Cerebral palsy day program to close Oct. 31 – Thousand Oaks Acorn

SOCIALIZATIONThe United Cerebral Palsy day program at Waverly School has for more than 30 years offered individuals with CP a place to come and be social and productive, and to give their caregivers a few hours off each day. Acorn file photo

For the past 15 years, Nathan Schulz has had the same morning routine.

The 44-year-old Thousand Oaks resident with cerebral palsy is a nonverbal quadriplegic with a feeding tube. He requires around-the-clock care, but hes conscious of the world around him and, according to his father, John, he has a great sense of humor.

Five days a week, Nathan Schulz gets picked up by a bus and taken to the United Cerebral Palsy day program at the Waverly campus on Old Farm Road in Thousand Oaks, where he participates in adaptive art programs, rides on a specialized tricycle, uses a custom computer, listens to staff talk about current events and socializes with other disabled adults.

I get up every morning with him and hes got this smile on his face like, Im ready to go. Getting on that bus is like hes going off to paradise. It nourishes him, John Schulz said. It was too good to be true.

United Cerebral Palsy announced this week that its Thousand Oaks day program will shutter its doors Oct. 31 after more than 30 years in operation.

ACTIVITIESNathan Schulz draws a picture during an art class at the day program in 2016. Acorn file photo

It was pretty devastating, John Schulz said.

The closure, which was announced Monday night to the families and conservators of the 19 individuals who are enrolled in the program, has left caregivers scrambling to work with Tri-Counties Regional Center to find alternate accommodations for their loved ones.

Schulz said UCP leadership blamed the closure on a $250,000 annual operating deficit. He said he wishes the organization would have reached out to families sooner so they could have collaborated on possible funding solutions to keep the program running.

I understand theres a cost, and if youre not breaking even then youve got a problem. But I dont understand why they chose not to engage the parents, caregivers and the community, he said.

Amy Simons is the chief development officer for UCP of Los Angeles, Ventura and Santa Barbara counties. She said UCP is supported through public funds, and the wages it was able to offer its employees meant it was difficult to hire and retain the staff necessary to run the program in an area with a high cost of living.

It was a very hard decision for us to make, but the program will be closing as of Oct. 31, she said. We are working with the Tri-Counties Regional Center to ensure the transition for the people the program served.

Schulz said his sons case worker has discussed moving him to a program in the San Fernando Valley.

UCP leases the space for the day program from Conejo Valley Unified School District. On Tuesday, Deputy Superintendent Victor Hayek said the organization had not yet notified the district of the programs intent to close.

Simons said UCP will continue to operate two adult group homes in Thousand Oaks that support 24 individuals. The organization also runs day programs in Chatsworth, Culver City and Van Nuys, according to the UCPLA website.

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Cerebral palsy day program to close Oct. 31 - Thousand Oaks Acorn