Celebrating
16 years, Gallagher Pediatric Therapy (GPT) is a private-based pediatric
practice that employs a multidisciplinary staff of highly skilled
and competent occupational therapists (OT’s), certified occupational
therapy assistants (COTA’s), and physical therapists (PT’s).
Our occupational therapy and physical therapy practitioners specialize
in the evaluation, treatment and management of children, including infants,
youth and adolescents, with a variety of developmental, sensory, motor,
neuromuscular, educational and psychosocial disorders, who may experience
functional performance limitations. GPT’s expert therapists can be
found working in clinical environments, schools, homes and communities
throughout the Los Angeles, Orange, San Bernardino and Riverside counties.
We provide direct service as well as consultation with families and educators
to serve children with special needs across multiple settings.
Our mission is to create opportunities for children, including infants, youth and adolescents, to master developmental tasks, increase performance capacity, and achieve independence in their home, school and community. Through demonstrated excellence in clinical and school-based practice, our goal is to provide quality services that include but are not limited to:
• the evaluation and provision of treatment in collaboration with the child, family or other relevant individuals; and
• developing, enhancing, maintaining or reestablishing sensory, motor, perceptual, neuromuscular or oral-motor functioning; or organization of behavior, adaptive behavior, or psychosocial components of performance; and
• interventions directed toward developing, enhancing, maintaining or reestablishing daily living skills, including play or leisure skills, social skills, academic skills, self-help skills and prevocational skills; and
• education of the child, family or other relevant individuals in implementing appropriate interventions.
These services include
structured and unstructured assessment by means of skilled and functional
observations or assessment via the administration and careful interpretation
of formal (standardized) and informal (non-standardized) tests and measurements. Top
Although started as a part-time venture, GPT grew steadily and in 1991 Mary Kay left Children’s Hospital to work full-time for GPT. In 1992, no longer able to handle her therapy caseload alone, Mary Kay hired additional part-time therapists to help out.
In 1993, GPT leased its first clinic space in Fullerton, CA. The leasing of this clinic space coincided with GPT’s first major contract to provide services to a school district. This contract was with the Fullerton School District. In 1995, GPT incorporated as Therapy for Kids, Inc., but continued to use GPT as its “D.B.A.”
By 1996, with eight employees, GPT had outgrown its first clinic space in Fullerton, and subsequently moved to a new location in Fullerton. At this new location, GPT experienced phenomenal growth and, by 2001, it had over 50 employees. During this time GPT set up four satellite clinics at various school districts to provide therapy at locations other than the main clinic in Fullerton.
Because of this growth, in 2002 GPT moved its main clinic to its current 9,100 square foot location at 233 Orangefair Mall in Fullerton. This location provides office and clinic space for GPT’s 80 employees.
Today, GPT is the largest pediatric occupational and physical therapy practice in Southern California. It provides physical and occupational therapy services to over 1,800 children ranging in age from 0 to 18 years in the Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, and San Bernardino Counties.
From the original contract with Fullerton School District, GPT has grown to where it now has contracts with over 54 school districts, 5 regional centers and a hospital.
GPT’s phenomenal success is the direct result of Mary Kay Gallagher and members of her therapy team to personal commitment to provide high quality and ethical pediatric therapy services.
Although Mary
Kay’s and the members of her therapy team’s commitment to
service have caused GPT to grow to its current size, there is no end
to this growth in sight because each day GPT receives new referrals for
children who may need services. Furthermore, GPT regularly receives inquires
from new school districts who are seeking quality occupational and physical
therapy services for their students in need of these services. Top