Cynergy Kids

The next generation’s leaders currently learn and strive in the County’s local classrooms. 

“We are investing in the state’s greatest natural resource,” said Justin Harrell, Growth and Outreach Director for Cynergy Rehab Group.

Harrell was raised in Mayflower, Arkansas, before attending the University of Central Arkansas in Conway, where he earned his Master’s degree in Occupational Therapy in 2013.

Harrell and his wife, Sydney, have two children together. Sydney is a graduate of Bryant High School and a nurse at Arkansas Children’s Hospital.

“When I initially moved to Saline County, I had the opportunity to serve as the Therapy Director at Saline for a few years,” Harrell said. “I had worked off and on with Cynergy since graduation from college as an occupational therapist. They eventually reached out and presented the opportunity to expand their reach into Central Arkansas and beyond.”

Cynergy Rehab Group was founded in 2008 and is based in Jonesboro.

Since its inaugural year, Cynergy Rehab Group has grown from a two-man show to now serving the entire state with more than 250 licensed therapists at over 50 locations.

Drawing its focus to Central Arkansas, Cynergy Rehab Group currently serves the Bryant School District, along with many other districts outside of Saline County. 

“Our main focus for this area has been in public schools,” Harrell said. “That is a large portion of our company. We focus on getting kids to where their performance is the best it can be inside of the classroom. A lot of the school-based therapy is focused on specific classroom activities. 

“If they lack skills or development that affects their performance in the classroom, then that’s what we focus on. We do speech therapy, occupational therapy, and physical therapy.”

While Cynergy Rehab Group uses roughly 20 therapists within the Bryant School District, the addition of a local outpatient clinic has helped extend their footprint into the community. 

“This is used to focus on children outside of the school district, and outside of school schedules, helping with the same type of objectives targeting academic performance or other deficits related to developmental issues.”

The Cynergy Kids Pediatric Therapy Clinic is located at 3417 Market Place Ave. in Bryant and can be reached at 501-943-1681. “Mom or dad can call our clinic, and our office will coordinate with their doctor to get their child set up for therapy.”

Cynergy Rehab Group largely contracts with its school districts to provide services onsite for the students. 

“We have 15 to 20 therapists at Bryant schools,” Harrell said. “We are humbled to get to serve students alongside the amazing staff and administration at Bryant Schools.”

With those therapists, Cynergy Rehab Group serves over 500 students within the Bryant School District alone. Harrell added that overall, Cynergy Rehab Group helps 1,000 students across Central Arkansas and over 4,000 statewide.

“Currently we serve more students at Bryant than at any other school in Central Arkansas.”

Now a veteran in the therapy field, Harrell said the most exciting part of his job and what the company strives for is investing in and helping the children discover and achieve their potential.

“In therapy school you learn a lot about how kids develop and how their brains work and their ability to learn new things and make progress,” Harrell said. “The most important factor is addressing developmental concerns as early as possible while the brain is still developing and making those new connections.” 

“When we interact with young kids, we have such a great opportunity to make a change and make a difference that can affect them long-term, years down the road. That is the most exciting thing for me, and I think for most therapists.”

Harrell added that therapy can help boost students’ self-esteem and morale as well.

“You are capturing them at an age where they can learn and understand new things,” he added. “All encompassing, that can have such a huge effect on the kids and their families.”

Harrell said that despite a decade of work in the field, his interests did not always include pediatric therapy. 

“When I was a junior or senior in high school, I began working in a therapy clinic and didn’t plan on going into pediatrics,” Harrell said. “I thought I wanted to be a hand specialist. I also worked in hospitals and home health before getting into management. Once I had my own kids, I was drawn to pediatrics. I had a change of heart down the road. A lot of the time it doesn’t feel like you are working. You are just having fun.”

For students receiving therapy onsite at school, Harrell said the school district’s special education department processes all the information to begin.

“Often a teacher or parent expresses concerns about academic performance that might be related to developmental skills.” Harrell said. “At this time, the school can begin to look into these concerns and might have the student screened or tested in the area of concern to detect a possibly delay and identify a need for therapy services.”

Cynergy Rehab Group currently serves students and children from birth until their 21st birthday. For more information or to refer a child, visit www.crgtherapy.com.