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Mission Statement

Pattison’s Academy will improve the quality of life for children with multiple disabilities by providing comprehensive education and rehabilitation programs.

In 2002, the number of children with disabilities in South Carolina was estimated at 52,798 – those with severe disabilities, 6336. (Rice 2009, Palisano 1997) In Charleston, Dorchester and Berkeley counties alone, there are approximately 1,500 children with multiple and severe disabilities. (www.census.gov, Anne E. Casey Foundation). Currently, in our area, families with special needs children and children with multiple disabilities are solely dependent on public schools and early intervention programs for services and treatment.

Children with severe disabilities are currently served in separate environments, school for their educational needs and hospitals or medical clinics for their health needs. This has resulted in unrealized potential, greater dependency, families are more vulnerable to poverty, and communities pay financially by publicly funding preventable surgeries, welfare programs, and disablement rather than enablement health and educational models.

What we are doing

Through two initiatives, Pattison's Academy serves children with severe and multiple disabilities and exposes them a community inclusive rehabilitative program that is completely intergrated with an educational environment.

Pattison's Therapeutic Summer Camp, which began in summer 2006, fills a huge community void. A summer program for children with severe and mulitple disabilities is an opportunity for these children to get continuing therapy services during the time when the public school system is closed.

Many children regress due to the lapse in interaction and therapy during the summer months and their parents must find and pay for care givers who are often not qualified to care for a disabled child. This summer program is the only one of its kind in the lowcountry to offer specialized services to children 1 to 12 years old with severe disabilities. Each child's individualized needs are recognized and met by the summer camp team.

This team consists of therapists, nurses, parents and of course our children. Pattison's Academy also works with the resources in the community to offer hands on teaching experiences for health profession students from MUSC, Orangeburg-Calhoun Technical College and Trident Technical College.

Our objective for the summer program is for each child to have an enriched and engaging summer experience while maintaining or surpassing his or her current levels of skill and function. Our summer program operates 9:00am to 3:00pm Monday through Friday. The cost for each week has typically been $150 per week; however, once accepted into our summer program no child has even been turned away for financial reasons. You may download the 2012 application, or e-mail us at info@pattisonsacademy.org if you have questions.