The Indianapolis Healthplex is teaming up with The Applied Behavior Center for Autism to improve lives through activity, learning new skills and making new friends in the pool. The children are seeing great benefits from the swimming partnership with the Healthplex. Sarah Berline, Behavorial Analyst at the Applied Behavior Center for Autism, shared, “We are able to expand pre-existing skills to more people and cultivate new and emerging skills. It is so important for children to be able to do things in an environment in which they feel safe and can have fun. The Healthplex and their employees are able to provide both.”
Sally Brindle, Director of Aquatics, at the Indianapolis Healthplex was inspired to get her Masters in Rec Therapy at the age of 55 so that she can help those with Autism. Sally became passionate about this after working with a non-verbal young man in the pool. “He started barely putting his toe in and when we were done 5 years later, he was swimming 25 yards both on his front and back. He also became a little more social and verbal due to the water. This partnership has been my dream since then, and my heart explodes when I work with these children.” says Sally.