Rehabilitation Sciences News
TR Student Awarded Diamond Ambassor Scholarship
Congratulations to Lauren Frabizzion, a sophomore in the TR program for being selected for the prestigious Diamond Ambassador Scholarship. This $2500 scholarship helps a handful (only 25 students are chosen) of exceptional students at Temple University achieve what is, for many, a lifelong dream of studying abroad. “Lauren is really committed to the growth of others as well as her own personal growth,” says Nannette Vliet,Ed.M., CTRS, a clinical instructor and undergraduate coordinator who was Lauren’s faculty mentor during the application process. “She takes every experience and learns from it.” Lauren plans to spend six weeks at Temple’s campus in Rome during the summer of 2013. She hopes to absorb as much of the culture as possible and take an art history class while in Rome.
TR Alumni in the News
Lisa Mische-Lawson, PhD, CTRS is a 1996 graduate of Temple's master's program in Therapeutic Recreation. She currently teaches in the Occupational Therapy Education Program at the University of Kansas Medical Center. Dr. Mische-Lawson has received funding from Autism Speaks in January, 2012 to develop a Sensory Supported Swimming Program for individuals with autism spectrum disorder. Dr. Lawson, the PI on the grant, will collaborate with OT colleagues, Jane Cox, MS, OTR/L; Lauren Foster, OTD, OTR/L on this project which is aimed at enriching the lives of individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) by decreasing the risk of drowning, promoting participation in a life-long sport and increasing the capacity of general recreation providers to offer specialized and inclusive recreation programs for individuals with ASD. The purpose of this program is to provide a sustainable, low cost recreational swim program for children with ASD. As these colleagues collaborate on this program, they expect to accomplish these objectives:
1.Provide more opportunities for families of children with ASD to access a recreational swim program at low cost.
2.Increase the capacity of swim instructors working with children with ASD.
3.Increase physical activity for children with ASD in a way that is a good match for their individual sensory needs.
4.Increase safety among children with ASD in and around the water so they and their families can swim safely.
5.Transition swimmers with ASD from a learn-to-swim program to an inclusive swim team.
Congratulations Lisa !
TR Students Making News!
Congratulations to Brigid Lyons, a senior TR student, whose research application to the Creative Arts, Research and Scholarship (CARAS) program at Temple University was awarded. Brigid's research proposal "Physiological Effects of a Technology Based Music Making Program in Skilled Nursing Residents" has been funded for $3105.00. She will be working under the supervision of Dr. Rhonda Nelson collecting data at the Philadelphia Protestant Home.
Department Grant, Publication and Scholarship News
Grant Funding News
Dr. Pei-Chun Hsieh, Assistant Professor in the Therapeutic Recreation Program, recently was awarded a $100,000 grant from the Pennsylvania Developmental Disabilities Council to conduct a needs assessment of support services and model programs for adults aging with an intellectual disability. Dr. Hsieh is the Co-PI on this grant and will collaborate with Celia Feinstein from Temple University's Institute on Disabilities.
The Collaborative on Community Inclusion of Individuals with Psychiatric Disabilities, housed in the Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, was awarded a $107,000 grant from the National Association of State Mental Health Program Directors for a project entitled, “Enhancing the role of Pennsylvania’s Statewide Network of Certified Peer Specialists.” Rick Baron, Director of Knowledge Translation Activities, expertly and successfully led the writing of this proposal.
Publication Updates
Dr Gretchen Snethen, Assistant Professor in the Therapeutic Recreation Program, received notification that her manuscript, entitled "Community involvement, planning and coping skills: Pilot outcomes of a recreational therapy intervention for adults with schizophrenia" will be published in Disability and Rehabilitation. Co-authors on the manuscript include Brian McCormick & Mariake Van Puymbroeck.
Dr. Kathy Coyle, the Therapeutic Recreation Program Director, recently co-authored a text explaining the role of therapeutic recreation in special education settings. Co-authored with Lisa Mische-Lawson, the text became available from the American Therapeutic Recreation Association in September, 2011 and is entitled Therapeutic Recreation in Special Education: From Legislation to Practice (2011).
Dr. Heather Porter, Assistant Professor in the Therapeutic Recreation Program in the Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, published a manuscript on "Conceptualizing meaning-making through leisure experiences. It was published in Society & Leisure.
Katy Kaplan, Assistant Director of the Collaborative on Community Inclusion of Individuals with Psychiatric Disabilities, Dr. Mark Salzer, Department Chair and Director of the Collaborative and colleagues received notification that their manuscript entitled, Internet peer support for individuals with psychiatric disabilities: A randomized controlled trial, was accepted for publication in Social Science & Medicine.
Presentations News
Keeping with their committment to promote evidence-based practice in TR, Temple faculty member, Dr.Gretchen Snethen gave a webinar for the American Therapeutic Recreation Association on Evidence Based Practice: What, Why, and How, Series A(1). https://secure.confertel.net/tsregister.asp?program=ATRA-A2012.
Dr. Heather Porter also provided a full day conference on "The International Classification of Functioning, Disability, & Health (ICF): Basic Coding Proficiency and Application" at the NJEPA Therapeutic Recreation Society Annual Conference in Edison, NJ.
Dr. Rhonda Nelson was an invited presenter to the Wisconsin Parks and Recreation Association's Annual Conference in Green Bay, WI in November, 2011. Dr. Nelson presentations included "Incorporating brain fitness interventions into programs for older adults" and "Line dancing for fun, fitness and friendship".
TR faculty inducted into National Academy of Recreation Therapists
John Shank and Kathy Coyle, Professors in the Therapeutic Recreation Program, were honored with their selection into the National Academy of Recreation Therapists. John was inducted as a Founding Fellow, Kathy was inducted as an Associate Fellow. John and Kathy were honored for the extensive research and service they have provided to the therapeutic recreation discipline.
MOT Applications to be accepted using OTCAS
Applications for the Masters of Occupational Therapy Fall 2012 admissions will now be submitted using the Centralized Application System for Occupational Therapy (OTCAS). Please visit https://portal.otcas.org/ to begin your application.