Risk Management and Related Safety Graph

The first three items in this section, "Screening is done for medical and safety concerns related to specific participant disabilities (Q41)," "Participants are screened on their ability to understand the risk involved in the activities (Q42)," and "Facilitators are able to manage behaviors associated with specific cognitive and emotional disabilities to minimize risk (Q43)," are each above the "partially implemented" level. The next three items, "Program has emergency action plan policy and procedures that apply specifically to the rescue and aid of participants with disabilities (Q44)," "Facilitators are knowledgeable of orthotic and medical equipment that participants use, such as wheelchairs, colostomies, urinary catheters, and leg bags (Q45)," and "Facilitators are able to adapt equipment usage (e.g., harnesses) with participants using orthodic and/or medical equipment (Q47)," are at or below the "partially implemented" level. This seems to suggest that while screening is being done, there is a lack of understanding about the information collected and then how it might affect the individual's participation in the program. Once again, this comes back to training.

Item Q43 from the preceding paragraph was an interesting piece of datum. It is only one of two items that identified a specific disability. Item Q43 refers to cognitive and emotional disabilities, while an earlier item mentions communication impairment, both of which had relatively high averages. There is evidence in the literature that programs have the most difficulty including participants with physical disabilities. The physical movements involved with most challenge course designs continue to be a barrier to inclusion.