briley@nctrc.org
Sherry Hurwitz, MA, CTRS/L
ATRA/NCTRC Joint Task Force NJ Representative
Kaylee McGuire, CTRS, CCLS
NJEPA-TRA Secretary & NJ Resident
Mary E. Maina, CTRS
NJEPA-TRA NJ Member-at-Large, Legislative Co-Chair
New Jersey/Eastern Pennsylvania Therapeutic Recreation Association

• Understand the rationale for Recreational
Therapy Licensure in New Jersey
• Understand the legislative process for creating, introducing, and passing a licensure bill
• Understand how individuals apply for, receive
& maintain licensure, and report violations
• Identify at least 3 ways to support the NJ
Recreational Therapy Licensure Movement

• 1966: NTRS established, providing state chapters
• 1981: NCTRC established a reliable, valid, and standardized measurement of professional qualifications: the CTRS exam.
• 1984: ATRA established
• 1988: NJEPA-TRA established as a local Chapter of
ATRA, Happy 25 th Anniversary!!!
• Discussion amongst key RT players regarding licensure exploration but no formal committee nor record of exploration in NJEPA-TRA records

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• Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist (CTRS)
• Regulated by NCTRC and recognized Nationally
• Optional (Not Required to practice RT)
• Good measure of clinical competency
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• Regulated by your State Government
• Not Optional (REQUIRED to practice RT)
• Prevents harm to consumers: ensures that services are
ONLY provided by professionals who demonstrate a standardized clinical competency

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• A treatment service designed to restore, remediate and rehabilitate a person’s level of functioning and independence in life activities, to promote health and wellness as well as reduce or eliminate the activity limitations and restrictions to participation in life situations caused by an illness or disabling condition.
- ATRA (July 2009)
• “Treatment Service” is further defined in the ATRA
Standards of Practice as a structured, goal/outcome directed service.
- ATRA SOP (Updated 2013)
• ATRA clearly states that Recreational Therapy is only provided by a Certified Therapeutic Recreation
Specialist. (www.atra-online.com)

• According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there are
460 Recreational Therapists in New Jersey
• According to NCTRC, there are 323 CTRS’s in New Jersey
• Therefore, there are at least 137 unregulated and potentially unqualified practitioners working as
Recreational Therapists in New Jersey
• Evidence of Abuse and Neglect gathered by the Joint Task
Force of ATRA and NCTRC

Practitioners with NJ Licenses
• Occupational Therapists
• Physical Therapists
• Athletic Trainers
• Massage/Bodywork Therapists
Other Related Practitioners
• Art Therapists-their bill is being reviewed in committee
• Music Therapists do not have legislation pending
• Dance/Movement Therapists are not pursuing licensure
• Activity Professionals are not pursuing licensure

Licensure will Require
1) Recreational Therapists applying for Licensure are CTRS
2) Maintain Licensure Dues, Standards, CEU’s, Ethics, etc.

• In Licensed states, if you practice Recreational Therapy you MUST apply for a license.
• Obtaining License: Submit an application to the state’s RT Advisory Council-Division of Consumer
Affairs & pay an application fee.
• Maintain License: Maintain qualifications (CEU’s) and professional conduct as outlined in the rules of the law.
• Reporting Complaints/Violations: Reports are filed to the Advisory Council for investigation and possible legal repercussions (such as unlicensed practice, misconduct, incompetence, fraud, abuse, etc.)

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New York
Strong Licensure Committee made up of key state players
Actively seeking Licensure for the past 7 years
Has a Licensure Bill actively going through legislation
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Pennsylvania
Strong Licensure Committee made up of key state players
Acquired a State Representative Sponsor, John Sabatina
Looking to compose a Licensure Bill
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Delaware
Forming a Licensure Committee

• 2 Houses in NJ: Senate & General Assembly
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40 Districts (Currently Democrats rule both Houses)
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Each District elects:
1 Senator (4 yr term)-President of the Senate is leader
2 General Assembly Members (2 yr term)-Speaker of the Assembly
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2-year Legislative Term
Unfinished business in year one moves to year 2
Unfinished business at end of year 2, expires
• Reference Committees: to review legislation, discuss merit, public comment at meetings http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/legislativepub/our.asp

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Form a NJ Licensure Committee
Conduct a NJ Licensure Survey to gauge support and interest of NJ Recreational Therapists
Form alliances with Legislators to sponsor a Licensure Bill
Draft a Licensure Bill & associated Rules/Regulations
Sponsors introduce the Licensure Bill to either House
Licensure Bill may be referred to a committee for further review and editing
Licensure Bill must pass a majority vote in both Houses
NJ Governor has the final vote and may either conditionally veto the act, veto absolutely, or sign and pass the act into law http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/legislativepub/legprocess.asp

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We are forming a NJ Licensure Committee
NJEPA-TRA leading the efforts with their Legislative
Committee members
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Key RT Players in New Jersey:
NJRPA Liaison for Recreational Therapy
Kean and Temple RT Professors and Students
Sherry Hurwitz volunteered as our NJ Liaison to the Joint Task
Force from NCTRC and ATRA
Looking for Seasoned and Motivated NJ RT professionals from large NJ employers (Children’s Specialized Hospital,
Genesis Healthcare, JFK, Kessler Rehabilitation, Voorhees
Pediatric Facility, VA Hospitals, St. Barnabas, etc.)

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Survey began this fall (Still open till 10/31)
• Sent out via Email Blast, Facebook, and NJEPA-TRA newsletter
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Over 120 respondents to date
• Majority are supportive but not willing to volunteer
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Many responses have common misconceptions about Licensure

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Are you currently a Certified Therapeutic Recreation
Specialist (CTRS) & work in New Jersey?
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• YES, 81%
Not now but have in the past, 6.5%
No, 7.4%
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What best describes the RT setting you work in?
Long term care/skilled nursing facility/assisted living/dementia care/residential care/personal care, 33.3%
PM&R, 17.6%
Psychiatric hospital/chemical dependency, 13.9%

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Do you support RT Licensure in NJ?
Yes, 79.6%
No, 3.7%
Not sure, 16.7% (Needs education)
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I support the concept that only individuals who are
Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialists (CTRS) should be eligible for Recreational Therapy licensure:
YES, 97.2%
No, 2.8%

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I am willing to help campaign/volunteer:
Yes, 30.6%
No, 69.4% (NEED TO EDUCATE & RECRUIT)
Summary:
There is enough positive support for starting the NJ
Recreational Therapy Licensure process but we need volunteers to join the NJ Licensure Committee and to educate
NJ Recreational Therapists regarding facts of licensure.

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Do you or anyone close to you have Political Connections?
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Does your facility have Political Connections or Influence?
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Who has supported our clientele in past issues?
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Find out who represents you in the NJ Government
Senators : 1 for each of the 40 Districts
Assembly Members: 2 for each of the 40 Districts (80) http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/members/legsearch.asp
They are here to serve us, so we need to put them to work!

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Use of other State RT Laws
Review of other NJ Health Professional Licensing laws
(Scopes of practice may overlap among disciplines)
Defines terms and general scope of practice
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Rules and Regulations sets standards for:
Education
Experience/training
Exam
Continuing education
Conduct
Recreational Therapy Advisory Council-Division of Consumer Affairs
May contain rules regarding Assessment and Documentation

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Joint Task Force Website coming soon!
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NJEPA-TRA to get the word out there:
Hold sessions at conferences
Provide Information on Website, Email Blasts, Newsletters,
Facebook, LinkedIn, etc.
Share your handout from today’s session!
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Tell a co-worker, friend, colleague, classmate, etc.!

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Reached out to Debbie Hommel, NJ State Rep for NCCAP
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Reaching out to other Professional Colleagues
(OT, PT, SLP, MT, Art, Massage, etc.)
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Collaborating with NJPRA through Dina Trunzo
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Talk with your co-workers from other disciplines and your supervisors to get the word out there and build alliances!

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Are your clients receiving quality services?
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Make sure you are effectively providing RT services
Use the APIE process
Track your outcomes
Clinical observation & appraisal
Review the Revised ATRA Standards of Practice
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Your QUALIFIED services provide direct appraisal of
RECREATIONAL THERAPY so Share your Successes!

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Is Licensure about getting reimbursement for services?
• No. Licensure is about protecting consumers. Licensure however may provide an avenue in which stakeholders may pay attention to licensed, qualified providers.
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Do professionals have to pay for their license?
• Yes. There are fees associated with applying and maintaining your license that all licensed professionals are expected to pay.

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Is licensure sought to increase respect towards professionals?
• No. Licensure is sought to protect consumers by mandating the use of qualified provider. Professional respect may be an indirect outcome of licensure due to licensed professionals providing quality services.
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Will I have to take an exam to become a Licensed
Recreational Therapist in New Jersey?
• Most RT Licensure laws require passing a competency exam; current RT Licensure laws accept the NCTRC exam.

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Do Licensed Recreational Therapists have to work a certain number of hours per week?
• No. A license only qualifies you to practice Recreational
Therapy-it is a credential.
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Why do we need a License if we are a CTRS?
• A CTRS is the benchmark credential in our field, however there is no STATE LAW or REGULATION that requires a qualified professional to provide “Recreational Therapy”.

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Is Licensure designed to protect my job, take jobs from other fields, and increase jobs for other RT’s?
• Absolutely not. Licensure is to protect the consumer.
Recreational Therapy Licensure mandates that anyone providing “Recreational Therapy” is the most qualified provider of those services-they must meet the standards outlined in the law.
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If the RT Licensure Act is passed into law, will obtaining a license be optional if I work as a Recreational Therapist?
• No. Anyone providing Recreational Therapy services are
REQUIRED to hold a license if mandated by state law.

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Are we only seeking licensure in New Jersey because
NCTRC and ATRA are forcing us to?
• NCTRC and ATRA are not forcing any state to do anything. NCTRC and ATRA have created a joint task force to support any state that expresses an interest in pursuing licensure. Individual states must collaborate with each other to provide support/guidance and to insure reciprocity amongst laws and regulations.