Rutgers 'True Grit' shows early gains

Rutgers researchers have reported early results from a residential spinal cord injury program built around a problem many rehabilitation systems do not address well: what happens after discharge. The program, called True Grit, brings teens and young adults to Rutgers’ Livingston campus in Piscataway, New Jersey, for a week of therapy, peer support and daily living practice meant to simulate college and adult life. Early findings from the first cohort suggest participants made progress toward personal goals and described greater confidence about education, work and independent living. The study was published in *Topics in Spinal Cord Injury Rehabilitation* and examined short-term outcomes for six participants in the 2024 cohort, according to Rutgers. Rutgers School of Health Professions runs the program with RWJBarnabas Health’s Children’s Specialized Hospital, which also describes True Grit as part of a broader year-round continuum that includes single-day events, adaptive recreation and caregiver support. (rutgers.edu) ### Why did Rutgers build a residential program instead of another clinic-based service? Keara McNair, a lecturer in Rutgers’ Department of Rehabilitation and Movement Sciences and a co-director of the program, said young people with spinal cord injuries are often discharged into the community before they have had much chance to practice adult roles. She said existing services tend to be either medical day treatment or programs with significant out-of-pocket costs, leaving a gap for adolescents and young adults moving toward college, work and independent living. (rutgers.edu) Children’s Specialized Hospital says the program is aimed at adolescents and young adults after hospital discharge and is focused on the transition to adulthood. Its description emphasizes developmentally appropriate, goal-directed support from occupational, physical and recreational therapists, along with nursing staff and peer mentors. ### What actually happens during the week on campus? Since 2024, True Grit has operated as a week-long sleepaway program in Rutgers dorms, bringing together occupational therapists, physical therapists, recreational therapists and peer mentors with spinal cord injury rehabilitation experience. (medicalxpress.com) Participants receive individualized occupational and physical therapy, while also taking part in adapted recreational activities such as wheelchair basketball, community outings and workshops on vocational planning, sexuality, adapted driving and psychosocial adjustment. (csh.recdesk.com) Rutgers and Children’s Specialized Hospital describe the residential format as a way to let participants practice “college life” in a supported setting. The program says that can include help with self-care needs, trying adaptive sports and leisure activities, and using assistive technologies while away from home. ### What did the early results show? The 2024 evaluation tracked six participants using surveys and rehabilitation outcome measures tied to personal goals, resilience and participation at home, school and in the community, according to Rutgers-linked reports. (rutgers.edu) Rutgers said the early results showed progress toward functional transition goals and psychosocial readiness after the program. (csh.recdesk.com) Keara McNair said participants described “significant shifts” in how they viewed their futures, including higher education, employment, independent living and serving as peer mentors. That phrasing comes from Rutgers’ account of the findings and has been repeated in follow-on coverage of the study. ### Who is the program for, and how big is it now? Rutgers said in July that the camp is for young people with spinal cord injuries who are in their mid-teens to early 20s, with program materials listing eligibility at ages 15 to 21 and wheelchair use as a primary means of mobility. (medicalxpress.com) A July Rutgers report said the program started in 2024 with six participants, grew to nine in 2025 and was set to host 15 young adults and five peer mentors in 2026. (medicinenet.com) The same Rutgers report said participants pay a $50 registration fee, with remaining costs covered through Rutgers, Children’s Specialized Hospital, donors and nonprofit grants. ### What comes next after these early findings? Rutgers and Children’s Specialized Hospital are continuing the program beyond the initial six-person cohort, with annual residential sessions and year-round support already built into the model. (csh.recdesk.com) Children’s Specialized Hospital says interested participants can enroll through its 2026 program page, which lists Kassandra Boyd, the spinal cord injury clinical coordinator, as the contact for week-long, single-day and virtual offerings. (rutgers.edu)