Calvin College Collaborates to Open Rehabilitation Clinic

Calvin College has joined with Western Michigan University and Grand Valley State University in west Michigan to open a 4,500-foot multidisciplinary rehabilitation clinic.

Located in a facility north of Calvin’s campus, the Calvin Rehabilitation Clinic will provide specialized services for children and adults, including therapies for persons with Parkinson’s, multiple sclerosis, head and neck cancer, sensory integration issues, autism, traumatic brain injuries and pediatric hearing services.

“We are thrilled to be able to offer this clinic,” said Judith Vander Woude, chair of Calvin College’s speech pathology and audiology department.

They have joined with the other schools in this venture, she said, because Calvin “had realized that our on-campus program was not able to meet all of the needs of the people we were serving,”  

An open house was to be held Tuesday for people to tour the clinic, which includes a waiting area, a group therapy room, and seven clinical rooms.

The clinic also features two soundproof audiology booths, state-of-the art elliptical and treadmill machines, a rock-climbing wall, a therapeutic swing and other items. 

In many ways, the clinic is an answer to prayer, says Vander Woude. For instance, several donors have come forward to make this happen.

“We see God’s hand working throughout this process. From the very start, we asked if this was something God wanted us to do,” she said.

Collaboration between the schools is an important part of this effort, said Steve Vanderkamp, the newly hired director of the clinic.

“You don’t often see three schools come together like this to provide such innovative, top-notch care for patients in one place,”  he said.

“We will all be working very closely together to make sure all of the clients’ needs are being addressed under one roof .”

In addition to managing the clinic, Vanderkamp, who has nearly 25 years of medical experience in west Michigan, will serve as a part-time physical therapist.

Vanderkamp will be joined by faculty in physical therapy, occupational therapy, social work, speech pathology and audiology. Calvin College, WMU and GVSU will provide graduate interns for those allied health services.

“This kind of collaboration with other institutions and with the community is a great opportunity for WMU and a wonderful learning experience for our students,” said Nancy Hock, coordinator of WMU’s occupational therapy program in Grand Rapids.

Added Barb Baker, associate professor of physical therapy at GVSU, “Uniquely, this clinic will allow our physical therapy students the opportunity to experience treatment of neurological clients from an inter-collegiate and interdisciplinary perspective.”

Vander Woude says having her  speech pathology and audiology students work alongside occupational and physical therapists will be a blessing, helping them learn how to closely collaborate with a variety of professionals to best serve their clients.

“It’s one thing to talk about it in class, but it’s another thing to actually do it and figure out how to get on the same page for a particular client to help fulfill his or her needs,” said Vander Woude. “Then when they graduate, they can do that or at least advocate for it.”

Among the goals the clinic has, says Vanderkamp, is to meet the expressed needs of the community, one of which is to help patients who struggle to cover the cost of their health care.

“We see this clinic as an outreach to the community doing the kind of work Christ would have us do,” said Vanderkamp.