The dispute over efforts to provide therapy to special needs children could end up in court.
An area hospital and physical therapy practice stepped in to help the kids when Easter Seals closed its Altoona clinic in February 2015, but that partnership collapsed in November and this week, ProCare Physical Therapy filed a breach of contract suit against Tyrone Hospital, claiming it’s owed more than $750,000 in unpaid fees for providing physical, occupational, and speech therapy, as well as sensory integration. The lawsuit also asks for punitive damages and costs and fees, associated with the suit.
Tyrone Hospital didn’t respond to a request from WTAJ News for comment.
Tyrone Hospital announced last month that it had found a new company, Kids First, to offer therapy at the We Care location on January 1.
ProCare Director Jim Foreman says 15 staffers from We Care, including all but one therapist have taken jobs with his company and are offering the same services to children with special needs.
Foreman says if there’s an upside to the situation, it’s that services for children with special needs are expanding and that families have more choices available to them.