Summer Therapeutic Inclusion Program
Contact Us
The Summer Therapeutic Inclusion Program (summer camp) is located in the Monroeville and South Hills areas in western Pennsylvania.
Please call 412-235-5405 or 412-624-1000 for more information.
The Summer Therapeutic Inclusion Program (summer camp) runs for eight weeks and accepts children between ages 4 and 12 with autism spectrum disorders, developmental disorders, and emotional or behavioral problems.
The summer camp program includes intensive treatment services that extend beyond those found in traditional summer camps and allow children to attend a mainstream camp with help from therapeutic support services.
The program is designed to maintain each child’s Individualized Educational Plan (IEP), including behavioral, social, and community IEP goals. Following the completion of the inclusion program, staff members at Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic of UPMC provide information about the child’s progress in the camp program to help with consistent care.
Camp Structure
Each child is paired with another camper, and then integrated into a larger group of six to eight neurotypical children. These children have several levels of clinical staff involvement.
Pairs are assigned to a therapeutic counselor who provides a 1-to-2 clinical support during the day. This ratio is effective because it decreases the need for outside support and allows staff to focus on needs and behavioral concerns in this environment.
Services
Our core services include:
- Child-centered interventions, including individual and group therapy, which vary according to the child’s individual needs
- Structured therapeutic activities
- Community integration activities
Treatment
Camps provide structure for the child’s experience and trained staff address each child’s treatment goals. Treatment focuses on reducing or eliminating behaviors that affect the child’s ability to reach full potential at home, school, and in the community.
Camp Leaders (Staff)
One master-level therapist is assigned to each camp site. This therapist develops and supervises the implementation of each child’s individualized treatment plan.
Each day, unit leaders rotate and provide supervision between assigned pairs of campers. The leaders’ role is providing therapeutic guidance, addressing significant behavioral problems, and working with the patient’s individualized behavioral plan. The therapeutic counselors and unit leaders also collect data to show each child’s progress.
Camp Requirements
Campers will be placed in one of two day camps. Participants should be able to join in a very physically active camp setting.