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Rehabilitation and Prosthetic Services

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National Recreation Therapy Service

About VHA Recreation Therapy

Sailing

The Recreation Therapy Service Program is responsible for:

  • Serving as the subject matter expert to the Under Secretary for Health and the Veterans Health Administration
  • Developing policies and procedures aimed at improving processes and quality of recreation therapy/creative arts therapy service provided to VA patients;
  • Advocating for the field and providing guidance and oversight for field-based service recreation therapy/creative arts programs;
  • Serving as the recreation therapy/creative arts therapy consultant on clinical, business and policy and procedures with other VA offices, services, and/or programs; and,
  • Ensuring excellence in care, education, and research to improve Veterans’ health and well-being.

National Point of Contact

David W Otto, MME, MT-BC
National Director, Recreation Therapy Service
810 Vermont Avenue, NW
Washington, District of Columbia 20420
David.Otto2@va.gov
202-461-7354

Field Advisory Committee

Lilli Shine, MSA, CTRS  (CHAIR)
Chief, Recreation Therapy Service
Louis Stokes DVA Medical Center
10701 East Blvd.
Cleveland, OH 44106
Lilli.Shine@va.gov
216-791-3800 ext. 45308

Rodney D. Jackson, CTRS
Supervisory Recreation Therapist
Central Arkansas VA Medical Center
Mental Health Service
2200 Fort Roots Dr. (116/NLR)
North Little Rock, AR 72114
Rodney.Jackson1@med.va.gov
501-257-3086

Jennifer Lilly, CTRS
Chief, Voluntary Service
Coatesville VA Medical Center
1400 Black Horse Hill Road Coatesville, PA 19320
Jennifer.Lilly2@va.gov
610-383-0272

Linda Zaiontz, CTRS, MBA/HCM, VHA-CM
Chief, Recreation Therapy Service (11K)
South Texas Veterans Health Care System
7400 Merton Minter Blvd San Antonio, TX 78229
Linda.Zaiontz@va.gov
210-617-5125

Amanda Steele, CTRS
Supervisor, Recreation Therapy Service (11K)
VA Palo Alto Health Care System
795 Willow Rd (11k)
Menlo Park, CA 94025
Amanda.Steele1@va.gov
Phone: (650) 493-5000 ext. 23140

Hope Kumme, MM, MT-BC, NMT
Board Certified Neurologic Music Therapist
Hunter Holmes McGuire VA Medical Center
1201 Broad Rock Boulevard
Richmond, Virginia 23249
Hope.Kumme@va.gov
804-675-5000 ext. 6100

Erin Mooney-Simkus, LCPC, ATR-BC, CYT
Creative Arts Therapist – Board Certified Art Therapist
Edward Hines Jr. VA Hospital
5000 South 5th Avenue
Hines, IL 60141
Erin.Mooney-Simkus@va.gov
708-202-7812

Heather Brown, MS, MTRS, CTRS
Recreation Therapist
Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation
Department of Veterans Affairs
VA Salt Lake Healthcare System
500 Foothill Blvd, (117)
Salt Lake City, UT 84148
Heather.Brown2@va.gov
801-582-1565 ext. 1559

National Recreation Therapy Service Field Advisory Board

 

Download a Spreadsheet of our Local Points of Contact