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CTC Announces Interim CEO Leadership
Children’s Therapy Center is pleased to announce that Robert Hellrigel and Linda Severs, both formerly of Providence Home and Community Care, will share the role of interim CEO supporting CTC’s daily operations while we begin a search for permanent leadership.
Robert Hellrigel led a team of more than 8,000 Providence caregivers who served some of our most vulnerable community members through hospice and palliative care; home care; skilled nursing; and low-income, supportive housing for seniors and adults with disabilities.
Under Robert’s leadership, Providence was recognized as the largest not-for-profit continuum healthcare services organization in the country. He attributes the successful growth of Home and Community Care to his leadership philosophy of focusing first on teamwork and building highly engaged teams of caregivers. “People who choose careers in healthcare are the most compassionate, selfless, hard-working people you will ever meet. Give them the right culture to do their work and the organization will thrive.”
Linda Severs, a former occupational therapist, has 25 years of healthcare experience as an inclusive mission and values driven leader. She excels at building collaborative teams that effectively navigate change, adapt to emerging industry trends, and transform systems and structures in a variety of healthcare settings. Linda has demonstrated a consistent record of successfully leading multidisciplinary teams to achieve quality outcomes, affordable and equitable care, and the best experiences for patients with highly engaged caregivers.
Robert and Linda bring a strong and relevant skillset to CTC including experience in leading organizations along their Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Belonging (DEIB) journeys, serving communities with diverse backgrounds and lived experiences, and hiring teams that reflect the demographics of their communities. Their philosophy of leadership is to focus on creating a healthy, trusting, and collaborative culture while supporting the work of the staff.
Robert and Linda joined CTC on Monday, November 28 and will remain in their roles until CTC hires a permanent CEO.
Is Your Autistic Child Feeling Anxious about the Holidays?
No wonder! Strange guests, strange foods, strange smells, surprise gifts, unsolicited hugs and kisses can all be enough to overwhelm any child. Our friends at Reframing Autism share a downloadable Christmas holiday activity that you can do with your child (and you can also modify it yourself to suit any holiday or experience that is applicable for your family). Download the activity sheet.
Kaleidoscope Play & Learn Classes
Kaleidoscope Play and Learn (KPL) groups promote positive and healthy outcomes for our youngest children and support parents and caregivers as they prepare their young ones for kindergarten. These are free, weekly 90+ minute drop-in play groups led by community facilitators that engage children and their caregivers in culturally and developmentally appropriate play activities. Through peer to peer and hands-on activities, parents and caregivers learn what they can do at home to support their children’s growth. Meeting together once a week, this time together for parents and caregivers also provides a sense of community and mutual support.
Children’s Therapy Center offers KPL groups on Mondays from 2:00-3:30 at CTC’s Maple Valley location and Tuesdays from 11:45-1:15 at J.J. Smith Birth to 5 Center.
Best Starts for Kids has partnered with communities across King County to establish 22 Kaleidoscope Play and Learn groups. Click here for more information or to locate another KPL group near you.
Assistive Technology Opportunity for DDA Clients
Are you a DDA client? Do you have access to the technology you need to engage fully in remote services such as telehealth?
DDA currently has approximately 3,300 iPhones with a 2-year service plan (depending on when you receive the phone) with unlimited data, text, and Wi-Fi hotspot capability, waiting to give out to clients and providers who may not otherwise have access to participate in remote services. When the service plan has ended, T-Mobile will unlock the phone so you can continue using the phone with any carrier.
If you are in need, please contact your DDA Case Resource Manager to request a phone as soon as possible. These phones will be given out on a first come first serve basis until there are no more phones Learn more from Informing Families.
Learn More About Child Care Resources
Child Care Resources improves all children’s access to high quality early learning experiences by engaging with families, caregivers, and communities. CCR operates a statewide referral center that helps families find and pay for child care that fits their needs, provides information on quality care and school readiness and delivers enhanced services for families who are homeless or have children with special needs.