Five Years of Free, Comprehensive Rehab with Georgia RSVP Clinic

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Spinal cord injuries (SCI) and acquired brain injuries (ABI) can happen in an instant. They may stem from a diving accident or vehicle collision, or result from neurological conditions like transverse myelitis. The injuries and their impacts are life-changing, even with a comprehensive rehabilitation plan. But for people without health insurance, the challenges these injuries present can feel insurmountable. 

1.2 million Georgians don’t have health insurance, and thousands more are underinsured, meaning their insurance wouldn’t cover services needed for full rehabilitation after an ABI or SCI. Many uninsured patients who sustain an SCI or ABI are discharged home from an acute care hospital, meaning they don’t receive the rehabilitation, mobility devices, medical equipment, or transition support needed after injury. 

That’s where Georgia Rehabilitation Services Volunteer Partnership (RSVP) Clinic comes in. 

Georgia RSVP Clinic offers free, high-quality outpatient rehabilitation services to uninsured and underinsured people recovering from brain injury, stroke, or spinal cord injury. The group offers a comprehensive, holistic approach to rehabilitation — including not just clinical services like physical therapy, speech therapy, and occupational therapy, but also resources to help people with disabilities secure transportation, housing, primary care, and access to specialty care. This year, the clinic celebrates its fifth anniversary. 

“This year marks our five-year anniversary as we celebrate the opening of the clinic. It has been amazing to witness the GA RSVP clients and their families rediscover hope and take steps toward reclaiming their lives, reminding me of the strength and determination that resides within us all, when given a chance,” says Susan Johnson, MA, CCC-SLP, founder of Georgia RSVP Clinic. “What makes us unique is the compassion of our volunteers and donors who support our mission for caring for this vulnerable population.”

Johnson, Shepherd Center’s former director of Brain Injury Services, started the clinic in 2020. As she neared her retirement from Shepherd, she attended a conference in Colorado.
 
“There was an occupational therapist who had a poster presentation on their free clinic, and I spent some time with her and said, ‘Well, that’s what I want to do when I grow up, is run a free clinic,’” Johnson says. 

She got to work on forming the Georgia RSVP Clinic alongside several other Shepherd clinicians. Shepherd Center offered space — the third-floor SCI Day Program gym — as well as some monetary support. Shepherd therapists, physicians, and nurses volunteered their skills. And the monthly RSVP Clinic was born. 

In the five years since its founding, the organization has served nearly 100 clients, providing expert medical, nursing, and therapy services; outfitting them with appropriate wheelchairs or mobility devices; and connecting them with peer support for emotional resilience and shared experience. It also delivers comprehensive case management that navigates the healthcare system, connects clients to vital resources, helps them understand and apply for benefits, and addresses critical social needs such as housing and transportation. Every service is rooted in compassionate, individualized care.

This year, the group has expanded its team, hiring a community resource coordinator, volunteer recruiter, and bringing on a new executive director, Viktoriya Antonov, MS OTR/L. Antonov worked as an occupational therapist at Kessler Institute for Rehabilitation and Shirley Ryan AbilityLab, before moving to Atlanta to pursue her master’s in public health at Emory University. She also works in a PRN role at Shepherd, meaning she fills in for full-time staff when needed.

“I decided to [pursue my master’s] because I hoped to be part of developing programs so people could get services they traditionally wouldn’t have access to,” Antonov says. “When I heard about the [executive director role at Georgia RSVP Clinic], I found it to be the perfect blend of exactly what I wanted to do.” 

Looking ahead, Johnson and Antonov hope to expand awareness of the challenges faced by the uninsured and underinsured, particularly in the face of spinal cord injuries or brain injuries. They plan to grow their volunteer force, deepen their allied health student program, expand the depth of services offered to clients, and reach even more lives in need. Above all, they remain steadfast in pursuing the vision of “ability for all,” ensuring that everyone, regardless of circumstances, deserves hope and the promise of a meaningful quality of life.

To volunteer with Georgia RSVP Clinic, refer a client, or learn more, you can visit https://www.garsvpclinic.org/impact. 

Written by Erin Kenney