Identifying barriers to occupational and physical therapy services for children with cerebral palsy

Project Export/Cerebral Palsy Project was a three-year study funded by the National Institute of Health (1R24 MD000509-01) to investigate barriers to adequate and appropriate therapy services for children and adults with Cerebral Palsy who are living in the south metropolitan region of Chicago. This study examined barriers individuals with Cerebral Palsy (CP) and their families encounter when accessing Occupational Therapy (OT) and Physical Therapy (PT) services in the region. The study utilized a 3-tiered investigation system (survey, educational forum, and focus groups) that provided families and community therapists opportunities to identify barriers that impact access to evaluations and ongoing therapy services for individuals with Cerebral Palsy.The findings revealed a multitude of barriers identified by family and therapist participants. These barriers included, but are not limited to, financial resources, availability of therapists, convenient appointment times, and transportation issues. The educational forum and focus groups were effective in identifying knowledge gaps regarding Cerebral Palsy and strategies for accessing therapy in the region. Future plans include continuing collaborative initiatives for families and therapy providers. These include community educational forums that are accessible and provide relevant information, opportunities for networking, and advocacy information. The findings of the study will also be utilized to help occupational and physical therapists develop and implement alternative models of service delivery that provide greater access to therapy services for individuals with Cerebral Palsy.