School-based Therapy Services
Goodcare offers contracted occupational, physical, and speech therapy services. Our therapists are currently providing therapy services for 13 different schools in South Dakota.
Goodcare also works with the South Dakota Birth to 3 program to provide therapy to children under the age of 3.
Testimonials
“As an elementary special education teacher, I have several students on my caseload that receive occupational therapy services. The OT that works with my school is the greatest. She is very personable and knowledgeable. She is always willing to sit down and brainstorm with me. We truly are able to work as a team. She is also highly effective. Students regularly test out of OT services, due to the progress they make with her.”
— Chandra van Zyl, Special Education Teacher
“We have contracted with Goodcare for a number of years now for our occupational and physical therapy needs. I have found them to consistently be professional, flexible, and courteous. All necessary paperwork is completed in a timely manner and evaluations are complete and thorough. I would highly recommend them for therapy services.”
— Steve Helgeland, Special Education Director
What is the difference between school-based and outpatient therapy?
Meet our Therapists...
Elizabeth Waltner, DPT
Elizabeth graduated from the University of South Dakota with a Doctor of Physical Therapy degree in 2019. While at USD, Elizabeth was a trainee in the LEND program (SD Leadership Education Excellence in Caring for Children with Neurodevelopmental and Related Disorders Program) for two years with a focus on Autism Spectrum Disorder. Elizabeth joined the Goodcare team in 2020 after working in the acute care setting with complex orthopedic, neurologic, and medical patients for over a year.
Elizabeth enjoys reading, biking, gardening, and learning new hobbies with her husband and cat.
Kristy Hofer, PT
Kristy has been a PT for over 15 years. She has worked in pediatrics since 2010. Kristy currently also provides therapy in an outpatient orthopedic clinic and a skilled nursing facility.
Kristy and her husband Jerry have 3 children, Jonah, Sam, and Hayden. They also have 2 dogs, Champ and Cooper.
Kristy enjoys spending time with her family, running, and following her children in their sports activities: baseball, basketball, football, volleyball and track.
Kristen Nelson, OTR/L
Kristen has over 19 years of pediatric experience and has primarily worked in the school system and with children ages birth to three in their homes. Kristen has experience using the Sequential Oral Sensory (SOS) Approach to Feeding, the Handwriting Without Tears, and the Brain Gym programs. She has attended a variety of sensory courses and has been able to apply her vast knowledge in this area when working with children with sensory challenges. Kristen is passionate about working with kids of all ages and helping them to be successful in their home environment and school setting.
Megan Van Heerde, OTD, OTR/L
Megan graduated from the University of South Dakota with her Doctorate in Occupational Therapy degree in 2018. She has worked in the school-based setting since the beginning of her career providing services to all school-aged students as well as children aged birth to three in their homes. Megan has training in the Size Matters Handwriting program, Talk Tools, and has attended a variety of sensory based courses.
Megan’s passion is vision-based Occupational Therapy. While at USD, she was able to work alongside a Behavioral Optometrist to learn how vision affects individual’s performance in daily tasks. She looks forward to advancing her skills in this area.
Megan enjoys spending time with her family, watching movies, and shopping.
Jarri Leighton, PT
Jarri joined Goodcare in 2020 and has 35 years of Physical Therapy experience. She graduated from California State University Northridge .
She has worked in a variety of healthcare settings, to include, pediatrics, head trauma, outpatient rehab , acute care, skilled nursing facilities and home health. She has served as a medical missionary in Mexico and Nepal.
Some of her hobbies include: writing, art journaling, cooking healthy food, camping and hiking.
Jennifer Stewart, MS, OTR/L
Jennifer has been providing occupational therapy for the past 18 years primarily in the field of pediatrics. She has enjoyed working in a variety of settings. She has received extensive training in sensory processing disorders, feeding difficulties (including SOS trained), tone management and positioning, assistive technology, Handwriting Without Tears, iLs (Interactive Listening Systems), Interactive Metronome, strategies for interventions for working with children with neurodevelopmental disabilities, vision difficulties, and motor difficulties.
Jennifer enjoys spending time with her family, getting outdoors when possible, and reading in her free time.
Megan Kortemeyer, MS, PT
Megan began working as a pediatric Physical Therapist for Goodcare in May 2018. Before that, she worked for 10 years in the geriatric community and has serviced many kids through the Birth to Three program as well.
She attended South Dakota State University for her Biology
degree and then went on to get her Master’s degree in Physical Therapy from the University of South Dakota.
Megan is blessed to be raising her 5 kids alongside her husband Ryan and enjoys traveling, cooking, gardening, anything outdoorsy and watching her kids in all their activities!
Jennifer Merron, PTA
Jennifer has been a Physical Therapist Assistant for over 14 years. She has worked in a variety of settings, including pediatrics, outpatient, home health, and skilled nursing. Jennifer joined the Goodcare pediatric team in 2020 and loves watching her student's grow and progress.
Jennifer and her husband Mike have 4 young children, Teagan, Jackson, Nora, and Raya.
Jennifer and her family enjoy camping, going on adventures, and watching her children enter the world of sports!
Briana Stahl, OTD, OTR/L
Donita Davis, OTR/L
Donita has worked as a pediatric OT for 39 years in school settings. She attended college at the College of St. Catherine (now know as St. Catherine University) in St. Paul, MN.
She has completed the certification process for the Sensory Integration & Praxis Tests. In addition to training in sensory processing, she has also competed trainings in the areas of NDT, vision, Handwriting Without Tears and numerous feeding courses including the SOS Approach to Feeding. Donita recently completed the Bright Beginnings training with the SD Birth to Three program.
She enjoys working with children of all ages and providing suggestions to assist in their development.
Both types of therapy offer individual attention to your child —
but in different ways.
For some children, the frequency or intensity of the therapy services that can be provided by the school will not meet all the child’s needs. These children may benefit from therapy in both setting.
School-based Therapy
Assists with development or improvements of academic or school functionality
Therapy occurs at the school at no cost to the child’s family
Occupational and physical therapy can only be provided when the therapy is necessary for a child to best participate in or benefit from his/her educational program
Can only be provided to students who receive qualifying scores by demonstrating significant needs on standardized assessments
Outpatient Therapy
Helps children access and participate in activities at home and in their community as well as at school
Occurs in a clinical setting and caregivers are responsible for obtaining services as well as payment - health insurance frequently assists with the costs
Can be provided to children with mild, moderate, and severe deficits