PLAYPromoting Surf Therapy for Better Health in LA
The International Surf Therapy Organization's training course and its manual will be created simultaneously from the outcome of our groundbreaking mixed-methods study with surf therapy practitioners. Our project aligns with the focus of this opportunity as we strive to promote health equity by advancing the surf therapy sector. The sector addresses health disparities and racial inequities by providing access to oceans, wetsuits, surfboards, surf instructors, and mental health services to the most underserved populations.
What is the primary issue area that your application will impact?
Play Equity to Advance Mental Health (sponsored by the Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation)
In which areas of Los Angeles will you be directly working?
County of Los Angeles
In what stage of innovation is this project, program, or initiative?
Research (initial work to identify and understand the problem)
What is your understanding of the issue that you are seeking to address?
According to a Children's Hospital LA survey, mental health is more critical in the COVID era. The survey found that COVID-related mental health is a significant concern across LA County. In '20, 48.9% of adults sought help; in '21, 46.1% reported experiencing anxiety or depression. While 36.9% of teens reported needing help with their mental and emotional health from South LA. Mental health is a critical aspect of overall well-being and is often overlooked in underserved communities. Surf therapy can offer effective methods for improving mental health outcomes. However, there are challenges, the most relevant being access, and underserved communities lack the resources to participate, such as transportation and availability. Growing the sector will be vital in expanding the reach of surf therapy. Our course will develop guiding principles to deliver surf therapy effectively and safely. Our efforts to address these issues and improve access will significantly impact play equity.
Describe the project, program, or initiative this grant will support to address the issue.
Our pioneering project is a mixed methods study centered around surf therapy practitioners and their practices. It will generate a Surf Therapy Training Course and a Surf Therapy Manual, guiding the implementation of 19 surf therapy programs throughout LA County. LA boasts the highest number of current surf therapy programs in operation worldwide. Our Surf Therapy Course will support new and established programs providing mentoring, development, and evaluation and supplying them with the most current measures of the benefits to surf therapy. We will use qualitative and quantitative research methods to gather data on the experiences of surf therapy practitioners. The data will drive the makings of the course and manual used to train new practitioners and expand the reach of surf therapy in the region. By increasing access to surf therapy, our project aims to promote mental health and well-being, play equity, and inclusion in outdoor activities. Objectives; Conduct a research study with hundreds of surf therapy practitioners. Obtain the perspective of practitioners for the first time. Benefit from the practitioner's perspective. Evaluate research to identify practices backed by positive mental health outcomes. Integrate research and practitioner perspectives Develop a Surf Therapy Manual. Create the Surf Therapy Training Course based on the manual. Adding additional (outside the study) but LA-based community resources to the manual.
Describe how Los Angeles County will be different if your work is successful.
Our study will lead to an increased understanding of the benefits of surf therapy, an alternative and innovative form of mental healthcare, and it will help develop standardized surf therapy training courses. More people will have access to safe, general principles of practice and program development. As a result, surf therapy programs can be expanded and scaled up in LA County, providing more individuals with access. LA County is a location that is historically known for its surf culture. LA County could take the lead as a community committed to essential mental health interventions that simultaneously add to the coastal conversation and climate change. This would position LA's people, organizations, and municipal entities as leaders worldwide in supporting the critical work of surf therapy organizations to address the pressing mental health challenges globally. This can lead to improved mental health outcomes, reduced healthcare costs, and a healthier and happier community.
What evidence do you have that this project, program, or initiative is or will be successful, and how will you define and measure success?
Our study will report a variety of practitioners' voices, serving populations such as; Veterans, youth-at-risk, BIPOC and LGBTQ+ communities, youth with autism, Down syndrome, men and women recently incarcerated, first responders, or individuals living with addiction, anxiety, or depression to help better understand the experiences of surf therapy programs in local contexts with global implications. A study with surf therapy practitioners will evaluate the outcomes of their work and collaboratively define success while designing future incarnations of programs toward policy advocacy, dissemination, and social change. Success will be developing the course and manual, which will require doing the research, analyzing it, and disseminating it. We will monitor programs in LA County to know how many are impacted over the next year. Alongside our commitment to equal participation, the focus on implementation, evaluation, alteration, and reintroduction of tools is well aligned for inclusion.
Approximately how many people will be impacted by this project, program, or initiative?
Direct Impact: 260
Indirect Impact: 10,000