Farm-Based Therapy: Addressing Gaps in Support for Adults with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities

Abstract Importance: Adults with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (IDD) often experience limited access to meaningful, community-based programming that supports social participation and continued learning and engagement. Farm-based and nature-based programs have demonstrated potential to promote social participation, responsibility, and well-being. Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness and perceived usefulness of staff training designed to support the implementation of a farm-based program in a community day program for adults with IDD. Design: Mixed-methods program evaluation using post-training survey data and follow-up feedback. Setting: Community-based day program, Exceptional Futures. Participants: Four staff members employed at Exceptional Futures. Outcomes and Measures: Staff completed a post-training survey assessing the clarity, relevance, feasibility, and confidence in implementing program components using a 5-point Likert scale along with open-ended responses. Results: Staff reported high ratings for clarity (M = 5.00). And relevance (M = 4.75) of the training materials. Moderate confidence levels were reported for leading farm-based groups implementing animal-related activities (M = 3.00). Qualitative findings indicated strengths in program structure and plant-based activities, with a need for additional support in animal care components. Follow-up feedback collected within two weeks reflected consistent findings. Conclusions and Relevance: The training effectively prepared staff with foundational knowledge and structured materials. However, additional support is needed to increase confidence in implementing specific program components. Occupational therapy practitioners can play a key role in developing and delivering training to support community-based program implementation. What This Article Adds: This study demonstrates the role of occupational therapy in training non-occupational therapist staff to implement occupation-based, farm-centered programming in community settings.