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.