your category (Buy, Sell, Trade, Free)• Select Type (Offer or Need)• Select your Place (Location)• Select the Title of your Ad and a Price• Give a description of what you're selling/looking for/giving away

You can upload pictures as well! Please take a look and feel free to post away.

3 foR $3,000!Earn $1,000 just in time for holiday shopping when your employee referral is hired for one of the following three HOT JOBS!!!If your referral starts on or before 12/12/11 you will get paid $1,000 on the 12/15/11 payroll!The remainder is paid out as the following: $1,000 after 90 days and $1,000 after 120 days.

• West – Full Time OT, Arlington/Mansfi eld• Central – Full Time OT, I-20 Area• Tyler – Full Time OT, North East Texas Area

$2,500 foR afteR SCHooL tHeRapIStS!We are in high demand for After School Therapists. 3:00 PM – 8:00 PM work hoursIf your referral starts on or before 12/12/11 you will get paid $500.00 on the 12/15/11 payroll!The remainder is paid out quarterly in 2012:$500 on March 23rd, $500 on June 29th, $500 September 21st & $500 December 14th

**Your referral must remain an AST to be paid out each quarter**

VaCatIon, VaCatIon, VaCatIon!!! Every candidate you refer who is hired in 2011 will earn you one raffl e ticket in our annual trip give-a-way! This year choose between a vacation to Playa Del Carmen or a Cruise for two to Mexico.

In October if you refer one of the 3 for $3,000 or an AST, and your candidate is hired, you will earn two tickets in the raffl e! Drawing will take place at the Holiday Party on December 10th.

• Please send your referrals resume to: hr@t2000.com by October 31st, 2011. For this incentive we would like the resume to come directly from you so we make sure you get credit! Get those referrals in by the end of the month for top dollar!

• We have over 70 positions open and our standard Employee Referral program is in place for all the other positions not listed as HOT JOBS!

• Standard Employee Referral Program: $2,000 for Full Time, $1,000 for Part Time and $500 for PRN with payout of 90 days after start date.

a fRIendLY ReMIndeR: An Employee Referral is someone you have known personally as a friend or co-worker and you could be a reference for if asked too.

Many of you meet someone for the fi rst time and share opportunities about T2K….guess what?! Now you will earn a $250 "FINDERS FEE" if that individual is hired by T2K. This is a great incentive to think about when you are at your association meetings or CEU events.