Therapeutic Recreation Certification: Standards and Eligibility

1
Therapeutic Recreation Certification Standards
and Eligibility

• Dr. Nila M. Ipson, CPRP
• School of Health Human Performance
• Dalhousie University

2
Overview

• Why Certification?
• The National Council for Therapeutic Recreation
  Certification NCTRC
• Purpose of NCTRC Certification
• Academic Path Requirements
• Equivalency Path Requirements
• Field Placement Standards
• Examination Information

3
Why Certification?

• To ensure that those entering the profession
  possess the knowledge and competencies needed to
  practice
• To restrict entry into the profession
• To encourage current professionals to remain
  current in the knowledge base required to
  practice.

4
What Do I Gain?

• You help advance the recognition of the
  profession.
• You earn the right to use the acronym CTRS that
  assures recognition of your professional
  knowledge competence.
• You can expect your employability to improve.

5
The National Council of Therapeutic Recreation
Certification - NCTRC

• NCTRC was established in 1981 in the USA
• The nationally recognized organization for the
  certification of Therapeutic Recreation
  personnel.
• Accredited in 1993 by the National Commission for
  Certifying Agencies.
• The NCTRC exists to protect the consumer of
  therapeutic recreation services by promoting
  quality services delivered by qualified
  personnel.

6
Purpose of the NCTRC

• The purpose of the National Council for TR
  Certification is to insure that personnel have
  their educational and experiential qualifications
  evaluated through a formal review process.
• An individual must meet the eligibility
  requirements and then pass the national exam to
  become certified.

7
Eligibility Requirements

• Must meet all professional eligibility standards
  plus the Prerequisite exam requirements through
  either
• The Academic Path Requirements
• or the
• The Equivalency Path Requirements

8
Academic Path Requirements

• A Bachelor degree or higher with a major in
  Therapeutic Recreation or a major in Recreation
  with option in TR from an recognized college or
  university
• A minimum or 18 semester units of upper division
  or graduate level TR and general recreation
  content courses, of which 12 of the 18 semester
  units must have TR content (each course must be
  a minimum of 3 credit units)

9
Academic Path Requirements (cont.)

• TR Courses Content Areas
• (Courses must have either a Leis. or Rec.
  prefix)
• History Philosophy of TR
• Administration / Supervision/ Operation in TR
• Principles/Processes/Techniques/Methods/Procedures
  
• Assessment/Programming/Evaluation in TR
• Issues/Problems/Trends in TR
• Disability Areas
• Samples of Course Titles not accepted as TR
  Courses
• Adapted P.E. / Recreation
• Music Therapy
• Rhythmic Activities for Special Populations, etc.

10
Academic Path Requirements (cont.)

• A minimum of 18 semester units from supportive
  courses a minimum of
• 3 semester units (credits) in each of the
  following areas
• Anatomy Physiology
• Abnormal Psychology
• Human Growth Development
• The remaining 9 semester units in the content
  areas of human services as defined by NCTRC

11
Academic Path Requirements (cont.)

• The completion of a minimum of 480 hours over a
  minimum of twelve (12) consecutive weeks of filed
  placement experience in therapeutic recreation
  services under the direct guidance of a certified
  CTRS on-site field supervisor.
• The field placement experience can only be
  carried out after the required course work is
  completed, as verified by an official transcript.

12
Equivalency Path Requirements

• Equivalency refers to an alternate route to
  certification based upon specific academic
  preparation and full time, paid work experience
• There are two equivalency paths to professional
  eligibility
• Equivalency Path A
• Equivalency Path B

13
Equivalency PathRequirements - Path A

• A Baccalaureate degree or higher from an accepted
  college or university verified by an official
  transcript, plus
• A minimum of 18 semester units (credits) of upper
  division or graduate therapeutic recreation and
  general recreation courses with a minimum of 9
  credits in upper level or graduate courses.
  (each course must be a minimum of 3 credits)

14
Equivalency PathRequirements - Path A

• A minimum of 24 semester credits from 3 of the
  following six academic areas of study
• Adaptive Physical Education
• Related Biological / Physical Sciences
• Human Services
• Psychology
• Scoiology, or
• Special Education

15
Equivalency PathRequirements - Path A

• A minimum of five (5) years of full-time, paid
  experience in therapeutic recreation that uses
  the therapeutic recreation process as defined by
  the current NCTRC Job Analysis Study.
• Full-time work experience is defined as between
  32- 40 hours per week, and the job title and
  duties must be full-time in therapeutic
  recreation.

16
Equivalency PathRequirements - Path B

• A candidate for certification must have earned a
  bachelor degree or higher from an accredited
  college or university verified by an official
  transcript.
• A minimum of 18 semester credit hours of upper
  division of therapeutic recreation or general
  recreation content courses, with a minimum of 9
  credits in upper level or graduate level TR
  courses

17
Equivalency PathRequirements - Path B

• A total of 18 semester credit hours of supportive
  course work, with a minimum of 3 credits in each
  of the three areas of
• Abnormal Psychology
• Anatomy and Physiology
• Human Growth Development
• The remaining 9 credit hours to be fulfilled in
  the content area of human services

18
Equivalency PathRequirements - Path B

• A minimum of one (1) year full-time, paid work
  experience in therapeutic recreation services
  that uses the TR process, and is carried out
  under the direct supervision of a certified CTRS
• The work experience must have occurred in the 5
  years before application
• One full-year experience is defined as a minimum
  of 1500 hours worked calculated at a minimum of
  32 hours a week for 46 weeks. (excludes
  scheduled leave time or vacation time, etc.)
• A field placement cannot be substituted for the
  one-year full-time work experience for the Path B
  Equivalency.

19
The Field Placement

• Should be done after all course work is
  completed.
• Must be supervised by a certified CTRS
• Requires extensive, full-time involvement at one
  agency over a consecutive period of time
• The placement must provide experience in such
  areas as
• service planning,
• assessment for TR intervention,
• evaluation,
• documentation,
• working with treatment teams,
• organizing and managing services,
• out reach / advocacy work,
• public relations and professional development

20
The Certification Examination

• The Examination is offered three (3) times a year
  - October, January May
• The exam will be available for a five (5) day
  testing window during the above mentioned months
• The Exam is administered at Prometric Testing
  Centers in the U.S. or through special
  arrangements in Canada
• The exam is administered electronically
• Special arrangements can be made for those with
  physical or cognitive impairments or limitations.

21
The Certification Examination

• The Exam consists of 180 questions for which you
  have 3 hours to complete.
• For further information assess the NCTRC website
  at
• www.NCTRC.org/standards

22
Certified Park and Recreation Professional -
CPRP

• The U.S. National Recreation and Park Association
  also offer a certification examination for park
  and recreation professionals.
• The eligibility requirements and examination
  procedures are almost the same of the CTRS
  certification program.

23
Questions ?

• Thank You!