Champaign-Urbana Special Recreation (CUSR)

Champaign–Urbana Special Recreation (CUSR) was formed through a cooperative agreement with the Champaign and Urbana Park Districts to provide recreation programs and leisure services for residents with disabilities. Inclusion and specialized programs are available. We provide quality recreation programs for people with disabilities by hiring and training qualified staff, providing staff ratios which ensures program safety and success, and adapting programs and equipment to meet the needs of the participants.

CUSR provides year-round therapeutic recreation and leisure opportunities for children and adults with disabilities. CUSR complies with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), which prohibits discrimination on a basis of a disability. Our mission is to make reasonable accommodations to enhances participants’ abilities in enjoyable, recreational, leisure, and social settings. Our services include inclusive and cooperative programs, special events, after school programs, overnight trips, Special Olympics, summer day and camps and much more! CUSR participants explore new areas of interest, make new acquaintances, and learn lifetime leisure skills.

CUSR supports any individual who qualifies as having a “disability” within the meaning of ADA; this includes any individual who:

has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more of the individual’s major life activities
has a record of such an impairment
is regarded as having such an impairment

“Major life activities” is defined as functions such as caring for oneself, performing manual tasks, walking, seeing, hearing, speaking, breathing, learning, thinking, concentrating, working and interacting with others.

CUSR Website

Inclusion Services

In cooperation with the Champaign Park District and Urbana Park District, CUSR staff are happy to assist and advise any resident who is interested in participating in local park district programs. CUSR will provide the type of support deemed necessary for successful participation. Support may include training with the park district staff members, consultation with the individual and the individual’s family members, and the assistance of support staff member, or inclusion aide.

An inclusion aide is a CUSR staff member who serves as 1-on-1 aide for a participant with special needs in park district programming. The inclusion aide provides support so an individual with a disability may succeed in park district programs. They reinforce the recreation leaders’ instructions, encourage peer interactions between individuals with and without disabilities, and emphasize the fun of recreation. Duties include adapting activities, following inclusion or behavior plans, maintaining a safe environment, and promoting success in a program.

Any participant with a special need qualifies for inclusion services. Populations we service but are not limited to: Attention Deficit Disorder/Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, Autism/Pervasive Developmental Disorder, Emotional and Behavioral Disorders, Deaf/Hard of Hearing, Developmentally Delayed, Physically Challenged, Traumatic Brain Injury, Visually Impaired, and those with other special needs.

Accommodations can include: adaptive equipment, behavior management support, adapting rules and policies, staff training, an inclusion aide, and sign language interpreter.

How to Request Inclusion Services

Register and pay for the Park District program in which you are interested. Please make sure to check “Yes” under ADA information on the registration forms and include any known information regarding the participant’s disability or special need. Then, contact the Program Coordinator that oversees the program you or your dependent has registered for, and inform them of your special need at least two weeks before the program begins. Inform them about all details of the special assistance required.

After submitting the registration form, please complete the Participant Information Form and submit it to CUSR. At this point Park District and CUSR staff will work with the person requesting assistance to make reasonable accommodations.

Learn More

Contact CUSR

Champaign-Urbana Special Recreation Center

2212 Sangamon Dr, Champaign, IL 61821
Hours: Monday-Friday, 8:00am-5:00pm
Phone: 217-819-3980
Email: cusr@champaignparks.org
Website: https://cuspecialrecreation.com/

Christina Mott, CPRP, CUSR Manager/Inclusion Coordinator
217-819-3862

Tristan Elzy, CUSR Youth & Teen Coordinator
217-819-3864

Nikiaya Brandon, CUSR Adult Program & Events Coordinator
217-819-3865

Cole Alvis, CUSR Athletics, Inclusion, and Volunteer Coordinator
217-819-3863