Oregon Spinal Cord Injury Connection

Community-based work: Adaptive Camping program - summer is the season for the outdoors and camping, and yet people living with spinal cord injury are less likely to go camping and enjoy the great Oregon outdoors because of diverse environmental barriers. Specifically, the majority of Oregon's camping facilities and outdoor recreation programs are not designed to accommodate people with disabilities. Our adaptive camping program gets people with SCI and their families and friends into nature for a weekend of camping. We are also educating for change. Over the last four years, Oregon Spinal Cord Injury Connection has teamed up with Adventures Without Limits, and Oregon State Parks department to improve access to State parks and Oregon's natural spaces. This program has supported inclusive changes in State parks and as a result, Oregon State parks are becoming accessible. Oregon Spinal Cord Injury Connection's adaptive camping program is spearheading change, and demonstrating that outdoor enthusiasm is alive and well in the spinal cord injury community!

CLIENT-BASED WORK: Community-health Worker Program - an Oregon Spinal Cord Injury Connection (OSCI) has grown its community health worker team. In the last year our dedicated staff have served 35 clients by providing social supports, resources, referrals, health system navigation, and client advocacy. Each member of our CHW team is someone who is thriving after a spinal cord injury and is a trusted connection to the OSCI community. These CHWS accompany newly-injured or those still adjusting, and use their experience to empower others to achieve an active and full life. Community health workers who live with a spinal cord injury are knowledgeable about, and are experienced with secondary health conditions, community reintegration, peer support, coaching and mentorship.

ADVOCACY: OSCI hosted 6 educational forums and provided online and in-person forums to host conversations about SCI-specific health and lifestyle topics where members of the community can exchange advice and speak to health professionals. Our CHWs represent the SCI community at various community advisory councils, including Health Share of Oregon, AllCare, and Healthy Columbia Willamette Collaborative, and have hosted 5 focus groups to learn the needs in the community.