Rec & Roll program for adults with special needs is fielding more applications than ever
WHEATON, Ill. (CBS) -- Illinois allows people with special needs to stay in the school system until they are 22.
That means a lot of families are now trying to find out what happens after graduation day.
As CBS 2's Sara Machi reported Thursday, one option – an adult day program in Wheaton – is fielding more applications than ever before.
The Western DuPage Special Recreation Association holds the day program for adults with special needs who have aged out of the school system at 22 – but are looking for meaningful ways to fill their days.
"You know, we all want a good quality of life - and that's what this is about," said Sherry Manschot of the special recreation association.
Each participant has their favorite part of the program - called Rec & Roll.
"Swimming," one woman said.
"We go out and do sports and stuff," a man said.
"I like to hang out with my friends and try new things and meet strangers - and do new stuff and be social with my peers," another woman said.
A study last year in Clinical Pediatrics found that during the pandemic, kids with special needs spent less time reading books and playing - and 18.8 percent of families reported a regression in development.
Organizers say Illinois has been on the leading edge of support for people with special needs.
"Special recreation associations like WDSR - the Western DuPage Special Recreation Association - are unique to Illinois," Manschot said.
And now, the program has seen applications rise after lockdowns lifted.
"As parents know more and more about the services available, there is a greater need," Manschot said.
There are about 160 people participating in the program across the organization's seven different locations. There is a cost - $40 or less a day - but there are scholarships available.
While applications for the program pick up as the school year ends, they're taking them year-round. Organizers say they match potential participants with a program that best suits the adult involved.