Through two initiatives, Pattison's Academy Day Camp and Pattison's Academy, children with severe disabilities and multiple handicaps will be exposed to an educational, community inclusive, and rehabilitative environment. Our goals will be to maximize each child's education and function, while preventing and slowing secondary deficits.  

Pattison's Academy Day Camp, beginning in summer 2006, will fill a huge community void. A summer day camp for severe and multi-handicapped children will be an opportunity for these children to get continuing therapy services during the time when the public school system is closed.  Many children regress due to the lapse in interaction and therapy during the summer months and their parents must find and pay for baby sitters who are often not qualified to care for a disabled child.  This camp will be the only one of its kind in the lowcountry to offer specialized services to children 2 to 10 years old with severe disabilities.  Each camper's individualized needs will be recognized and met by the camp team.  The camper and staff will also have the support of MUSC physical therapy, occupational therapy, and speech therapy graduate students.  The camp, while providing daily team approach therapies, will offer regular community outings and FUN! Our objective for summer camp is for each camper to have an enriched and engaging summer experience while maintaining or surpassing their current levels of skill and function. The camp will be located at Mt. Pleasant Presbyterian Church's Education Building known as Grace Hall.  It will be a 4 week camp from June 19 to 23, 26 to 30, and July 10 to 14, 17 to 21, 9:00am to 3:00pm Monday through Friday.  The cost for the 4 weeks of camp will be $500. You may download the application or contact Pam Sloat, Executive Director, if you have questions.

Pattison's Academy will be a year-round private school where students, 1 month to 10 years, will receive an individualized quality education and therapies from some of the area's top professionals.  Pattison's Academy is projected to open in the fall of 2007.  A possible location central to Charleston, Dorchester, and Berkeley counties is being sought.  The school will open with 20 students: 17 full time and 3 short-term.  The short-term openings will be available to children who are in need of intensive rehabilitation, but temporarily cannot attend the school they are currently enrolled in due to lack of specialized services available.  Please contact us for more information or to make suggestions.