Districts, Want in Person but Can’t Find It? Consider Hybrid!

Many school districts currently prefer therapists to provide services in person for several reasons. Parents often feel that their children benefit more from face-to-face therapies. Additionally, some students face challenges accessing teletherapy due to limited technology or connectivity. Districts may also have concerns about the amount of screen time students receive, even though teletherapy involves active engagement rather than passive viewing. Furthermore, in-person sessions typically require districts to employ facilitators to escort students to therapy rooms and monitor them during sessions.

On the other hand, many therapists are drawn to remote work because it eliminates commuting, allows flexibility across time zones, and can reduce casual office interactions—an appealing aspect for more introverted professionals.

A practical solution is hybrid therapy: conducting direct services such as therapy and assessments in person, while completing indirect services remotely. Hybrid models might involve therapists working on-site two to three days per week and remotely the rest of the time. This approach expands the candidate pool to those living farther away who cannot commute daily but can manage shorter in-person commitments. It also benefits therapists who are parents or have other obligations by enabling them to complete indirect tasks outside school hours.

When therapists maintain full caseloads, meet deadlines, communicate effectively with parents and colleagues, and run well-organized therapy sessions, seeing them in person only part of the week should not be a concern. Hybrid work arrangements balance the advantages of both remote and on-site work and can help districts recruit highly qualified staff by offering this flexibility.We negotiate this with our therapists and contractors. Many districts are happy with the results. If you want to offer in-person services but haven’t had applicants for months, try a hybrid contracting approach!