Recover at The Rehabilitation Center

A Place to Recover

Courtesy The Rehabilitation Center

For nearly seven decades, patients in need of rehabilitation in the North Texas area have not had to worry about whether or not they could afford to pay for those services. And they have had The Rehabilitation Center to thank for it.

Established in Sherman in 1950, The Rehabilitation Center has now served the North Texas area for more than 68 years. The center first opened its doors in a small school house on Woods Street, moving to a larger building on Crockett Street seven years later. With demand for its services ever-growing, The Rehabilitation Center moved again in 1961 to its current home atop Sherman’s Hospital Hill.

“We have such a long and storied history in Sherman––it’s been our home from the start,” says current Rehabilitation Center Executive Director Tammy Johnson. “And for all of that time, we have remained dedicated to our goal of helping those in need recover from their injuries, regardless of their ability to pay.”

By the mid-1960s, the Center recognized the need to expand its services, adding a speech and hearing clinic in 1966. Three decades later, in 1990, the Center began utilizing a separate Aquatics Facility on Texoma Parkway. That facility served patients until 2012.

“Ever since we had to close the Aquatics Center, we’ve looked for an opportunity to build something similar,” explained Johnson. “There’s no question in my mind that aquatic therapy was therapeutic and beneficial to our patients, and we’d really love to offer that again.”

In 1998, The Rehabilitation Center underwent a renovation and modernization project to bring its Hillcrest headquarters up-to-date. The Center currently uses that facility to offer occupational therapy, physical therapy, and speech and language therapy. They are currently the only facility in Texoma that offers patients a sensory integration gym, allowing children to work toward recovering a wide range of abilities using interactive methods.

The Center also has been developing a wellness program to help their clients maintain and improve their overall health. In any given month, the Center serves hundreds of patients, along with their families and caregivers.

“The work to recover from an injury is almost always tedious and difficult,” says Johnson. “But we have an absolutely wonderful staff of therapists and pathologists who believe deeply in what they do here, and are committed to helping patients succeed in meeting their goals.”

Now, as throughout the history of the Center, every effort is made to accommodate those who are not insured or underinsured. Patients who are not covered by private insurance, Medicare, or Medicaid often qualify for a sliding fee scale. The Center also has the ability to consider sponsored-care patients due to its longtime partnership with United Way. That support––along with private donations, grants, and local fundraisers––allows the Center great latitude in accommodating a wide variety of financial situations.

“We don’t believe that someone’s income level should determine their quality of care,” explains Johnson. “That’s the root of our commitment to our patients of low and moderate incomes.”

Aside from Johnson and Assistant Executive Director Kathy Chavez, the Center receives support and guidance from a locally-culled board of directors, comprised of 15 individuals committed to seeing the Center succeed.

“The way that the local community comes together to support The Rehabilitation Center––both in terms of financial support and in terms of governance––is just extraordinary,” says Johnson with a smile. “From the very beginning and for nearly 70 years now, this organization and those who guide it have understood the importance of having these types of services available to our citizens.

“It’s unquestionable because of them that we are able to do what we do. There’s no question that they help us save lives.”

If you would like to learn more about The Rehabilitation Center or inquire about how you can help support their efforts, please visit their website at www.TheRehabCenter.net., or email Tammy Johnson at tammy@therehabcenter.net.