406-830-4500

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New Patient Information

Your Guide to Beginning Pediatric Therapy at Samara Therapy Specialists

We’re thrilled you’ve chosen us to support your child’s development. Here’s everything you need to know about getting started with us, including details about evaluations, insurance, and important policies to ensure your child receives the best possible care. We look forward to welcoming you and your family to our clinic!

Our Process

Your first visit will be an evaluation of your child’s current abilities. This session will last about an hour, and we do ask that parents remain present throughout the initial evaluation to provide information and collaborate with our team. Here’s what you can expect:

Fill Out Forms

After you complete our online contact form, you’ll receive a text with a secure link to your intake forms. We ask that these be completed before your evaluation so our therapists can review your child’s information in advance and make the most of your session.

Evaluation

During the evaluation, we will discuss your child’s medical history and what struggles they’re facing that therapy can improve. We will also work with your child to evaluate their current abilities and limitations.

Results

After the evaluation, our therapists will go over the results with you, answer any questions you have, and determine the best plan of care for your child’s needs. We will also send a copy of this evaluation to your child’s pediatrician.

Scheduling

Lastly, we will work with you to determine the best schedule for your child’s therapy sessions. We offer flexible scheduling options to meet your family’s needs.

Insurance Information

We understand how important therapy is for your child’s growth and development. To make care as simple as possible, we operate as a cash-pay practice—which means payment is made directly to our clinic at the time of service.

As a courtesy, our team will work with your insurance company on your behalf to provide the information you need for potential reimbursement. While we don’t bill insurance directly, many families are able to receive partial reimbursement depending on their plan and out-of-network benefits.

We recommend contacting your insurance provider before your first visit to learn more about your coverage and reimbursement options. If needed, our team can help guide you through that process.

Cost should never be a barrier to your child receiving the care they need. We’re here to support you with clear information, resources, and flexible options to make therapy accessible for your family.

Attendance Policy

Consistent attendance is critical for your child’s success in therapy. Regular participation helps ensure they make steady progress toward achieving their developmental milestones.

Please take a moment to review our Attendance Policy to understand expectations regarding scheduling, cancellations, and attendance.

Client Attendance and Cancellation Policy

Samara Therapy Specialists is committed to providing families with the best possible care. Consistent, weekly therapy in accordance with your therapist’s recommended plan of care, has been shown to help improve your child’s skills sooner and reach their goals. 

  • Cancellations must be made 24 hours in advance to avoid a cancellation fee of $50.  The fee is payable by the family, not insurance. 
  • No-shows will be charged the cancellation fee of $50, payable by the family, not insurance.
  • Clients who miss 3+ appointments due to no-shows or late cancellations may lose the placement of their reserved, weekly appointment time.

 

Rescheduling Policy

When a child cancels or fails to show up to his/her scheduled appointment, it prevents another child from being seen. We understand that keeping weekly recurring appointments can be challenging. We ask that all cancellations be rescheduled to keep your child on track to achieving their goals. 

Please call/text us at 406-830-4500 by 2:00 PM one business day before your appointment to cancel or reschedule. For Monday appointments, please notify us by 2:00 PM Friday. If you cancel your appointment, you must reschedule a makeup session within a week to keep your regular, weekly appointment time.

It should also be understood that your child may need to see a clinician other than the one who normally treats him/her. All of our clinicians are experienced professionals. He/she will return to the original clinician in the next regularly scheduled visit.

Our pediatric rehabilitation clinic values consistency, efficient scheduling, and the well-being of our patients. This policy outlines guidelines related to attendance, cancellations, and rescheduling to ensure optimal care for all children.

General Principles

Policy

By adhering to this Attendance and Cancellation Policy, we ensure efficient scheduling, quality care, and positive outcomes for our young patients.

  • Attendance Expectations: Patients are expected to attend scheduled sessions promptly and consistently.
  • Cancellation Notice: Adequate notice for cancellations allows us to accommodate other patients in need of appointments.
  • Rescheduling: We aim to reschedule missed appointments whenever possible.
  • Patient Treatment Schedule: While we strive to maintain consistent treatment schedules, we cannot guarantee fixed time slots. Although regularity benefits both our clinic and patients, occasional adjustments may be necessary. Please stay informed about your treatment appointments, as they may vary from week to week.
  • Text Reminders: You will receive a text reminder for all evaluation and treatment appointments scheduled 24 hours before the session. Please note that this is not a monitored texting number, so we do not receive replies to that line. This service is provided as a courtesy to you.
  • Contact Information: To cancel an appointment please call us. You may also send a message through the website at oceanfriends.ai. These messages are regularly monitored.

  • Attendance Rate:

    • Patients are expected to maintain an attendance rate of 75% (i.e., attending at least 6 out of 8 consecutively scheduled sessions).
    • Consistent attendance ensures progress and maximizes the benefits of therapy.

  • Cancellation and Rescheduling:

    • 24-Hour Notice: Patients must provide a minimum of 24 hours’ notice for any cancellation or to reschedule appointments.
    • Late Arrival: If a patient is 10 minutes or more late, we may need to reschedule the appointment.
    • Missed Appointments (No Shows): Failure to contact the clinic will be considered a no-show. After two consecutive no-show appointments, the child will be removed from the regular schedule. At that point, the family can schedule appointments on a weekly basis according to availability.
    • Inclement Weather: If the clinic remains open during inclement weather, patients unable to attend due to weather conditions at home must notify the therapist of the cancellation.

  • Missed Appointments:

    • Repeated missed appointments may impact the patient’s progress and may require reevaluation of the treatment plan.
    • We reserve the right to discontinue services for patients with chronic attendance issues.

Have Other Questions? Reach Out!

Our team is here to help! For any additional questions, or to schedule your child’s initial evaluation, please contact our friendly staff at (406) 830-4500, or fill out our online contact form.

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Laura

Occupational Therapist

I am a pediatric occupational therapist with 24 years of experience supporting children and families in reaching their fullest potential. I earned my degree in Occupational Therapy with a minor in Neuroanatomy from Colorado State University in 2001 and have since worked across a wide range of settings, including early intervention, outpatient pediatrics, school-based therapy, and private practice.

Throughout my career, I have pursued advanced practice training in feeding, handwriting, sensory regulation, and vision impairment, and I am also a Certified Infant Massage Instructor. Most recently, I completed my second Master’s in Special Education with a focus on Orientation and Mobility (Vision Impairment). After sitting for the national board exam in August, I became a Certified Orientation and Mobility Specialist (COMS) in addition to my work as an occupational therapist.

My professional passion lies in helping children build the foundational motor, sensory, and visual skills needed for participation, independence, and confidence in daily life.

Outside of work, I find joy in watching my son play sports and exploring the beauty of the Montana outdoors with friends and family. I especially love hiking, kayaking, camping, and cross-country skiing.

Mackenzie

Occupational Therapist

Mackenzie attended the University of Oregon and went on to the physical therapy program at the University of Montana. She especially enjoys working with infants and children with developmental coordination disorders. In her free time, she enjoys trail running and spending time outside with her family.

Caitlin

Occupational Therapist

Caitlin has experience working in acute care, inpatient rehabilitation, subacute care, outpatient mental health, adn home health health. In her free time, she enjoys backpacking, skiing, fly fishing, and gardening. Most of all she enjoys spending time with her daughter, dogs, and family.

Annie

Billing and Finance Manager

Annie was born and raised in western Montana and serves as the Billing and Finance Manager at Samara Therapy. Outside of work, Annie enjoys spending time with her family and appreciating the outdoors.

Laura

Front Desk

Laura has worked in some aspect of medical admin for the last ten years. If you have called or texted the office, you have probably already interacted with her. She genuinely enjoys the occasionally chaotic pace of the front desk – so much so that she commutes to town from Rock Creek every morning.

Ryan

Therapy and Marketing Aide

Ryan is a current student studying Biology at the University of Montana here in Missoula. Ryan started working part time here at Samara as a Therapy and Marketing Aide in July. She helps with assisting the therapists in their therapy activities, setting up, cleaning up, and clinic marketing. She enjoys helping out in any way she can and seeing the progress of all of the awesome patients! In her free time you can find Ryan hanging out with friends and family, going on adventures with her dog, and baking sweet treats.

Sarah

Speech Therapist

Sarah received her Masters of Science (M.S) in Speech Language Pathology at the University of Montana in 2022. She has worked as a Speech Language Pathologist with infant to high school aged children for the last few years in Arizona, and loves being back in Montana. She has a special interest in working with foundational language skills, early intervention, and Alternative and Augmentative Communication (AAC). In her free time she enjoys music, reading, going on walks, and exploring new food.

Deann

Physical Therapist

Deann unknowingly began her journey toward becoming a physical therapist by rehabbing a softball injury in middle school. She received her Bachelor’s in Exercise Science from Mississippi College in 2009 and her Doctor of Physical Therapy from The University of Mississippi Medical Center in 2012. Since then, she has enjoyed expanding her clinical experience in school-based pediatrics, skilled nursing facilities, outpatient orthopedics, and ambulatory surgery. Most recently, Deann has been pursing additional training in hippotherapy (the use of horses in physical therapy) and is excited to help bring those services to Samara. She moved to Montana in 2014 and immediately fell in love with the beauty of the mountains and is proud to now call Montana home. In her free time, Deann enjoys camping, going to rodeos, kayaking, exploring new places, and spending as much time outside and at the barn as possible.

Nicholas

Physical Therapist

Nick finished his Doctor of Physical Therapy from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 2011, and has since worked in early intervention and school pediatrics in Wisconsin, Florida, and Maine before moving to Montana. He emphasizes child motivated skill development, functional movement, and family-centered goals – and greatly enjoys helping children find ways to enjoy movement, function, and play with as much independence as possible. Nick enjoys finding new and exciting physical fitness challenges for himself and his two kids (if they choose to participate!).

Chelsey

Physical Therapist

Chelsey is a recent graduate of the University of Montana, where she earned her Doctorate in Physical Therapy. She also holds a Bachelor’s degree in Exercise Science with a minor in Gerontology, reflecting her broad interest in health and wellness across the lifespan.

During her academic training, Chelsey gained hands-on experience in pediatric settings, including a 15-week clinical internship at Samara Therapy Specialists. She has experience conducting pediatric evaluations and implementing individualized interventions focused on gross motor development including mobility, balance, coordination, endurance, and strength.

Outside of the clinic, Chelsey enjoys spending time outdoors with her husband and their three dogs. She also loves baking, reading, and camping—especially when it means unplugging and enjoying the Montana wilderness.

Katie

Speech Language Pathologist

Katie is a recent graduate of the University of Minnesota with her masters in Speech-Language-Hearing Sciences. She earned her bachelor’s in Communication Sciences and Disorders and Educational Services from the University of Wisconsin. Her background in youth recreation, paired with clinical experience in pediatric outpatient clinics, have fostered skills in fun and engaging play-based and child-led therapy. Katie also seeks to make speech therapy flexible, functional, and family-oriented. She is particularly interested in developmental language disorders, speech-sound disorders, feeding, and total-communication approaches. Outside of the office, Katie enjoys skiing, hiking, reading, and spending time with friends and family.

Amanda

Occupational Therapist

Amanda, a born and raised Montanan, began her educational journey at the University of Montana where she received a Bachelor’s Degree in Human Health and Performance. After receiving her degree, Amanda began to work alongside children with Autism Spectrum Disorder in their homes as an Autism Trainer. This experience is where Amanda’s interest in occupational therapy grew into a lifelong mission. Amanda decided to continue her education in occupational therapy receiving her Master’s Degree in Occupational Therapy from the University of Mary in 2017. Amanda has gained experience in pediatrics working in an outpatient setting as well as furthering her education in the SOS approach to feeding, kinesiology taping, and infant handling. When Amanda is not working, you can find her hunting for huckleberries, picking flowers, weeding her garden, and discovering the wild places with her husband, daughter, and adventure pup, Vinny.

Julia 

Physical Therapist

Julia completed her DPT and Post-Doctoral training at The Ohio State University. Julia is now a full-time Assistant Professor in the School of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Science at the University of Montana. Julia’s clinical and research training at OSU were in pediatrics, with a focus on neuromotor disorders, such as cerebral palsy. Julia is passionate about research and evidence-based practice, with half of her time at the University dedicated to clinical research and development of fun, engaging, and effective PT interventions for children. Julia also has additional training in the use of horses in physical therapy (hippotherapy), including certification through the American Hippotherapy Certification Board. When she is not at the University, Julia enjoys seeing patients at the barn. Julia grew up in Connecticut and has always had a love for animals and the outdoors. She is a life-long equestrian and horsewoman, which sparked her initial interest in physical therapy and hippotherapy. In her free time, Julia enjoys many hobbies, including horseback riding, skiing, running, hiking, and baking. She lives in Clinton with her husband, 3 dogs, 2 cats, and often a clutter of foster kittens.

Laurel

Occupational Therapist

Laurel is a graduate from Ohio State University, having earned a Doctorate degree in Occupational Therapy. She also has a Bachelor’s degree in Food, Nutrition, and Dietetics from Concordia College. Laurel has experience in conducting pediatric evaluations and implementing interventions based on feeding, sensory integration, and motor milestones. Laurel is passionate in incorporating her Bachelor’s degree in Nutrition during feeding therapy to promote healthy food choices that the child enjoys.

Laurel is dedicated to implementing family-centered care and trauma-informed practices, while also creating secure, fun, and  supportive environments for children to thrive.

During her free time, Laurel enjoys hiking with her dog,  playing tennis with her husband, quilting, and spending time with her kitties, friends, and family.

Stephanie G.

PT, DPT

Dr. Stephanie Gaertig knows that physical therapy can change lives because she experienced it herself. After graduating from Washington State University in 2002, Stephanie started out as an environmental engineer. But while running a marathon, she sustained an injury and sought the help of a physical therapist to recover. It was then she learned about the incredible benefits of physical therapy and decided to change careers.

She achieved her Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) degree in 2009 and has been working with children ever since. Stephanie loves helping children realize how many abilities they already have and working with them to develop those abilities further.

In her free time, Stephanie loves exploring the natural beauty of Montana with her husband and two children. She loves keeping her family active and healthy with lots of walks in nature.