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NEWS RELEASE
May 27, 2003

Contact: Laurie Jake, ATRA Communications Coordinator
Phone (480) 460-1525 or
Ann D Huston MPA, CTRS
Phone: (703) 683-9420

ATRA Documents Included in Healthcare Standards Database

(Alexandria, VA) The American Therapeutic Recreation Association and its official documents have been included in the 2004 edition of the Healthcare Standards Directory. ECRI, a nonprofit health services research agency, is a Collaborating Center of the World Health Organization (WHO) and serves as the official WHO Healthcare Standards and Guidelines Archives. Now in its 14th year, the Healthcare Standards Directory includes a comprehensive list of published standards, guidelines, recommendations, position papers, policy statements, technology assessments and other authoritative documents.

Included in the database will be the ATRA Guidelines for Competency Assessment and Curriculum Planning (1997), Guidelines for Internships in Therapeutic Recreation (1998), and Standards for the Practice of Therapeutic Recreation and Self-Assessment Guide (revised 2000). Also submitted for inclusion in the new database are the American Therapeutic Recreation Association Dementia Practice Guidelines for Treating Disturbing Behaviors, an evidence-based national practice guideline for recreational therapy. The ATRA documents included in the database represent ATRA’s commitment to advancing the practice of recreational therapy.

The ATRA Standards for the Practice of Therapeutic Recreation and Self-Assessment Guide (SOP-SAG) were developed to reflect current practice and ensure compliance with other industry standards like CARF, JCAHO, and CMS. The ATRA standards of practice are not specific to any treatment setting or location. They are universal standards that relate to the practice of Therapeutic recreation regardless of the type of client, agency or facility where someone provides TR services.

ATRA’s Guidelines for Internships in Therapeutic Recreation provide important information for not only the students in the therapeutic recreation field, but also provide important tools for clinical supervisors and academic faculty who supervise field placements.

Guidelines for Competency Assessment and Curriculum Planning in Therapeutic Recreation: A Tool for Self Evaluation developed and written by the ATRA Higher Education Task Force (Terry Kinney, Ph.D., CTRS & Jeff Witman, Ed.D, CTRS, Chairs) provides much needed direction on professional competencies for recreational therapists.

ATRA is pleased to be the leader in providing standards for the Therapeutic Recreation Profession recognized by the World Health Organization. Each of these documents are available for purchase through the association’s online bookstore, http://www.atra-tr.org/bookstore.htm . According to ATRA President GT Thompson, “"The listing of ATRA Standards Resources in the 2004 edition of the Healthcare Standards Directory is a significant service for consumers and practitioners of Recreational Therapy. Inclusion in this data base should serve to increase the utilization of these important standards."

For more information, please contact the ATRA National Office at (703) 683-9420.
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The American Therapeutic Recreation Association (ATRA) was founded in 1984 to advance the profession of therapeutic recreation. ATRA is a non-profit, professional membership organization dedicating 100% of resources and efforts to promote therapeutic recreation professionals in health care and human service settings. For more information, please contact the ATRA National Office at the information below.