Aquatic Safety Autism Program

Katelynn Kemski is an Aquatic Therapy Autism Program Certified Provider, certified lifeguard, and occupational therapist specializing in autism treatment. She pursued these certifications and developed programming to offer water safety/skill lessons to children, teens, and adults with autism and other special needs in order to meet the growing demand in the community. Resources for water safety and swim lessons for individuals with autism are very limited, even though drowning risks are significantly higher within this population. Katelynn's mission is to decrease drowning rates for individuals with special needs.   

• Qualify for occupational therapy services
• Have BCBS, BCN, or Aetna insurance or willing to pay out of pocket for services
  • Blue Care Complete and Aetna Better Health are not accepted
• Need to address water safety skills
• Have sensory challenges with water-based activities
• Want to learn how to swim 

• Water Safety – learn basic water safety skills to prevent drowning, beginning with general comfort in the water environment, submerging and returning to the surface, back float, propelling to the water’s edge
• Swim Skills – develop various strokes for independent swimming skills
• Water Therapy – work on motor coordination, strengthening, engagement, social play, and communication skills within a motivating, sensory-rich water environment 

Big Blue Swim School, Ann Arbor

Program Frequency: 60-minute lessons 1-2 times per week 

Lesson Ratio: 1:1 Private lessons 

Cost: All aquatic therapy visits are billed through insurance as a typical occupational therapy treatment visit 

Safety: All families will be required to have at least one parent/caregiver present and in the pool with the patient at all times throughout the duration of the program. 

The initial evaluation will be done on land at the clinic, subsequent appointments will be held at the pool.

Please click the button below to begin the new patient intake process and ask your child's primary care physician fax the following orders to 734-527-5981.

• Occupational Therapy Evaluation and Treatment - Swim Therapy