THERAPEUTIC FACILITY NEEDS ASSESSMENT

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Rochelle Callis CRPD Therapeutic Recreation Program Final Report and Recommendations September 8, 2017 page 34 3. In 2020 and beyond, can the Therapeutic Recreation program meet anticipated demand? To meet current demand, and to meet the needs of currently underserved or unserved populations, the Therapeutic Recreation Program will have to change. Changes include: + More professional staff with certifications in California or elsewhere, and more part-time staff, including a driver licensed to use a commercial vehicle (14 or more passengers) • Lift equipped transportation (to complement current Dial -a -Ride service that is available) Is More recreation facility space (its own, or shared with other programs) • A separate professional employee to manage inclusion, including assessments, recruitment of support staff, training of support staff, and communication with registrants and other staffs, (this is critical to the evolution of the programs serving people with disabilities) • Program expansion should occur and provide more capacity for those currently served, such as more programs that meet weekly for a longer session, perhaps eight weeks. Programs should also expand to include types of activities that will build a leisure skill (swimming, golf, sports, arts, social skills, etc.). This would be more like what the District offers to children and teens without disabilities. Program expansion should also include options for the times when children and teens are out of school, such as summer camps and afterschool programs. Populations to target include preschool aged children, children aged six to 12, and older adults. We believe that current staff do not have the time to do outreach. The District could address this in several ways. Outreach priorities could include identification of those with physical disabilities, hearing impairments, vision impairments, mental health diagnosis, and behavioral health conditions. 4. If the survey indicates that program expansion should occur, what type of facility space is required? This includes a discussion about a new Therapeutic Recreation facility as well as other alternatives, such as shared space. The leisure interest survey that we are recommending will shed some light on this subject. We believe that several options exist for the District: A. Repurpose an existing site, not currently owned by the District, within Thousand Oaks and make it the Therapeutic Recreation Center; B. Build an addition adjacent to an existing District facility such as the Teen Center, Senior Center, or another center; THE W -T GRA DSA RECREATION ACCESSIBILITY CONSULTff-C ONE SOURCE. INFINITE SOLUTIONS.