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Recreational Therapy as a Related Service

The American Therapeutic Recreation Association (ATRA) is the largest national association of recreational therapists, health care providers who use recreational therapy interventions to improve function of individuals with illnesses or disabling conditions. Recreational therapy is a health care and human service discipline that delivers treatment services designed to restore, remediate and/or rehabilitation functional capabilities for persons with injuries, chronic illnesses and all disabilities.
March 2003.

ATRA POSITION:

Recreational therapy is a health care service identified as a Related Service within the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), which is currently in the reauthorization process in Congress. Important distinctions and definitions were eliminated from the IDEA Reauthorization in 1997, which should be reinstated.

Legislative Priorities:

· Identify Recreational Therapy service as an early intervention service for infants and toddlers with disabilities.

Rationale: Recreation Therapy has much to offer families, infants, and toddlers with disabilities since play is the learning medium of children. Recreational therapists help aid in identifying infants and toddlers who have developmental delays, enhance the development of infants and toddlers with disabilities to minimize developmental delay, provide services in natural environments, minimize the likelihood of institutionalization, and enhance the capacities of families to meet the needs of their infants and children with disabilities.

· Define recreational therapy and recreation services as distinct and separate services in Part B, Related Services definitions.

Rationale: Recreational Therapy services, when provided by a qualified recreational therapist are designed to restore, remediate or rehabilitate in order to improve functioning and independence as well as reduce or eliminate the effects of illness or disability. The primary purposes of recreational services are to provide recreation resources and opportunities in order to improve health and well-being.

Regulatory Priorities:

· Identify “qualified personnel” for recreational therapy services as a Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist (CTRS) rather than deferring this to the State Education Agency (SEA). (34 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) sec. 300.23)

Rationale: This would ensure that school systems are consistent in their services across the country. CTRS’ have at the minimum, a bachelor’s degree, have completed an internship, and have passed a national certification exam. In addition, CTRS’ are required to complete continuing education units in order to maintain their certification. A CTRS can serve as a direct service provider or as a consultant. In both roles, the CTRS can work directly with the service or establish a program for a recreation provider, teacher or parent to deliver.

· Redefine the provision of recreational therapy services by qualified recreational therapist as the provision of Recreational Therapy Functional Assessment, Recreational Therapy Plan and Services, including Leisure Education; and Evaluation.

Rationale: When recreational therapy is provided as a related service, it will assist students to develop functional skills, activities of daily living skills, including advanced daily living skills such as recreation, and academic skills in cognitive, physical, behavioral, social, and affective areas. (ATRA, 2001.)

· Define Recreation in Schools and Community as the provision of recreation resources and opportunities to students in order to improve health and well-being.

Rationale: Specifically, recreational therapists provide support and resource information to special education teachers to incorporate recreation and play into the student’s curriculum in order to enhance functional skills. Recreational therapists provide opportunities and supply resources for students to participate in recreation in the schools and in the community. Recreational therapists assist in transition of recreation participation from school to adult life within the community and interact and work with various professionals, parents, and community members who have an interest in students with disabilities.

For additional reference, see Therapeutic Recreation in Special Education: An IDEA for the Future, 2001, available through the American Therapeutic Recreation Association.