Section .0300 - REQUIREMENTS FOR LICENSURE
21 NCAC 65 .0301 MINIMUM LEVEL OF EDUCATION AND
COMPETENCY FOR LICENSED RECREATIONAL THERAPIST
(a) In accordance with the grandfathering provision,
Section 4 of G.S.90C, these educational requirements do not apply to those
currently certified by the North Carolina Therapeutic Recreation Certification
Board who apply for licensure prior to January 15, 2008. For the purposes of
G.S. 90C-27(a), a candidate for licensure as a recreational therapist must have
graduated from an accredited college or university with a baccalaureate degree
or higher and with a major or specialization in recreational therapy or therapeutic
recreation. An academic major is defined as a degree in recreational therapy
or therapeutic recreation. A specialization in recreational therapy or
therapeutic recreation is defined as a degree in recreation and leisure
studies, or recreation, or health and physical education, or health and human
performance with a specialization, also known as an option, emphasis or
concentration, in therapeutic recreation or recreational therapy. An
accredited college or university is defined as a college or university
accredited by an accreditation body recognized by the United States Department
of Education. The academic major or specialization must be verified by an
official transcript. An academic major or specialization is defined by the
following components:
(1) Coursework for a degree or specialization
in recreational therapy or therapeutic recreation must reflect a minimum of
three courses (nine semester hours) and as of December 31, 2007 four courses
(12 semester hours) and as of July 1, 2010 five courses (15 semester hours) in
which the title, course description and course outline reflects recreational
therapy or therapeutic recreation content according to the current National
Council for Therapeutic Recreation Certification (NCTRC) Job Analysis Study
published by the National Council for Therapeutic Recreation Certification
(NCTRC), which is herein incorporated by reference, including any subsequent
amendments and changes. A copy may be obtained at no cost on the National
Council for Therapeutic Recreation Certification (NCTRC) website at:
http://www.nctrc.org. For candidates for
licensure who have passed the National Council for Therapeutic Recreation
Certification (NCTRC) examination and were certified by the National Council
for Therapeutic Recreation Certification prior to December 31, 2002, a
therapeutic recreation or recreational therapy content course taught is
considered the same as a therapeutic recreation or recreational therapy content
course taken.
(2) Supportive coursework are courses, not
including the recreational therapy or therapeutic recreation content courses,
which provide knowledge necessary to develop the ability to safely and
effectively practice recreational therapy or therapeutic recreation and are
required for the major or specialization in recreational therapy or therapeutic
recreation. Support content courses provide knowledge about human development,
human functioning, health, health care and human services, illness and
disabling conditions. Supportive coursework for a degree or specialization in
recreational therapy or therapeutic recreation must include three semester
hours of anatomy and physiology, three semester hours of abnormal psychology,
three semester hours of human growth and development across the lifespan, and
nine semester hours in the area of health and human services. Health and human
services coursework may include content in the areas of education, ethics, and
other supportive coursework related to the practice of recreational therapy.
(3) In addition to the coursework required in Subparagraphs
(a)(1) and (2) of this Rule, a field placement course is also required for a
major or specialization in therapeutic recreation or recreational therapy. A
field placement course, sometimes called an internship course, is a course
taken for college or university credit and shall require clinical education in
an agency providing therapeutic recreation services to clients. The field
placement or internship course must meet the criteria for a field placement set
forth by the National Council for Therapeutic Recreation Certification (NCTRC)
in the July 2007 NCTRC Standards publication herein incorporated by reference
including any subsequent changes. A copy of the NCTRC field placement
requirements may be obtained at no cost on the National Council for Therapeutic
Recreation Certification (NCTRC) website at: http://www.nctrc.org. A
university supervisor of a field placement course is defined as the university
faculty assigned to supervise the student and course from the university. An
agency supervisor is the recreational therapist or therapeutic recreation
specialist, in an agency providing therapeutic recreation or recreational
therapy services to patients or clients, assigned to provide clinical
supervision to the field placement student from the agency. Supervisors of
students completing field placements in North Carolina must be licensed by the
North Carolina Board of Recreational Therapy Licensure (NC BRTL). Successful
performance in a field placement course must be demonstrated to the NC BRTL. Successful
performance in a field placement course is defined as a grade of D or Pass or
higher awarded by the university field placement supervisor and an Overall
Rating of "Achieves Performance Expectations" awarded by the agency
supervisor on the performance appraisal form provided by the NC BRTL. The
performance appraisal form includes the content and performance criteria from
the ATRA Standards for Practice of Therapeutic Recreation and Self–Assessment
Guide, Clinical Performance Appraisal Summary, which is herein incorporated by
reference. A copy of the ATRA Standards for the Practice of Therapeutic Recreation
and Self-Assessment Guide may be purchased from the American Therapeutic
Recreation Association (ATRA) at: http//www.atra-TR.org.
Candidates for licensure, who have been continuously certified as a CTRS™ by
the National Council for Therapeutic Recreation Certification since 1990 and
have completed all recreational therapy or therapeutic recreation content
courses, all support content course requirements, but have not completed an
internship or field placement course shall be issued a license to practice as a
recreational therapist if they verify a minimum of one year of successful work
performance as a recreational therapist or therapeutic recreation specialist
during which time they were a "Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist"
by the National Council for Therapeutic Recreation Certification. Successful
work performance must be verified to the North Carolina Board of Recreational
Therapy Licensure (NC BRTL) on a performance appraisal form provided by the
North Carolina Board of Recreational Therapy Licensure (NC BRTL) that includes
the content and performance criteria from the ATRA Standards for the Practice
of Therapeutic Recreation and Self-Assessment Guide, Clinical Performance
Appraisal Summary, which is herein incorporated by reference. A copy of the
ATRA Standards for the Practice of Therapeutic Recreation and Self-Assessment
Guide may be purchased from the American Therapeutic Recreation Association
(ATRA) at: http//www.atra-TR.org. Successful performance is defined as
an overall rating completed by the immediate supervisor of "Achieves
Expectations" on the performance appraisal form provided by the North
Carolina Board of Recreational Therapy Licensure.
(b) Candidates must submit evidence of a passing score on
the National Council for Therapeutic Recreation Certification (NCTRC)
examination. The passing score on the National Council for Therapeutic
Recreation Certification Examination is determined by the National Council for
Therapeutic Recreation Certification.
History Note: Authority G.S. 90C-27(a)(2)(3);
90C-22(2)(i),(7); 90C-24;
Temporary Adoption Eff. December 1, 2005;
Eff. June 1, 2006;
Amended Eff. October 1, 2007.