Bridging Gaps in Student Care: The Power of a Hybrid Model in Schools
As schools across the U.S. continue to face a critical shortage of clinical professionals—including speech-language pathologists, school psychologists, occupational therapists, and registered nurses—administrators are exploring flexible, innovative approaches to close these gaps and ensure students receive the support they need. One emerging and effective solution is the hybrid work model, which blends both virtual and onsite therapy services to deliver a more accessible and sustainable approach to care.
What is the Hybrid Work Model?
In the hybrid model, clinicians provide a portion of their services in person at the school site and the remainder remotely via teletherapy. This setup offers a practical pathway for districts new to virtual care models, allowing them to gradually implement teletherapy without making a full transition overnight. It also supports clinician flexibility, as some providers prefer to work from home part-time while still maintaining onsite interactions with students and school staff.
There are several ways hybrid models can be structured. For example, clinicians may perform evaluations onsite, —while delivering ongoing therapy sessions remotely. In other instances, both evaluations and interventions are split between virtual and in-person formats. The model is flexible by design and can be customized to meet the specific needs of each district and student population.
Why Hybrid Works
The hybrid approach offers the best of both worlds: it introduces teletherapy in a way that is manageable for staff and students; While this model does limit the clinician pool to those able to travel to the district on a scheduled basis, it can be highly effective when implemented with proper planning and support.
Managing Costs Through Existing Resources
Budget constraints are an ongoing concern for many districts, and cost management plays a crucial role in any staffing decision. One of the key cost considerations in implementing a hybrid model is onsite support personnel, such as paraprofessionals or “e-helpers” who assist students during virtual sessions.
Fortunately, many schools can repurpose their existing classified staff for these roles instead of hiring new team members. This strategy minimizes the financial burden while still delivering the level of support needed to make teletherapy successful. It's an efficient and scalable solution that maximizes available resources.
What Schools Need to Make Hybrid Teletherapy Work
To ensure the success of hybrid models, schools must be prepared to support three primary areas:
- Technology Access: Each student participating in virtual sessions must have a dedicated computer or laptop (ideally not a Chromebook due to screen limitations), a headset, and reliable internet access.
- Dedicated Space: Sessions should be conducted in a quiet, private space—either a separate room or a partitioned area within a larger space—to maintain focus and confidentiality.
- Onsite Support: The level of required support varies by student. While some students may need only line-of-sight supervision, others might require one-on-one assistance throughout the session.
This structured approach ensures that therapy services—whether delivered in person or virtually—are engaging, compliant, and tailored to student needs.
Explore More in the Full Report
The hybrid model is just one part of the larger conversation around how teletherapy is reshaping the way schools deliver essential clinical services. Our white paper, Expanding Access: Enhancing School-Based Clinical Staffing with Teletherapy Solutions, dives deep into key areas including platform selection, clinician qualifications, parental engagement, workflow design, and real-world case studies from districts across the country.
Download the full report to discover the full scope of how teletherapy and hybrid staffing models are expanding access, improving compliance, and ensuring that every student—regardless of location—receives the care they need to succeed.
