CHILDREN'S CARE HOSPITAL AND SCHOOL

CHILDREN'S CARE HOSPITAL & SCHOOL (CCHS) IS ADDITIVE TO THE FABRIC OF CARE IN SOUTH DAKOTA BY BEING THE SOLE PROVIDER OF SPECIFIC MEDICAID BASED SERVICES AND SUPPORTS FOR THE CHILDREN OF SOUTH DAKOTA.IN FISCAL YEAR 2025, CCHS PROVIDED SERVICES FOR OVER 4,400 INDIVIDUALS FROM 9 STATES, FROM BIRTH THROUGH AGE 21 WITH DISABILITIES OR REHABILITATION NEEDS IN ALL OF ITS PROGRAMS. IN SOUTH DAKOTA ALONE, MORE THAN 3,800 CHILDREN WERE SERVED FROM 65 OF SOUTH DAKOTA'S 66 COUNTIES AND 257 TOWNS AND CITIES. MORE THAN 1,000 OF THOSE CHILDREN RECEIVED MORE THAN ONE SERVICE FROM LIFESCAPE. OUTPATIENT AND OUTREACH SERVICES, WHICH ARE COMMUNITY BASED, SERVED MORE THAN 3,600 OF THOSE CHILDREN IN SIOUX FALLS AND RAPID CITY, SD. SERVICES INCLUDE, BUT ARE LIMITED TO, THERAPIES RANGING FROM PHYSICAL AND OCCUPATIONAL TO SPEECH-LANGUAGE PATHOLOGY, BEHAVIORAL THERAPY, ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY, SEATING AND POSITIONING, AND POWERED MOBILITY SERVICES.IN SIOUX FALLS, THE HIRING OF A DIRECTOR OF THE AUTISM CHILD DEVELOPMENT CENTER HAS GENERATED A DIRECT CUT TO THE NUMBER OF CHILDREN WAITING FOR AUTISM EVALUATIONS, RESULTING IN A DROP FROM 397 IN FY24 TO 289 IN FY25. IN RAPID CITY, THE WAITLIST CONTINUED TO GROW FOR APPLIED BEHAVIOR ANALYSIS (ABA) SERVICES AND AUTISM EVALUATIONS. HOWEVER, DUE TO AN INCREASE IN NEED FOR SPECIALIZED NUTRITION CARE TAILORED TO MEET UNIQUE NEEDS, PEDIATRIC MEDICAL NUTRITION THERAPY SERVICES BEGAN TO BE OFFERED IN OUTPATIENT SETTINGS IN SIOUX FALLS.LIFESCAPE'S CHILDREN'S SPECIALTY HOSPITAL CONTINUES TO BE THE ONLY PEDIATRIC REHABILITATION HOSPITAL IN SOUTH DAKOTA. IN FY25, 33 CHILDREN WERE SERVED IN THE HOSPITAL. IN THE RESIDENTIAL PROGRAM AND INTERMEDIATE CARE FACILITY, 114 CHILDREN FROM THREE STATES WERE SERVED, MOST OF WHOM ALSO ATTENDED LIFESCAPE'S SPECIALTY SCHOOLS. IN ADDITION, THERE WERE 145 DAY STUDENTS AT THE 26TH STREET CAMPUS AND PATHWAYS TO LIFE SCHOOL. IN LATE FY25, HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS WERE MOVED TO THE VISTA PARK LOCATION TO BETTER SUIT THEIR NEEDS AND CREATE A TRUE HIGH SCHOOL EXPERIENCE.IN SOUTH DAKOTA, LIFESCAPE EMPLOYS 4 OUT OF 5 SEATING & MOBILITY SPECIALISTS, AND HAS THE 1ST AND ONLY SPEECH-LANGUAGE PATHOLOGIST IN SWALLOWING DISORDERS, WHICH HAS LED TO REFERRALS FROM OUT OF STATE.