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Description

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Unlocking Potential Improving Lives

Childrens Care believes that all children deserve to reach their greatest potential Thats why we offer a broad continuum of healthcare and educational services for children from birth through age 21 Our system of services offers children and their families the ease to move through or in and out of our programs always maintaining consistent quality care

From mild learning behavioral or physical challenges to intensive medical rehabilitation Childrens Care knows kids Our staff of approximately 480 includes physicians nurses physical occupational and speech therapists teachers pyschologists a dietician and more all specializing in the special needs of children Our interdisciplinary approach means all of the childs needs are considered and treated in a coordinated effort

Our Mission
Childrens Care Hospital amp School pursues excellence in familycentered services for children with special health care and education needs

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History

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Childrens Care Hospital amp School opened in March of 1952 as quotCrippled Childrens Hospital amp Schoolquot But the true history of Childrens Care Hospital amp School began almost two decades earlier with a small classroom at Sioux Valley Hospital in Sioux Falls It was the first classroom for children with disabilities in South Dakota

The number of children with polio at both Sioux Valley and McKennan Hospitals grew especially with the polio epidemic of 1948 which prompted a committee to be formed to raise 500000 for a new facility which would offer both health care and education services to children

Thanks to the efforts of Dr Guy Van Demark Irene Fisher Coon RN and the many thousands of others who gave of their time and financial resources quotCrippled Childrens Hospital amp Schoolquot became a reality We served 32 children in residence when we opened primarily disabled with polio and cerebral palsy

Dr EB Morrison became our first executive director in 1951 and he continued as director until 1984 During his tenure Dr Morrison raised countless dollars to support Childrens Care Hospital amp School programs and pioneered many new services

Over the years there have been many significant changes

Three new wings have been added to the facility in 1958 1980 and 2000 and outreach services were established in 1970 so that Childrens Care Hospital amp School could serve children and families in their home communities all across the South Dakota region Our philosophy too has changed over the years to become more quotfamilycenteredquot in nature

Today we serve over 2616 children with special health care and education needs and their families each year

STEPS OF PROGRESS

1952 Through the generosity of South Dakota citizens quotCrippled Childrens
Hospital amp Schoolquot opened its doors to serve 32 students in residence

1958 A dormitory and therapy wing were constructed which included a
gymnasium and an indoor swimming pool

1970 The quotTraveling Rehabilitation Unitquot was established and in 1974
renamed EPIC Evaluation and Planning for Infants and Children EPIC
provided outpatient and outreach services for children all over eastern
South Dakota

1980 To meet the growing needs of the organization a 96bed dormitory
addition was built and the administration education and therapy areas were
remodeled

1985 Childrens Care assumed the operation of Midwest Childrens Center
MCC from what is now known as Rapid City Regional Hospital in Rapid City
to extend outreach services to the western part of the state

19921993 MCC in Rapid City and EPIC in Sioux Falls were renamed quotCrippled
Childrens Hospital amp School Outreachquot to better identify them as important
parts of Childrens Care

1994 quotCrippled Childrens Hospital amp Schoolquot changed its name
to quotChildrens Care Hospital amp Schoolquot The new name avoids labeling
children and eliminated an outdated term Our outreach centers in Sioux
Falls and Rapid City became quotChildrens Care Hospital amp School Outreach

1999 The Childrens Care Rehabilitation Center and Rehabilitation Medical
Supply company opened offering specialized and adaptive equipment and full
service outpatient centers in Sioux Falls

2000 A new 18 bed Rehabilitation and Medically Complex Unit opened