Mobile Therapy Unit

Grantee: Encompass Northwest
Timeframe: July 2018 – June 2021 | Total Amount: $150,000

Year 1: July 2018 – June 2019. Amount: $50,000
Year 2: July 2019 – June 2020. Amount: $50,000
Year 3: July 2020 – June 2021. Amount: $50,000

Encompass provides therapy services with our Mobile Therapy Unit (MTU) to increase access to developmental and mental health resources and will reduce health disparities in underserved rural communities.

Hosting interns has provided an exciting opportunity to train new therapists in using mobile therapy units in addition to offering Encompass the ability to see more clients. This will continue to allow Encompass to build caseloads in the van without the added expense of salary during this program’s building process. Each intern requires a minimum of one hour of supervision time each week with their supervisor.  Providing training about alternate therapy spaces during the internship process will benefit families in the area by providing an increase in therapists who are trained in this process.

In addition, Encompass will add shore power to the MTU.  Cold weather and just a few days of non-use quickly drains the onboard battery. Currently, while parked at offsite locations, Encompass runs an onboard generator to provide, heat or air conditioning and power for interior lighting and equipment. The loud generator can be distracting for some children. To remedy this Encompass will outfit the van with shore power which allow the van to be plugged in at remote locations. The current location partners have offered the use of their power, and this will greatly increase the effectiveness of the mobile unit.

Encompass will increase the number of behavioral health clients and decrease the number of speech clients expected to be seen in the mobile unit. The demand for behavioral health services is currently higher than the need for speech in the rural areas served.

Encompass expects to see two children per week for Speech Therapy and fifteen children per week for Behavioral Health Therapy/Services. Encompass Mobile Therapy will continue to help to increase access to developmental and mental health resources and will reduce health disparities in underserved communities.

The Behavioral Health program uses an evaluation tool called the Eyberg Child Behavior Inventory (ECBI) which will be administered to program participants three times during the course of treatment: prior to beginning sessions, after completion of the 5 sessions and at graduation from the program. THE PSI (Parental Stress Index will be administered at intake and at completion of services. Improved scores in the ECBI and PSI will indicate success. Other pediatric therapy services are evaluated through the achievement of goals set in family goal plans. Each program manager, along with educators, therapists and support specialists, oversees the monitoring of results. These assessment tools, along with ongoing participant evaluations, allows Encompass to accurately track program outcomes and adjust content when necessary.