About
Our mission is to improve the quality of life for individuals with disabilities by providing community recreational and leisure opportunities and promoting lifelong skills.
We provide accommodations and supports for inclusion of individuals with disabilities and medical or health conditions into programs offered by Howard County Recreation & Parks. These supports and accommodations include but are not limited to sign language interpreters, adaptive equipment, specialized training for staff, and increasing the staff to participant ratio.
Howard County’s Therapeutic Recreation (TR) programs and services are designed to meet the needs of individuals with disabilities, enhance quality of life, and develop leisure and recreation skills such as socialization, decision making, independent life skills, self-confidence, and self-esteem.
Accommodation Services
Inclusion Services
The Department of Recreation and Parks is a recognized leader in opportunities for individuals with disabilities and is pleased to comply with Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) regulations.
Individuals with disabilities are encouraged to register for general recreation programs of their choice. Howard County Recreation & Parks Department has developed an inclusion process to better accommodate Howard County residents with disabilities. This process has been recently updated. To ensure that we meet your program needs, please contact Emily Pendleton, Therapeutic Recreation Supervisor 410-313-4623 Ependleton@howardcountymd.gov at least two weeks before the program begins to request accommodation services.
Accommodations Information
Howard County’s Department of Recreation and Parks’ Therapeutic Recreation team strives to ensure quality, excellent programs and services to all individuals with disabilities. The Department of Recreation and Parks is a recognizes leader in opportunities for individuals with disabilities and is pleased to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) regulations.
The Department of Recreation and Parks makes reasonable accommodations to ensure that people with disabilities have an equal opportunity to enjoy programs, services, and activities. Please note that accommodation requests are considered on an individual basis and determined by the needs of the individuals and the program they are participating in.
Conduct that jeopardizes the safety of others will not be tolerated and may result in removal from our programs. Conduct that jeopardizes the safety of others may include, but it not limited to:
- Elopement
- Harming Self or others
- Aggression towards peers, staff, and self-injurious behaviors
- Property Destruction
- Inability to function in a program ratio of 15 participants to 1 staff ratio.
Participants must be independent with personal care and hygiene practices. If participants are not independent, a family member or designee may be called to provide this accommodation during the program.
Individuals with disabilities are encouraged to register for general recreation programs of their choice that they meet the eligibility criteria of. Howard County Recreation & Parks has developed an inclusion process to better accommodate individuals with disabilities. Please complete the accommodation request portal and assessment at least two weeks before the program begins. Your request will not be processed until you have submitted the accommodation request, completed the assessment, and you have met with a member from the Therapeutic Recreation team. Please note that this process is separate from registration of programs.
Come live, learn, and Choose Your Fun!
Opportunities to Provide Your Own Support - (If Desired)
At Howard County Department of Recreation and Parks you may choose to provide your own 1:1 support as an accommodation in a camp or program. If interested in this process, please submit an accommodation request in our portal to “bring own volunteer support.” We do require that the family member or designee registers as a volunteer with Howard County Recreation and Parks and completes an online background check. The volunteer support is not permitted to provide therapy services during the program and must be engaged with participant in program or camp activities.
Once an accommodation request has been received you will be contacted via email to complete the volunteer registration process. Please be advised that this process may take up to 5-7 business days to be completed. If you have any questions regarding how to bring your own support, please contact Therapeutic Recreation Supervisor, Emily Pendleton, Therapeutic Recreation Supervisor ependleton@howardcountymd.gov or 410-313-4623.
How to Request Accommodations
If looking to request sign language interpreter please use the following portal.
Howard County Sign-Language Interpreter Request Form
- Choose your activity!
- Choose an activity from the seasonal activity guide that the participant will be interested in. Howard County Recreation & Parks has a multitude of programs to choose from. Please contact the coordinator for the program if you would like some guidance when choosing a program.
- Register for the program!
- Once you have chosen the program of your choice the next step is to register. Please ensure to select whether or not you are a Howard County resident. You may register online, over the phone, or in person at any of our community centers or headquarters.
- Individuals who are not a Howard County resident are welcome to participate in our programs, yet additional staff will not be provided. We will try to train or provide resources for the existing staff for out-of-county residents.
- Request the Accommodation!
- Once you have registered for a program, the next step is to request an accommodation through the Accommodations Portal. This portal will ask you for information about the program you have registered for and what type of accommodation you are requesting.
- You must send all accommodation requests through the Accommodation Portal for each and every program and section. For example, a child registered for the same camp two weeks in a row will need to put in two requests for each week of Camp that they are registered for.
- These supports and accommodations include but are not limited to adaptive equipment, specialized training for staff, and increasing the staff to participant ratio.
- Complete the assessment!
- After your request has been made through our portal, an Accommodation Assessment link will be sent to you by email from SurveyMonkey. This assessment needs to be completed at least two weeks prior to the start of a program.
- You will only need to complete the Accommodation Assessment once a year.
- If you have not received the assessment, please reach out to Emily Pendleton at 410-313-4623 or Ependleton@howardcountymd.gov
- Once our team has received the completed Accommodation Assessment, we will reach out to you within five business days with a phone call or an email confirming your request and to discuss strategies for inclusion services. Please remember that increasing the staff-to-participant ratio is never guaranteed and is judged on a case-by-case basis. We will make every effort to provide reasonable accommodations on an individual basis.
- Please note that all required paperwork must be completed for requests to be reviewed.
If you would like to check the status of your request or if you have any questions regarding inclusion services, feel free to contact the Therapeutic Recreation team. We would be happy to help!
Emily Pendleton-Therapeutic Recreation Supervisor
Ependleton@howardcountymd.gov
410-313-4623
Susan Potts-Therapeutic Recreation and Accommodation Services Manager
Spotts@howardcountymd.gov
410-313-4628
Come live, learn, and Choose Your Fun!
How to Request a Sign Language Interpreter
If looking to request sign language interpreter please use the following portal.
Howard County Sign-Language Interpreter Request Form
- Howard County Department of Recreation & Parks, Therapeutic Recreation team strives to ensure quality and excellent programs and services to individuals with disabilities. This portal enables us to make appropriate accommodations when requested. Please fill out the following information to the best of your ability so that we are able to provide a Sign Language interpreter for your Howard County Recreation and Parks program, camp, or special event. All Sign Language Interpreter requests must be completed at least two weeks before the program begins.
- If you have questions or concerns, please contact Susan L Potts, MS, CTRS at 410/313-4628 or spotts@howardcountymd.gov
- Please Note: A new request must be made for each program you are registered for. Please fill in the required information for each and every program request. If the information is invalid or incomplete your request maybe be delayed.
Community Resources
ADA Complaint or Grievance Procedure
The Department of Recreation and Parks is pleased to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) regulations. This federal law was designed to protect the rights of individuals with disabilities. All programs offered by the Department are open to individuals with disabilities provided basic program requirements are met (i.e., age). Reasonable accommodations will be made by the Department of Recreation and Parks to facilitate an individual’s participation in a program. The purpose of the ADA Grievance Procedure is to provide an opportunity for the general public to present their concerns/grievances to the Department regarding an ADA compliance issue that directly involves the Howard County Department of Recreation and Parks.
How to File a Complaint
The complaint should be submitted in writing by the complainant and/or their designee as soon as possible but no later than 30 calendar days after the alleged violation. Complaints may be submitted through the online form or mailed to:
Manager, Therapeutic Recreation & Accommodation Services
Howard County Department of Recreation & Parks
7120 Oakland Mills Road
Columbia, MD 21046
Refund Policy
We recognize that you may wish to withdraw for a variety of reasons, but our policy encourages early decisions so as to not affect other customers or our ability to efficiently deliver the programs. At a minimum, all refunds are subject to a 20% administrative fee. Additional fees may be assessed to recover costs associated with the program. Class programs require at least two weeks notice to withdraw to avoid the additional fees. Trip refunds may reflect pre-paid admissions; but the option to transfer your ticket may be considered. The time frame for Competitive sport program refunds reflects planning time and team selections, please check refund details on website. There are no refunds for missed sessions.
Questions to ask the coordinator about the program
- Do you have detailed schedule of the program?
- What is the staff to participant ratio?
- What experience does your staff have with people with disabilities?
- What accommodations has your program made in the past that have been successful?
- If my child does not have a companion what accommodations can the program provide?
- Am I able to provide my own support staff for my child?
- What other steps include providing my own support for my child?
- If I provide my own support what does that look like?
- My child requires medication during the program, how will that be managed?
- What paperwork do I need to provide in order to have medication on-site as well as administered.
- If the program is not a good fit for my child, what are my options, and can I be refunded?
- How much notice will I be given about program cancellations?
- My child does not meet the age eligibility requirements, are there accommodations for an age override?
- What communication should I expect from the on-site staff?
Contact Us
Susan Potts, MS, CTRS, Therapeutic Recreation & Accommodation Services Manager
410-313-4628
Nicholas Owens, Therapeutic Recreation Supervisor
410-313-1671
Emily Pendleton, Therapeutic Recreation Supervisor
410-313-4623
Ciara Scafide, Therapeutic Recreation Supervisor
410-313-4708
Mary Becker, Therapeutic Recreation Supervisor
410-313-4713
Therapeutic Recreation
Programs
Howard County’s Therapeutic Recreation (TR) programs and services are designed to meet the needs of individuals with disabilities and develop leisure and recreation skills such as socialization, decision making, independent life skills, self-confidence and self-esteem, and enhance one’s quality of life. The TR programs are highly structured and designed with specific outcomes. The use of adapted equipment and activities accompanied by a high staff/participant ratio enables outcomes to be achieved and for individuals to reach maximum potential. Please see program descriptions for participation criteria.
Virtual Programs
Therapeutic Recreation virtual programs take place online through your device in a quiet area of your home. Each virtual program consists of open dialog and guided interaction among participants in groups of varying sizes.
Free virtual program orientation sessions are available by request for those wanting to participate in our virtual programs. We will walk you through connecting to a meeting, user controls, chat options and what to expect during virtual programs. To request an orientation session, contact Rachel Curry, rcurry@howardcountymd.gov.
Keep the following guidelines in mind to improve your virtual meeting:
- Sit within camera view.
- Keep your device stationary.
- Use a headset with microphone for optimal audio quality.
- Mute the microphone if your environment becomes noisy.
- Use a wired internet connection when possible.
- Refrain from multitasking while in the meeting.
- Close any background applications on your device.
Sensory Friendly Resources at Robinson Nature Center
The Robinson Nature Center welcomes your family's visit. In partnership with Leadership Howard, Howard County Recreation & Parks' Therapeutic Recreation program and the Howard County Autism Society, we have developed visual, social, communicative and sensory supports for children and adults with autism spectrum disorder as well as developmental, sensory and learning differences. You will find these supports throughout the nature center and can read more about them below. Additionally, we offer regular training opportunities for our staff and volunteers on how to accommodate children and adults with developmental, sensory and learning differences. We hope our staff, volunteers and tangible supports help your family to have a successful visit and leave you feeling happy and eager to return and to continue exploring nature as a family.
Sensory Backpacks
Upon request, we have sensory backpacks at our front desk for your family's use. The backpacks contain noise-reducing headphones, sensory fidgets and a Robinson "Nature Explorer" badge. You will also find a copy of our sensory friendly building map and information about Howard County's Therapeutic Recreation program inside the bags.
These bags are free for use throughout your visit. All we ask is that you leave a drivers license or other ID at the front desk which will be returned to you upon your departure.
Orientation
If you are planning a visit with a child who has special needs, you may call 410-313-0400 ahead of your visit to notify our front desk. When you arrive and check in with the front desk, they can provide you with more information on the visual/sensory supports available and/or check your family out a sensory backpack to enhance your child's experience at the Nature Center. If you would like any items removed from your backpack, please mention when you call ahead and we can have the backpack ready when you arrive.
Sensory Friendly Building Map
The maps below show our building's quiet areas and headphone zones and give an idea of what to expect in each area of our building. Click on the links below to preview the picture-based map or the text-based map.
Quiet Areas and Headphone Zones
Our Headphone Zones are locations where we expect the noise level to be higher due to exhibit sounds or due to high use on busier days. These are areas where those sensitive to loud noises might prefer to use noise-dampening headphones.
Our Quiet Areas are places where we expect the noise level to be reduced. If you’re looking for an area to unwind, these locations are the best to visit indoors. Getting out on our trail system can also provide a very relaxing experience.
Social Narrative
Preview, download, print and/or read the social narrative below about visiting the Nature Center with your child. This narrative covers what to expect during the visit and provides pictures of different areas indoors and outdoors to help your family prepare for your visit.
Planetarium Visit/Social Narrative
If you will be joining us for a planetarium program or are booking a group visit with this component, see the planetarium visit social narrative below. Please call 410-313-0400 ahead of your visit if you would like to reserve a bean bag seat, soft blanket, fidget items or a weighted item for your child’s lap. To find out when planetarium programs are offered, see our Programs page.
Sample Itineraries
Check out our suggested itineraries for your visit based on how much time you anticipate spending at the Nature Center. These itineraries are for a general day visit and do not include programs, which you are welcome to peruse on our Program page. If you are booking a visit for a group of 10 or more, please see our field trip offerings or call our front desk at 410-313-0400 to book a general visit for your group.
Survey
We would love to hear how your visit to the Robinson Nature Center went, and any improvements that could be made to help you feel more welcome and at ease. Contact us at 410-313-0400 or click here to take our brief online survey. During your visit, should you utilize a sensory backpack, there is a card with a QR code that also links to our sensory friendly visit survey. Thank you for your feedback!
