MVH’s Rehabilitation Team will begin to provide specialized services to meet the rehabilitation needs of children and adolescents on Monday, August 27, 2007.

That date will coincide with the opening of the MVH Center for Children’s Rehabilitation in Suite 202 at 1029 Country Club Road in Carroll Township.

The Center for Children's Rehabilitation will serve children, adolescents and young adults, from birth to age 21, who have been diagnosed with any of a variety of deficits, delays and disorders.

MVH’s goal in offering this service is to provide comprehensive rehabilitation services to help children and adolescents with special needs reach their optimal potential physically, socially, emotionally and intellectually. The Center staff therapists are trained in pediatric rehabilitation to identify and understand the developmental needs of children.

The team coordinates care for various needs including physical, occupational, speech and social/psychological therapies. MVH enjoys a professional partnership with California University of Pennsylvania to accommodate developmental evaluations using the university’s Child and Family Studies Institute.

The therapists and developmental specialists assess the child or adolescent’s needs, establish goals, and create an individualized intervention plan. Families and caregivers play an important role in the process and progress of their plan. An emphasis is placed on family and caregiver involvement, including education and training. In addition, MVH therapists serve as a valuable resource for helping families coordinate with other assistance in the community.

Ruth Sepesky, PT, Director of MVH’s Rehabilitation Services says, "helping all residents in the community including children and adolescents reach their optimal potential fulfills our MVH mission. We recognized the need for these invaluable services for children and adolescents in the mid-Monongahela Valley and expanded the rehabilitation program to accommodate those needs.

“The earlier children are diagnosed and therapies begin, the better chance they have of coping with these issues throughout life. Children and adolescents with special needs often have physical and cognitive barriers that hinder their inclusion into the classroom or society. We want to give them every opportunity by offering comprehensive and progressive services," says Sepesky. “We expect referrals from a variety of sources that include physicians, educational institutions and social services agencies throughout the mid-Monongahela Valley.”

MVH is committed to the medical, educational and emotional needs of children and adolescents and their families, and will continue to provide innovative, comprehensive programming to help them obtain the best possible outcomes. The Center is open at various times Monday through Friday throughout the day and evenings by appointment. For an appointment at the new MVH Center for Children’s Rehabilitation, call 724- 258-2971.