Easterseals Crossroads closing Indianapolis outpatient therapy clinic

The upcoming shutdown of a nonprofit clinic that provides care for children with disabilities in Indianapolis has left families urgently searching for alternative services and put the clinic’s therapists at risk of losing their jobs.

Easterseals Crossroads has made the "difficult decision" to phase out its Outpatient Therapy Clinic by Sept. 30, according to a statement by President and CEO David Dreith. Parents like Nikki Stephens, whose son is on the autism spectrum, said they relied heavily on the clinic's therapists, who became like family.

"I feel blindsided," Stephens said. "We weren't notified until July 23 that these services would disconnect. They gave us not even 60 days, because other places in Indianapolis have a six-month long waiting list and any place else realistically