Building Bridges: An evidence-based program to increase self-determination in veterans undergoing rehabilitative services

Veterans with polytrauma may experience reduced self-determination, constrained engagement in rehabilitative activities, and compromised reintegration into civilian life with regard to employment, education, finance, legal, social, and physical and mental health. The purpose of this article is to introduce and examine the potential benefits of a three-dimensional assistive technology, evidence-based curriculum, to increase levels of self-determination for veterans admitted to rehabilitative services. Building Bridges was developed as an interdisciplinary concept design for the Minneapolis Veterans Affairs Health Care System in conjunction with the Minneapolis Adaptive Design & Engineering and the University of Wisconsin La Crosse to address reintegration via accessibility, empowerment, and satisfaction through supportive leisure education. All session protocols, theoretical foundation, and assessments can be found in the fidelity manual that is open access on the University of Wisconsin La Crosse recreation therapy website.