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School of Health Sciences EQUIP Rehabilitation Clinic

At the EQUIP Rehabilitation Clinic, students and faculty work together to provide compassionate, high-quality physical therapy services that improve health and expand access to care for underserved communities. Through direct patient care, wellness programming, health education, and community partnerships, EQUIP helps reduce barriers to rehabilitation while preparing future healthcare professionals to lead with clinical excellence, empathy and a commitment to service.
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Serving Our Community Since 2012

A photo of the back of a male that is wearing a navy blue t-shirt that says Equip Rehabilitation

What started as a student capstone project in 2012 has grown into a vital community resource. Located on the North Haven Campus, the EQUIP Rehabilitation Clinic is a pro bono initiative dedicated to reducing health disparities across Connecticut.

Under the direct supervision of licensed School of Health Sciences faculty, our student-led clinic delivers high-quality physical therapy services—both in-person and via telemedicine—to underserved populations.

 

Our Mission

To provide a platform for Quinnipiac University students to collaborate and provide high quality compassionate care while working to improve health in the greater New Haven community. EQUIP Rehabilitation embraces the core values of The American Physical Therapy Association (APTA), and our organizational culture exemplifies:

  • Altruism

  • Compassion

  • Accountability

  • Integrity

  • Professionalism

  • Clinical Excellence

  • Social Responsibility

Our Impact

EQUIP champions altruism and critical thinking, preparing the next generation of physical therapists to lead with empathy. Through our EQUIP for Life teams, we provide vital community programs, including:

  • Accessible Care: Exercise classes and wellness education.

  • Preventative Health: Health screenings (within the PT scope of practice).

  • Community & Advocacy: Student wellness initiatives and special events in collaboration with local community partners.

Teams were implemented in 2021, expanding the reach of EQUIP beyond the clinic. These teams create opportunity to expand EQUIP services across the lifespan throughout reach programs, innovative initiatives in collaboration with our community partnerships. This allows us to promote health, improve accessibility and make a positive impact on those around us.

Additional Services

A photo of woman with her arms up leading an exercise session for elderly folks.

Health and Wellness Team

EQUIP’s Health & Wellness Team offers weekly in-person exercise classes for older adults complete with health educations that are also distributed to local community centers. In addition, the team runs programs with the North Haven Senior Center and numerous health screens for a variety of populations throughout the year, as well as creating engaging and educational programs at a neighboring preschool. 

A photo of a large group of students and people a part of the EQUIP student self-care team.

Student Self-Care Team

The Self-Care Team fosters a culture of holistic health across the seven dimensions of wellness to empower and equip future physical therapy professionals and the PT community with the essential skills and knowledge to prioritize their own well-being and self-care to cultivate resilience, vitality and compassion, to care for others.

A photo of a young girl in a toy car with her hands in the air and a female student in front of her with her hands up.

Go Baby Go

Go Baby Go is a national, community-based research, design and outreach program that seeks to reduce pediatric movement limitations by providing modified ride-on cars as a form of powered mobility to children with disabilities, optimizing independence and exploration of the environment, to facilitate play and socialization.

A group of students a part of the All Abilities team taking a photo at sleeping giant.

All Abilities

The All Abilities team strives to promote inclusivity, belongingness and well-being to people of all abilities through community exercise programs, education and adaptive sports.

A photo of two female students assisting an elderly man with a cane.

Neighborhood Access

The Neighborhood Access team seeks to serve and empower vulnerable populations and promote health equity by tackling access issues and social determinants of health such as food and resource insecurity by fostering cultural humility, continuous learning from the communities served, and building trusting relationships. The team is dedicated to honoring the enduring contributions of former physical therapy students in memorial, seeking to progress and inspire the legacy of excellence, integrity, compassion, and wellbeing for all. 

Three volunteers stand behind an informational display table at a community event. The table is covered with educational materials, harm reduction supplies, and naloxone kits arranged for attendees.

Fundraising & Marketing

The Fundraising & Marketing Team strives to raise vital funds through impactful fundraising initiatives to amplify the reach, and expand access to pro bono physical therapy services, education, and community programs of EQUIP Rehabilitation. Through innovative targeted marketing and authentic storytelling, we aim to engage future patients, build a network of strategic partners, and strengthen our bonds with the physical therapy community to collectively support positive change in health within the greater New Haven community.

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Day in the Life: Doctor of Physical Therapy Student

Join Matt Kroon ’22, DPT ’25 as he takes you through a typical day in the life of a Doctor of Physical Therapy student and shares his experience being involved in EQUIP.

A photo of Matt Kroon and a female student pushing a toy car that they were modifyin

Matt Kroon ’22, DPT ’25

Video description

In Their Words - Clients & Families

A photo of a female EQUIP patient with a cane and four students.

Barbara Davis

Patient

“Somebody asked me yesterday, ‘is that leg of yours ever going to get any better?’ I said, ‘depends who you ask. If you ask my students that I'll be seeing tomorrow, the answer is definitely yes,’” Davis said. “That's what they do for us. They make us feel like we are going to get better and that we do have hope. And a lot of people here, we've seen them get better.”

A photo of Cathy Hoder with a female students arm around her.

Cathy Hoder

Patients Mother

“She will hold her head up for almost the whole therapy time, and she will work with them,” "that having people around Sarah’s age lead the activities makes her more excited to participate, and they go out of their way to make each session engaging and connect with her." She said "Sarah smiles and is more alert on Tuesdays, knowing where she’s headed."

In Their Words - Students & Faculty

Two staff members assist a participant during a mobility exercise in a brightly lit rehabilitation setting. The participant walks between them while each staff member provides support, with other people seated and observing in the background.

Alyssa Campo ’24, DPT ’27

EQUIP Rehabilitation Co-Director 2026

"EQUIP has had a profound impact on the lives of our students, patients, and community members. Students gain valuable clinical decision-making experience in a unique learning environment while developing patient communication skills and receiving meaningful mentorship from faculty and peers. Our patients have access to life-changing physical therapy services that they might not otherwise be able to receive. Through our community outreach events, students also have the opportunity to educate others about the role and scope of physical therapy while making a positive impact on a wide range of populations in meaningful and lasting ways."

A participant using a wheelchair and two staff members sit together on a red mat during a play-based therapy activity. Toy houses, vehicles, and colorful play equipment are arranged on the mat in an indoor therapy space.

Emma Cohen ’24, DPT ’27

EQUIP Rehabilitation Co-Director 2026

"I am the student clinician that I am today because of EQUIP, it has afforded me numerous opportunities to put my skills into play, to challenge my clinical decision making and to get involved in the community to make a difference."

Rehabilitation instructor demonstrates a therapy exercise using a stability ball while participants practice in a clinical training setting.

Mike Stofko, PT

Student Volunteer

"Serving EQUIP as a student volunteer, alumni clinician, mentor, and translator has allowed me to witness the power of combining compassionate care and community service. Every Tuesday, I have the privilege of watching students grow, patients reach new milestones, and a community come together through the shared goal of helping others. EQUIP is truly a highlight of the Quinnipiac University Physical Therapy Program."

Wheel It Forward

For many patients recovering from surgery, injury or age-related mobility challenges, a lack of basic medical equipment can delay or prevent a safe return home. This new initiative is designed to fill that gap.

A new model of care and community collaboration: a “library” where individuals can borrow essential recovery equipment such as wheelchairs, knee scooters, walkers, shower chairs and cold therapy devices — often at no cost and always with accessibility in mind.

Wheel It Forward operates as a nonprofit lending system for durable medical equipment, allowing community members to donate gently used items that are then sanitized, safety-checked and cataloged in an online inventory. Users can browse available equipment, complete a simple waiver and borrow what they need — returning it when they are finished so it can serve someone else.

The idea for bringing Wheel It Forward to campus grew out of Quinnipiac’s EQUIP Rehabilitation program, where faculty and students identified a growing gap among patients who needed equipment but could not afford it. What began as a small, informal equipment closet on campus evolved into a full-scale partnership with the organization.

Students are also playing a key role in the program’s success. Sydney Iannizzotto ’24, DPT ‘27, a graduate student in the 4+3 dual-degree health science studies/doctor of physical therapy program and EQUIP Neighborhood Access co-leader, said the program benefits both users and future clinicians.

Read more about the experience

Blue and white Wheel it Forward logo that has a wheelchair graphic in the middle with the words borrow and donate
An individual and a volunteer stand beside mobility equipment in front of a Wheel It Forward information banner.
Volunteers and a staff member review and demonstrate mobility devices inside a building. Walkers, rollators, shower chairs, wheelchairs, and other assistive equipment are arranged throughout the room.
Rows of crutches, wheelchairs, and other mobility aids are neatly organized on storage racks inside an equipment lending facility. The space contains a large inventory of assistive devices available for community use.

Swim Anglefish

Pink and blue Swim Angelfish logo that says global leaders in adaptive aquatics

In collaboration with the All Abilities team, we host the Water Safety Party to raise awareness and provide vital education through a fun, engaging event.

This initiative is crucial because, according to the National Autism Association, drowning is among the leading causes of death for individuals with autism. To address this urgent need, we partner with Swim Angelfish, a team of qualified physical therapists, occupational therapists, and swim instructors dedicated to teaching children with autism how to swim safely.

In addition to these life-saving swim lessons, they also offer specialized aquatic therapy services tailored to individuals with special needs.

Connecticut Spokebenders

The Connecticut Spokebenders logo that features a red basketball and a white ribbon going around the basketball with the words "The Connecticut Spokebenders"

 

Connecticut's premier and longest-running adult wheelchair basketball team, founded in 1965. Competing in the National Wheelchair Basketball Association (NWBA), the Meriden-based squad serves athletes with physical disabilities by promoting competitive sports and fostering a strong community support system.

Other Partners

  • Keefe Community Center
  • Special Olympics Connecticut
  • North Haven Senior Center
  • Sleeping Giant Preschool

Read This Next

In the News

‘How 4 Colleges Are Helping Close Health-Care Gaps’

May 15, 2026

Linda Bedard, clinical assistant professor of physical therapy, highlights how Quinnipiac’s student-run rehabilitation clinic provides students with hands-on experience while expanding access to care for uninsured and underinsured patients.

Read the story

‘Hands-On Learning at Quinnipiac Clinic’

February 25, 2026

Linda Bedard, clinical assistant professor of physical therapy, explains how the EQUIP Rehabilitation Clinic gives students hands on experience while building real clinical skills.

Read the story

Get Involved

The clinic operates every Tuesday. Student volunteers are placed on treatment teams consisting of members from multiple cohorts. This model fosters mentorship, collaboration and peer learning through clinical experience. All graduate physical therapy students are invited to join EQUIP. If you are a final-year student looking to make a deeper impact, you can apply for a leadership position on our executive board.

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Contact the School of Health Sciences

We’re always here to help provide additional information and answer any questions you may have.

203-582-8600
SHSDeans@qu.edu

370 Bassett Rd.
North Haven, CT 06473

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