Pediatric Intensive Therapy for Children with Disabilities Arrives in Santa Barbara
SANTA BARBARA, Calif. — A life-changing experience has been taking place in Santa Barbara for children with disabilities over the past three weeks.
The NAPA Center, which specializes in pediatric intensive therapy tailored to each individual child, typically operates out of Los Angeles. However, the program has temporarily set up at the Grace Fisher Foundation Clubhouse at La Cumbre Plaza, with some costs offset through community grants and donations.
Kalle Faruki has watched her child, Dilyn, make significant progress.
“The skills she’s learned in three weeks— we knew NAPA was big, but this has been huge,” Faruki said. “She is learning to walk without devices. She’s not walking independently yet, but she’s learned to initiate steps here, which is something she hasn’t been able to do.”
Bryan LaScala of the NAPA Center emphasized the importance of these temporary programs.
“For us, pop-ups reach families that were just too far away to access our main locations,” he said.
Some of the children attending the Santa Barbara sessions are from the local area, while others traveled from Ventura and Lompoc. Sixteen families were selected for this session, though a much larger number applied.
Dilyn, who has cerebral palsy, was working with her therapist when she was overheard saying, “I was born ready” as she tackled her next task.
Her progress in therapy and at school has been remarkable.
“She knows exactly what she’s learning,” Faruki said. “Her brain needs to connect to the nerves and muscles. She knows she’s doing well, and her self-esteem has just soared.”
Some parents have previously traveled to Los Angeles for NAPA’s three five-day sessions, but this local program is far more manageable.
“They have to pack up their entire family, take time off work, and there’s a significant cost,” LaScala said.
With this pop-up session, families can maintain a more normal schedule.
“They can still go back to school for half the day or return to their jobs,” LaScala said.
Parents often see continued improvements in the weeks following therapy.
“A month later, they call us and say, ‘My child just took their first step,’” LaScala said. “So we keep celebrating them even after they leave.”
Jana Brody, with the Grace Fisher Foundation and Inclusive Arts Clubhouse at La Cumbre Plaza, said the collaboration has been invaluable.
“Bringing in the NAPA group has been amazing because these families wouldn’t get this service otherwise,” Brody said. “Therapy is a huge piece of our core, so we felt this collaboration was ideal.”
With financial support from community donations and grants, families have been able to reduce therapy costs and explore other opportunities.
“We’re going to put it toward getting her an electric scooter,” Faruki said.
The NAPA sessions are hosted in an environment where Santa Barbara’s Grace Fisher champions an all-inclusive space for physical and mental therapy, as well as the arts—an effort she has embraced since her own challenges began at age 17.
Sponsors for this specialized program in Santa Barbara included The Gretler Foundation, Lexus of Santa Barbara, Lexus of Oxnard, and nine anonymous donors. In-kind donations were provided by several local businesses, including Kyle’s Kitchen, Whole Foods, Renaud’s, Bristol Farms, South Coast Deli, Backyard Bowls, Rori’s Artisanal Creamery, Mesa Burger, and Sprouts. Additional support came from Ivan Bars, Starbucks at La Cumbre Plaza, Islands Restaurant, Mission Street Ice Cream, Jersey Mike’s, Spudnuts, Clean Wave Car Wash, Target, Costco, Mattel, and Starcycle.
