Walker Clinic 2020 Impact Report

“Virtual visits were hard but our therapist made it work!” ~ Client Parent, Clinic Satisfaction Survey 2020.

We are pleased to share with you the 2020 Impact Report for the Walker Scottish Rite Clinic. Thanks to the support of our community, the Clinic’s speech-language therapy for preschoolers remains FREE and accessible for client families.

The past year brought an unprecedented challenge: pivoting to remote telepractice after the COVID-19 pandemic suspended in-person sessions. The Walker Scottish Rite Clinic’s speech-language pathologists and staff quickly rose to this challenge. With tremendous assistance from our donors, we have adapted to the demands of the “new normal” with creativity and flexibility.

Even under these strained conditions, telepractice has proven to be a viable treatment model. Data already indicate that there are fewer client cancellations and “no show” appointments when issues like transportation barriers are alleviated through telepractice. This is especially important, because children who attend therapy more often, make progress more quickly.

What does this mean going forward? We know that children around our region are struggling, due to a lack of free and accessible services within their communities. To meet this need, we are currently piloting an iPad lending initiative to bring therapy directly into the homes of children who lack access. And we are speaking with our Head Start partners about ways to expand this opportunity.

As you can imagine, overcoming these challenges and realizing these opportunities requires additional investment and funding. We continue to need your help! By expanding telepractice and providing greater access to new technologies, our therapists can improve the effectiveness of our virtual sessions — and reach even more children who have communication disorders.

Thank you for your support in 2020! We look forward to our continued collaboration in 2021.

Click Here to View 2020 Impact Report

In partnership,

Jacob Gutshall, MHS, CCC-SLP
Clinic Director