Inclusion

Last semester I received a scholarship from Easterseals because I was a qualified PT student that exemplified their mission. The Easter Seals Physical Therapy Scholarship Award was created to encourage recruitment, to attract and retain staff from their geographical area, to educate about the Easter Seals Rehabilitation Center’s mission and increase the services they provide. There is a growing need for physical therapists in their area and suspect there is talent who has never heard of the organization that would love to be on their staff. The Easterseals Rehabilitation Center is a nonprofit organization operating in Evansville, Indiana since 1946. At the Easter Seals Rehabilitation Center in Evansville, IN, they are working to make profound, positive differences in the lives of local people every day, and to change the way the community defines and views disability. They offer a variety of services: Physical, Occupational and Speech/Language therapies, Audiology, aquatics in a warm water therapy pool, inclusive early childhood services, psychology assessments and therapy, mental health community outreach, assistive technology and rehab engineering, driver’s training, mobility and seating, residential, and day services. Their therapists, teachers, direct support professionals and employment supports empower each child, adult and family to reach their own personal goals regardless of their ability to pay. This ensures that people of all income levels have access to the highest quality services. I visited their location in Evansville to thank them in person for the scholarship and meet the people who awarded it to me as well as speak with their physical therapy department about all the amazing things they are doing. This clinic grew my understanding of what inclusion means by showing me different services they provide to different communities they are reaching.