Rutgers Horticultural Therapy Timeline and Significant Moments

Rutgers Horticultural Therapy Timeline and Significant Moments

1988–1992

After entering the tenure stream as agricultural agent at Rutgers Cooperative Extension (RCE) of Bergen County, Joel Flagler was a guest lecturer on HT for Cook College professors Jack Sacalis, Bill Smith, Dominic Durkin and Dick Merritt. He was invited to a work session to discuss potential for HT as new curricula at Cook.

1989

Flagler was invited by Bergen Pines, then New Jersey’s largest hospital, to develop a new HT program. With success of the pilot programs with long-term care and other patients, in five years they raised $250,000. to build a therapy greenhouse which is attached to the hospital. They also created two new HT staff positions who have been delivering programs ever since. Many SEBS HT students have done internships at this site, which changed its name to Bergen Regional Medical Center and is now New Bridge Medical Center.

1991–2021

Flagler developed over 35 HT programs in Bergen County. Many ran for a decade or more (some are on pause due to the pandemic). Important funding came to Rutgers from these programs, helping RCE of Bergen County meet its budget for salaries and operating expenses. These HT programs have served diverse special populations, including post-stroke seniors, juvenile detention, aged and nursing homes, mental health centers, developmentally disabled youth, developmentally disabled adults, underserved housing authority residents, well elders, physically disabled veterans, and more.

1992

Rutgers received first $92,000 grant from New Jersey Dept of Juvenile Services (DJS) to develop and deliver Hort training for detained youth. Flagler partnered with professor Bruce Hamilton (Department of Landscape Architecture) and Joe Robles (Office of Continuing Professional Education) on this and many subsequent grants (exceeding $2M) from DJS and NJDOC. This first grant was renewed and increased yearly. The team created customized 6-month-and 9-month programs that were delivered on Cook College campus using classrooms, greenhouse space at Hort Farm II (Ryders Lane), and gardens at each correctional residential facility. The focus was on building vocational and social skills.

1992

Rutgers hosted, and Flagler chaired the 2nd International People-Plant Symposium. This brought together researchers and academicians from all over the world to share new insights into several emerging areas of people-plant investigation, including HT. The Proceedings were published in a book by Haworth Press in 1994 and in the Journal of Consumer Horticulture. The book was the winner of the 1995 Publication Award by AHTA.

1994

Flagler developed the first Rutgers course in HT, with support from Plant Biology department chair Chee-Kok-Chin.

1996

Dean Ian Maw granted Flagler 20% Teaching IDR (instruction and departmental research) to instruct HT courses.

1998

Bachelor’s degree minor option in HT approved and offered, with support from department chair Jim White.

2000

Certificate in HT approved and offered. The Certificate program is re-evaluated by AHTA under strict guidelines. Rutgers HT program has received consistent re-accreditation and is one of very few universities offering accredited Certificate program.

2012

Developed first HT program at Douglass Developmental Disabilities Center at Rutgers. By invitation, Flagler worked with staff to create programs for youth with autism and Down’s syndrome as well as cognitive impairment. The program ran every summer and often year-round, depending on funding, and expanded with new students each year. In 2015 there were two new gardens, and culinary herbs were sold to the public. In 2016 DDDC created a new staff position and hired Gary Altman as the HT coordinator. Gary is now the SEBS HT undergraduate education director.

2015

Developed new partnership with Veterans Administration Medical Centers in Lyons and E. Orange, NJ. HT programs were created to meet the needs of veterans of different ages and skill levels. More than five new programs were initiated at Lyons, Incl: vocational, pallative care, women’s rehab, dementia. At E. Orange the program served veterans with spinal cord injuries. This partnership with the VA lasted until the pandemic in 2020. Hundreds of veterans and their families enjoyed the multitude of benefits that come from working with plants. These grants allowed Flagler to hire nine SEBS students in HT, who received monthly stipend and essential clinical experience that help them attain their professional registration (HTR). This pilot program at the VA Lyons won national attention and two SEBS interns (Althea McDonald and Linda Brown) were invited to present at two national VA events in 2018.

2015–Present

Major growth in HT outreach opportunities and new internships for SEBS students. Flagler and department chair Don Kobayashi visited numerous sites that requested HT and as a result, developed new partnerships. The support from Kobayashi and former Dean Goodman brought important benefits in validating the HT curricula and the profession.

2016

First HT program for veterans in Bergen County. At the Veterans Home in Paramus, a new HT garden was created and launched in summer 2016. With grants from local merchants, sun and shade gardens and a gazebo were installed for year-round use. Rutgers Master Gardener volunteers from RCE of Bergen County are the essential person-power that drives this and many other therapy garden programs.

2020

The first HT activity session via Zoom, which is now a common event. Supplies must be sent ahead and with good coordination it is possible to deliver effective HT programs during the pandemic.