Important News Regarding Aquatic Therapy and Preschool Services
Enable has engaged in a Strategic Planning process that will guide our actions over the next three years. As a part of the analysis, Enable management examined every program, weighing its relationship to our Mission Statement, and each program’s ability to financially sustain itself over the long term. One of the central themes of the Strategic Planning process has been financial stability. Enable experienced several funding reductions in 2010 and 2011. In order to move forward successfully, we need to adapt to the new realities. All programs that operated at a deficit in 2010 and the first half of 2011 have been analyzed.
As a result of this analysis, the Aquatic Therapy program will be closed. Since 2006, we have offered aquatic therapy at our Court Street location in a warm-water aquatic therapy pool. Unfortunately, the reimbursement rates that Enable has received for aquatic therapy from health insurance, Early Intervention, and other payers have never been sufficient to fully cover the costs associated with this service. Also of concern, the methods of payment for clinical services have undergone multiple and significant changes since 2008. As we look at the long-term financial outlook for aquatic therapy, we only see fewer resources available. Therefore, Enable’s Aquatic Therapy program will end no later than January 31, 2012. The reimbursement for ‘dry-land’ clinical services will continue to support our remaining therapy programs. We will continue to offer Occupational, Physical and Speech Therapy, Psychology and Social Work Counseling. These changes do not involve any reduction in the number of our clinical staff.
At the same time, our long-term host at Exploring Your World has put the building up for sale. This combination of factors provides a great opportunity to bring Education Services to Court Street, which we plan to do in the second quarter of 2012. By bringing the preschool program to Court Street, we will achieve better stability for our Education Services department, increased professional collaboration and achieve cost savings.
An additional Strategic Planning Task Team will be convened to study the best future utilization of the pool space. The charge of this Task Team will be to determine if there is a way for the pool infrastructure and aquatic services to be financially viable in the future with a different funding and service model than currently exists. This Task Team will present a report to the Board of Directors by July 1, 2012.
For additional information, please contact Sara Wall-Bollinger at 315-410-3341 or swall-bollinger@enablecny.org.
