Child-Centered Facilities & Therapeutic Environment

Mary Free Bed Kids inpatient units are purpose-built for children. Therapy gyms, playrooms, a teen space, classroom and rehabilitation technology are designed with kids and adolescents in mind — bright, friendly, playful, and safe.

Children won’t feel like they’re in a sterile “adult” hospital: from iPads and adaptive games to recreation equipment for all ages and developmental levels. There’s also on-site educational support from a certified teacher — so kids in longer stays can continue their schoolwork and keep up academically while they recover.

Families are part of the healing process too. The environment is structured, yet warm — safe and supportive for patients and their families, with lodging options for caregivers and even partnerships with nearby housing for families of hospitalized children.

What to Expect: The Inpatient Rehabilitation Experience

Personalized, Intensive Therapy Plans

When your child is admitted for inpatient rehabilitation, they’ll receive a fully individualized treatment plan tailored to their condition, abilities, and recovery goals. Because no two kids — or their recoveries — are alike, we don’t believe in a “one-size-fits-all” approach.

Under the care of a pediatric physiatrist, therapy begins promptly. Typically, children receive at least three hours of intensive therapy each day — including physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech-language therapy – plus, recreational and play-based therapies, and more as needed.

Therapies are interwoven with rest, meals, school work, family time, and socialization, allowing for a balanced, healing-oriented, child-friendly schedule.

Comprehensive Rehabilitation: Body, Mind & Life — Not Just Recovery

Because children are more than injuries or diagnoses, our inpatient program addresses all aspects of well-being:

• Physical recovery — improving strength, mobility, coordination, daily living skills, and functional independence.
• Cognitive and developmental support — for kids recovering from brain injuries, neurological conditions, or developmental delays. Our therapy programs and support services are designed to meet each child where they are.
• Emotional and social well-being — rehabilitation can be challenging for children and families. Our team includes psychologists and care coordinators to support mental and emotional health, assist families, and help children cope, adapt, and thrive.
• Educational continuity — for children staying more than a few days, maintaining academic engagement is important. Our onsite certified teacher ensures kids can keep up with school work when appropriate and help support the transition back to school.
• Family-centered care — family involvement is central: caregivers are encouraged to participate in therapy, planning, and ongoing care. We support family presence, education, and empowerment so they can help their child after discharge.

From Admission to Discharge and Beyond: Continuum of Care

Inpatient care is often just the beginning of a child’s rehabilitation journey. Once your child graduates from inpatient rehab at Mary Free Bed Kids, we offer a seamless transition to outpatient programs, specialized services, orthotics and prosthetics, adaptive equipment, and continuing therapy and school — ensuring support for as long as needed.

Our broad statewide network means that whether you live in Grand Rapids or elsewhere in Michigan, families can often find outpatient follow-up care nearby.

Who We Serve — Conditions & Diagnoses Treated

Mary Free Bed Kids accepts children with a wide variety of conditions — from those recovering from serious illness or injury, to those living with congenital or chronic conditions that benefit from intensive rehabilitation.

Some of the conditions we treat include:

• Brain injuries, concussions, head trauma, disorders of consciousness
• Spinal cord injuries and other spinal disorders
• Neurological disorders, neuromuscular diseases, nerve and muscle disorders
• Functional neurologic disorder
• Stroke
• Multiple trauma from accidents and injuries
• Amputations and limb differences
• Cancer and its rehabilitation needs
• Burns
• Congenital conditions and complex medical diagnoses
• Chronic pain syndromes
• Orthopedic or musculoskeletal injuries
• Developmental delays requiring intensive therapy
• Cerebral Palsy
• After surgery rehabilitation to build strength, endurance and function
• Cardiac conditions
• Other complex rehabilitation needs requiring skilled nursing and frequent therapy

Because we treat children with such a wide range of needs — from acute injury recovery to long-term chronic condition management — our experience and flexibility allow us to design custom plans for nearly any pediatric rehab situation.

Demonstrated Outcomes & Results

Mary Free Bed Kids doesn’t just promise quality care — our results speak for themselves:

• Our inpatient program achieves a home/community discharge rate significantly higher than national averages.
• Children consistently show meaningful functional improvements in mobility, independence, and daily functioning during their stay.
• Over the past several years, we have treated tens of thousands of children with complex and serious conditions.
• Many children return home or to school ready to take the next steps in their lives, supported by ongoing outpatient care as needed.

These statistics reflect not only our clinical effectiveness, but also our commitment to compassionate, child-centered rehabilitation.

In Progress: Expanding Capacity & Continuing Our Mission

Because demand for pediatric rehabilitation continues to grow, Mary Free Bed is working to build a freestanding, state-of-the-art children’s rehabilitation hospital. This new facility will dramatically expand our capacity, increasing the number of inpatient beds, outpatient therapy spaces, and services available to children across Michigan.

Highlights of the planned facility include:

• Private inpatient rooms designed for safety and privacy for medically fragile children
• Dedicated pediatric therapy gyms and specialized spaces for practicing daily living skills
• On-site orthotics & prosthetics and intensive feeding programs
• Family respite and resource center, classroom for school continuity, and recreational/therapeutic play areas

This expansion underscores our commitment to meeting the growing needs of children and families — ensuring access to high-quality pediatric rehabilitation now and in the future.

What Families Appreciate About Inpatient Care at Mary Free Bed Kids

• A safe, compassionate, and child-centered environment
• Holistic, individualized care addressing physical, cognitive, emotional, and social needs
• Family involvement and support, including lodging and resources to stay close
• Continuity of care through outpatient services and community reintegration
• Proven outcomes with children returning home or to school ready to thrive

Contact Information & Next Steps

If you believe your child may benefit from inpatient rehabilitation at Mary Free Bed Kids — whether following an injury, illness, surgery, or as part of ongoing care for a chronic condition — the first step is to reach out for a referral and evaluation.

Mary Free Bed Kids offers a statewide network for pediatric rehabilitation, and while our inpatient program is based on our Grand Rapids campus, we are committed to helping coordinate continuing outpatient services and support wherever you are in Michigan.