TR Summer Camps

When the 2024 Camp Guide is available online, we recommend you review it to see what options your participant may like. If you need help making final decisions, you can contact us at trinfo@arlingtonva.us or 703-228-4740 to set up a consultation to discuss the various camp options that your participant may enjoy. We encourage you to reach out as soon as possible prior to the opening registration dates.

We create a modification plan, focusing on your participant’s interests, strengths, and areas of support, that is shared with camp staff so that they can provide the best support while at camp. 

• If your participant is new to our services, please email the Therapeutic Recreation Office at trinfo@arlingtonva.us indicating your participant’s need for support due to a disability.  We will send you a Participant Modification Information (PMI) form to complete and send back.
• If your participant is returning to camp this summer, we will contact you asking for updates for the modification plan that we currently have on file. 

The more information you provide about your participant, the more comprehensive the support plan created will be. We are happy to receive additional notes from teachers, therapists, counselors, social workers, etc. With your permission, we can also connect with these support networks to discuss how to best serve your participant.

In DPR and Partner camps, Inclusion Coordinators assess the need to provide and coordinate additional staffing to lower the ratios and/or provide individualized support.  Additional staff support is not guaranteed and is determined by:

• Participant support need
• Programmatic structure
• Availability of staff

Our Inclusion Coordinators will email you prior to your participant’s week at camp if additional staff support can be provided.  If your participant benefits from additional staff support and that is not an available resource, we will work with camp staff to ensure they are prepared to provide the support needed for a successful experience.

Adapted camps are staffed appropriately to meet the needs of the participants registered.  

Leading up to the summer camp season, the Therapeutic Recreation team provides training to Adapted, DPR and Partner camp staff on how to support participants with disabilities. We also provide trainings to camp staff during the weeks of summer camp as needed and upon request.

Some training topics include:

• Activity modification
• Emotional and sensory regulation support
• Social inclusion
• Personal care

Upon request, by camp staff or parent/guardians, on-site observations can be conducted by the Therapeutic Recreation office to assess your participant's interactions with the camp environment, program activities, peers, and staff. As a result of the observation, recommendations of support will be provided to the parent/guardian and/or camp staff.

The Therapeutic Recreation office will work with the camp teams to develop a plan to help participants meet conduct expectations, however all participants of camp programs are required to abide by the Department of Parks and Recreation’s code of conduct.

For various reasons, a camp placement may not be the best fit for your participant, in these cases, we will contact you to discuss alternative options.  If a camp switch is agreed upon, we will let you know when that change has been made in the registration system so you can verify your account.

• If your participant is switched to a camp with a lower cost, you will receive a refund of the difference. 
• If your participant is switched to a camp with a higher cost, the registration office will contact you to pay the difference.

If you have a concern about your participant’s camp enrollment(s) and/or have any questions about our programs and services, please contact us at trinfo@arlingtonva.us or 703-228-4740.