Sioux Falls, SD – LifeScape is proudly celebrating 25 years of providing essential outpatient therapy services to Sioux Falls and surrounding communities. Since opening its doors on April 26th, 1999, as the Children’s Care Hospital & School Rehabilitation Center, LifeScape has been a regional leader in serving both children and adults with evaluations, therapies, orthotic services, and assistive technology. “It’s amazing to see how much LifeScape’s Outpatient program has grown,” says Dr. Julie Johnson, Medical Director of Rehabilitation Programs at LifeScape’s Rehabilitation Center. “The advances in rehabilitation treatments over the years have been extraordinary, and I’m honored to be part of such a vital program.”
The need for outpatient services in Sioux Falls has surged by 71% since 1999. Initially, LifeScape served under 1,200 children and adults. Today, that number exceeds 4,000, with patients traveling from across state lines. “We don’t foresee the demand for our services slowing down anytime soon,” says Kristin Tuttle, Vice President of Medical and Therapy Services. In response to this LifeScape expanded its Rehabilitation Center in 2011 to its current facility at 18th and Grange.
The rapid growth of Autism also created demand for a specialized development center, leading to the opening of the Autism & Child Development Center in 2019, “Our Autism Evaluations and Applied Behavior Analysis programs, in particular, have waitlists in the hundreds,” explains Tuttle. “We are constantly evolving with the increased need in specialized services, leading us to become a best-in-class destination for those who need us the most.”
With a vision centered around innovation, LifeScape has become a leader in Assistive Technology. Arlen Klämm, LifeScape’s Assistive Technology Coordinator, has been with the team for over 30 years, five of them he spent managing LifeScape’s first outpatient rehabilitation center. “I was there when we first opened our outpatient center on 41st Street,” says Klämm, a Certified RESNA Assistive Technology and Seating and Mobility Specialist. “It’s been an honor to witness the incredible evolution of our services. Helping someone do something they never thought possible—whether it’s as simple as opening a jar or as life-changing as navigating the world with a powered wheelchair—is why I love what I do.”
In addition to its therapy services, LifeScape’s Rehabilitation Center is home to RISE Custom Solutions (formerly Rehabilitation Medical Supply). This one-stop shop provides durable medical equipment and supplies, alongside expert care from RISE prosthetists and orthotists. “Our goal is to remain a best-in-class organization,” explains Tuttle. “By offering everything patients and families need under one roof, we’re empowering them to find the care and support they need more easily.”
