Department of Veterans Affairs
VA Space Planning Criteria (Chapter 269)
Washington, DC 20420
February 2007
L. Recreation Therapy Service: Recreation Therapy Service provides a therapeutic
program to improve and enrich bio-psycho-social functioning through active therapy
and/or meaningful therapeutic activities to maintain or improve functional
independence and life quality. The program is appropriately provided as an integral
part of health care delivery. The intended outcome of the service is independence in
life activities based upon patient / resident needs and goals. The mission is
accomplished through the professional skills of recreation therapists, creative arts
therapists, and assistants through a four-step process of assessment, planning,
intervention / activity implementation, and evaluation of services delivered. The
mission includes state of the art clinical care, education, technology, and research
within the scope of recreation/creative arts therapy service.
M. Recreation Aid / Rehabilitation Therapy Assistant: Recreation Assistants carry out a
variety of assignments that require a practical knowledge of the recreation activities or
programs to which they are assigned. This practical knowledge, combined with skill
in the maintenance and use of recreation materials and equipment, is used in
providing support and assistance to recreation therapists by performing limited
aspects of recreation work, and by working with patients / residents in well-organized
and carefully monitored recreation activities. Documents evaluation results and
reports data to the recreation therapist and members of the treatment team. Reviews
and discontinues the treatment plan as directed by the recreation therapist.
N. Recreation Therapy: Recreation Therapy, also known as therapeutic recreation, is a
systematic process that utilizes recreation and other activity-based interventions that
are based upon the assessed needs of individuals with illnesses and/or disabling
conditions. The purpose of the recreation therapy process is to improve or maintain
physical, cognitive, social, emotional and spiritual functioning in order to facilitate full
participation in life.
O. SEPS (VA-SEPS): Acronym for Space and Equipment Planning System, a digital tool
developed by the Department of Defense (DoD) and the Department of Veterans
Affairs to generate a Program for Design (PFD) and an Equipment List for a VA
healthcare project based on specific information entered in response to Input Data
Questions. VA-SEPS incorporates the propositions set forth in all VA Space Planning
Criteria Chapters. VA-SE has been designed to aid healthcare planners in creating a
space plan based on a standardized set of criteria parameters.
P. Workload: Workload is the anticipated number of procedures or suite stops that is
processed through a department/service area. The total workload applied to
departmental operational assumptions will determine overall room requirements by
product.
3
OPERATING RATIONALE AND BASIS OF CRITERIA
A. Workload Projections or planned services / products for a specific VA medical center,
hospital or satellite outpatient clinic project are provided by the VA Central Office
(VACO) / VISN CARES Capacity Projection Model. The workload projections are
generated by methodology based upon the expected veteran population in the
respective market/service area. Healthcare planners working on VA medical center,
hospital or satellite outpatient clinic projects will utilize and apply the workload criteria
Recreation Service (269): Page 4 of 13
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