Inclusion & Accessibility

Therapeutic Recreation Program: Inclusion & Accessibility Services

About Us

The Youth and Family Services department focuses on embracing diversity and inclusion in all our public recreation programming. The Therapeutic Recreation Program (TR) exists to serve as a bridge connecting families with members who have disabilities to Community Centers, Play+ Programs, outdoor recreation and any public recreation program offered by the City.  We work in collaboration with parents and program managers to facilitate inclusion and encourage open communication about participant needs, preferences, and behavior supports. Our goal is to make recreation more accessible to all citizens,  to promote inclusion and provide custom support for youth with disabilities in any City recreation program.

What is inclusion and accessibility in recreation?

Inclusion in recreation is participants engaging in activities with their peers while being valued for their contributions and unique perspectives.  Accessibility is that any person may register for any program based on interest and location of participant, regardless of their disability.  This is incredibly important in recreation, because when people with different strengths, experiences, and perspectives come together, we develop empathy, understand differences, and celebrate successes.

Support Requests for Youth and Family Service Programs

The City of Albuquerque is dedicated to building inclusive recreation spaces, and encourages you to participate in any program that interests you regardless of a disability. 

If you have a child with a disability, parents can begin the inclusion process by completing the program registration on the City of Albuquerque website(play.cabq.gov), paying the necessary registration fees, and notifying the supervisor of any additional needs/ supports that your child may benefit from. The Supervisor may provide additional paperwork that is designed to get more information about your child's preferences, strengths, and experiences. This information will be used to set your child up for success by educating staff and empowering them to create more opportunities for your child to be included.  

Recreation program managers might call the Therapeutic Recreation program office directly to get more support for the inclusion process. Therapeutic Recreation will facilitate a conversation between the family and program, explaining the Inclusion Process. 

Eligibility Criteria for Youth Programming

Eligibility for receiving Therapeutic Recreation services is to meet essential eligibility requirements for the program in which you are registering.  Additionally, participants must adhere to program safety and liability policies.

Support Requests for City Partners and Other Organizations

One of the ways that the City of Albuquerque’s Therapeutic Recreation Program supports and partners with community organizations is offering inclusion and behavior support training for youth programs. 

Call the Therapeutic Recreation Program to set up a consultation meeting to discuss your program and the nature of the needs of the participants.

Location & Contact Info

Click here for information on our Therapeutic Recreation Program at Heights Community Center

505-848-1334

823 Buena Vista SE
Albuquerque, NM 87106

Olyvia Lee
Therapeutic Recreation Supervisor
[email protected]

Beverly Bishop
Therapeutic Recreation Coordinator
[email protected]

Reid Schmidtbauer
Therapeutic Recreation Coordinator
[email protected]