Therapeutic Recreation Services at Crotched Mountain The Benefits are Endless! Therapeutic Recreation “Practiced in clinical, residential, educational, and community settings, the profession of Therapeutic Recreation (TR) uses treatment, education, and recreation services to help people with illnesses, disabilities, and other conditions to develop and use their leisure in ways that enhance their health, independence, and well-being.” (Approved by the National Therapeutic Recreation Society Board of Directors) Why TR at CMRC? The US Congress enacted Public Law 94-142 in November 1975. The law was entitled The Education of all Handicapped Children Act and was basically written to ensure that all children with disabilities would receive “free, appropriate public education.” This law has been re-enacted in 1990 and 1997 and entitled the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). These revisions refines the language of PL 94-142. It discussed that in “providing appropriate educational services to all students with disabilities, the local education agency must ensure that these students receive all related services necessary for the child to benefit from special education.” IDEA’s definition of related services includes the following: “psychological services, speech pathology and audiology, physical and occupational therapy, recreation, therapeutic recreation, social services, and medical and counseling services, including rehabilitation counseling services, except that such medical services shall be for diagnosis or evaluation purposes only.” (Federal Register, 1991, p. 41271) The Special Olympics Program Special Olympics (SO) is an additional service provided through the Therapeutic Recreation Department here at Crotched Mountain. With the help of other committed staff members and volunteers, the CTRS’ are able to plan and organize SO opportunities in which any student/client may participate and succeed. The Motor Activities Training Program The Motor Activities Training Program (MATP) is a non-competitive program which provides motor and sport training activities for those individuals with severe physical and/or mental challenges who traditionally have not been involved in such programs. MATP focuses on the individual participant striving for his or her own “personal best” without the pressure of comparison to another individual’s success. The goal of MATP is to introduce individuals with severe physical and/or mental challenges to age and functionally appropriate motor and sport activities and to help these individuals develop the necessary skills to participate in other levels of Special Olympics. Crotched Mountain is honored to have four MATP athletes attend the 2006 National Games in Iowa. Individual-Team Competition and Unified Sports In individual and team competition, athletes learn the importance of good sportsmanship, striving to the best of one’s ability, and working as a team. At the unified sports level, athletes compete on the same team as non-disabled peers. This unique sports program is designed to provide a valuable integrated sports and social experience for all the participants involved. All levels of Special Olympics provide participants with the opportunities to succeed, build self-confidence, become involved in the community, increase physical fitness skills, express courage, and participate in the sharing of talents, skills, and friendship with their families, friends, special Olympians, and the community. Skilled Nursing Units & TR The Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist (CTRS) uses leisure and recreation activities as tools to work on specific goals and objectives written for each individualstudent/client in his or her Care Plan, and/or ISP, IEP, IRP. Adaptive Sports are one example of a leisure activity that clients enjoy and are able to work on goals and objectives in a non-treatment setting. While engaged in an adaptive sport an individual may be working on one or more of the following objectives: Increasing fine and gross motor skills Listening comprehension Socialization Attention to task Enhancement of self concept and esteem Residential & TR The CTRS that works in the residential setting focuses on leisure education and transition planning for those students/clients scheduled for discharge or transition from youth to adult services. These services are designed so that the individual may learn how to identify: Leisure interests Leisure resources and opportunities at home and in their community, and how to access leisure activities. The CTRS works with individuals on the skills necessary to increase their independence in recreation activities based on their ability level. Some examples are: Development of social interaction skills Development and improvement of communication skills Enhancement of self concept and self esteem Practice decision making skills Therapeutic Recreation’s purpose in this setting is to assist individuals in developing their skills and knowledge of community resources in order to maintain a healthy leisure lifestyle as they transition from youth to adult environments. The Therapeutic Recreation Profession After earning a baccalaureate degree in the field of recreation therapy, a therapeutic recreation specialist is required to be certified to meet the standards of the National Council for Therapeutic Recreation Certification (NCTRC). Every five years recertification is required, based on continuing education or retesting and professional practice. This makes the CTRS the most professionally advanced recreation therapist in the field of recreation, combining educational and work experience to meet NCTRC’s highest standards. All recreational therapists employed at CM are certified by NCTRC. What entities recognize Therapeutic Recreation? RT is a member of the rehabilitation team in a variety of settings and by the leading national certifying and accrediting bodies. For example, in the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Health Care Organizations (JCAHO) standards, RT is included in inpatient and outpatient settings as standard treatment in physical rehabilitation, behavioral health, hospital based services, home health care, psychiatric rehabilitation, ambulatory services, substance abuse treatment, long term care, and assisted living facilities. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) includes recreational therapy in the mix of treatment and recreational therapy in skilled nursing, rehabilitation, and long-term care facilities. The Rehabilitation Accreditation Commission (CARF) identifies recreational therapists in their Medical Rehabilitation Standards, Behavioral Health Standards, and the Adult Day and Assisted Living Standards. The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) includes recreation therapy as a related service for school and extended school year based interventions. What are the parallels between recreational therapy credentialing to other allied health professionals? The National Council for Therapeutic Recreation Certification (NCTRC) and the Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist (CTRS) credential are accredited by the National Commission for Certifying Agencies. The credentialing process for recreational therapy is consistent with that of other allied health professions in the state. •The University of New Hampshire provides accredited degree programs at the bachelor’s and master’s level in therapeutic recreation. •There are currently 121 CTRS practicing in the state of New Hampshire. The state of New Hampshire requires that a Recreational Therapist II (Class code 7581-21 and Occupational code 7-4-7) must be a CTRS. Meet the CTRS' at Crotched Mountain: Geoffrey Garfinkle, CTRS, Director of Therapeutic Recreation-BS Franklin Pierce College, MBA Plymouth State College Kristin Harris, CTRS - BS Ithaca College Sheila Urban, CTRS-BS Springfield College Mary Sawich, CTRS-BS University of Michigan Becca Krest, CTRS-BS Springfield College Sarah Graham, CTRS-BS University of NH Jessie Bennett, CTRS-BS Green Mountain College Crotched Mountain 1 Verney Drive Greenfield, NH 03047 603-547-3311 www.crotchedmountain.org