In today’s classroom, each student has their own unique strengths, weaknesses and learning levels.
Neurodivergent students, specifically those severely affected by autism spectrum disorders, are no exception and may find individualized instruction of great value.
Students who have difficulty with thinking, talking, and learning require a team of highly skilled professionals to help them reach their potential. Three women who share a passion for helping these children, recognized the gap in opportunity and were looking to make a meaningful impact.
Pediatric Neurologist Nevada Reed, MD, Speech Language Pathologist Jocelyn Geib, PhD, CCC/SLP, and Clinical Psychologist & Board Certified Behavior Analyst, Michelle DePolo, PsyD, BCBA-D noticed a major disparity in cohesive services for families of children with autism and developmental disabilities. They had the idea to bring their multidisciplinary services together in one location with collaboration amongst providers, being able to offer these families access to a holistic array of services tailored to their unique needs.
“We started in 2007 as an outpatient medical practice, and 3 years later realized another dream of opening a school program,” shared Geib.
After converting an old elementary school into a facility, designing and building the space to house both their school and clinic, the Founders were able to start providing resources and programming focused on behavioral management, therapeutic intervention, and education for students in Northeast Ohio.
Fast forward to almost 18 years since inception, KidsLink now serves a large geographic area across Northeast Ohio and even into Northwest Ohio and Pennsylvania, providing year-round personalized educational programs for students with autism and other behavioral developmental disabilities from 18 months to 22 years of age.
“We learned quickly that the key to our success has been investing in staff retention to save costs over time by minimizing turnover and creating a positive environment for our employees, which has fostered loyalty and boosted morale,” said DePolo. “We’ve also been focused on investing in professional development and career growth for long-term employees to enhance their skills and commitment to the business.”
In order to accommodate the significant build-out of KidsLink’s new permanent facility, they needed to work with partners up for the challenge.
“Working with Chase has allowed us to seize opportunities for growth and innovation without being constrained by cash flow limitations,” said Geib. “With access to additional funds, we’ve had the flexibility to effectively manage unexpected expenses, support new projects, and enhance our services, ultimately contributing to their long term success,” added Reed.
Chase has been an integral part of KidLinks’ day to day operations, offering a complex loan structure that suited their unique needs, providing access to Chase for Business’ online portal, and granting the flexibility to transfer funds and manage multiple accounts seamlessly.
“When I met with the founders, I was motivated by their passion for improving education opportunities and by just how much of an impact they are having in the local community, providing these families with a streamlined approach to education that they weren’t able to get elsewhere,” shared Alescia Rowles, Senior Business Relationship Manager in Akron for Chase for Business Banking.
Founders Reed, Geib and DePolo are inspired each day by the progress KidsLink’s clinicians are making among the children they serve over time, giving families hope for the future, and the coordinated approach with all the team being in one location to help every child meet their individual potential.
So, what’s the future for KidsLink? The goal spans the country and reaches overseas. In addition to growing their toddler program to better assist newly diagnosed children in the community, the Founders have a vision to continue expanding services to families beyond Ohio, in the Montana area, as well as growing their non-profit KidsLink Global by providing training to schools in Zambia and Nepal.
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