Who is Hands at Home Therapy?
Hands at Home Therapy is a matchmaker between special needs kiddos and our vetted volunteers who want to serve them. Through our membership, students earn one-on-one experience with their “patient,” and moms and dads get a much needed break as our members implement the programs that the child’s therapist or teacher want practiced at home.
Why volunteer?
HHT provides a great opportunity for service-minded students who want to see children grow and while they earn hard-to-find patient contact experience for their professional school applications.
Originally, I joined to gain experience,
Lindsey Kessel, PA
but I stayed because I enjoyed helping him grow.
Who can serve?
Any college student who enjoys working with children with special needs is encouraged to apply. Usually our team members are pursuing careers in medicine, nursing, OT, PT, PA, speech pathology, or education. Applicants will be interviewed and screened, references will be checked, and background checks will be cleared before applicants are selected for the team and matched with children.
Which families does HHT serve?
We are a private organization serving kiddos with special needs; membership is not based on financial need. We know that many families do not qualify for low-income government programs, yet they cannot afford private therapy at the frequency needed to “move the needle” for their child. We serve to support these families by filling that gap.
Where do I serve?
Usually our volunteer therapists (VTs) serve in the patient’s home, but it could include serving in places around town. For example, gross motor skill work might include practicing soccer skills at a nearby park.
I feel like a welcomed and cherished member of the Stokes family, but more importantly, I get to make a tangible difference in a child’s life. This is without a doubt my favorite experience from my undergraduate career.
Stephanie Stringer, medical student at
Texas Tech Health Sciences Center School of Medicine, Lubbock TX
Do I need a license or certification?
No. Our VTs are volunteers. Many are working toward future licensing, but we are clear with clients that VTs are not licensed or credentialed.
What does a typical day look like?
That depends on your patient and their family. VTs will implement a therapy and support plan set by the parent or the child’s therapist. Some examples include processing exercises (digit spans and sequences), fine and gross motor exercises (soccer, catch with ball, tying shoes), life skills (eating, handwashing), tutoring academics, or serving as the hands and feet of immobile patients.
How much time does it take?
VTs (volunteer therapists) serve a minimum of four hours per week for a minimum of 120 hours, after which they earn a letter of recommendation from Hands at Home Therapy. This should be completed within two full semesters (or 30 weeks, if started mid-semester) with the same family when possible.
What’s the schedule like?
VTs work with their assigned family to set a regular schedule that works for both them and their assigned family. We suggest two-hour sessions twice per week at recurring times, but either party may have different needs. The VT and family can negotiate exceptions for busy seasons or vacations. Keep in mind VT service should be completed within a 30-week span. If sessions are missed, due to illness for example, they may serve a bit more on a different week to keep their service on track.
What about Spring Break? Summers?
VTs are not expected to serve during breaks between semesters, and their service period may be split by a summer break. Other than those breaks, service should be completed during a 30-week span. For example, if you served six weeks starting mid-spring, you should resume and complete the remaining 24 weeks in the fall. As Hands at Home Therapy expands to other Texas cities, VTs should ask about possible opportunities to serve when “back home” as well.
I need a Letter of Recommendation soon. May I expedite my service?
VTs may earn a letter sooner than two semesters, provided there is opportunity. Summer is an especially good time to serve with greater frequency to earn your recommendation in a shorter time frame.
Will this count for OT shadowing hours?
HHT provides fabulous experience for working one-on-one with a patient, and depending on the patient’s plan, may help you learn to run a fluid therapy session on your own. But we do not provide OT shadowing experience, as we are not licensed OTs. You may, however, log this as volunteer hours on an OT application. In some fortunate circumstances, VTs may attend OT therapy sessions with the child, and perhaps these sessions may “count.” HHT does not provide documentation in this case, and the VT will need to secure that with the OT.
How much is membership for a VT (Volunteer Therapist)?
The $100 application fee includes application processing and a background check. Annual dues are $99 and are payable before beginning service. A Hands at Home Therapy t-shirt is provided as part of the VT’s uniform.
Will I make a difference?
Absolutely. Our VTs see growth throughout the year and make memories to last a lifetime. Join us.
You actually get to see your service make an impact.
Haleigh Belcher