GLOBAL VISION PROJECT: Global Vision of Rehabilitation
and Recreation for People with Disabilities in the 21st Century

THERAPIES:
"Overview of Professional Status of Activities/Recreation Service/Therapies"

by Prof. John A. Nesbitt, Ed.D., CTRS, Pres./CEO
Special Recreation for disABLED International
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Activity/Recreation Service/Therapies:
Activity, Animal, Aquatics, Art, Bibliotherapy, Dance, Drama, Expressive, Equestrian, Horticulture, Humor, Music, Play, Recreation, and Writing.

Overview. This brief suggestion of the "professional status" of activity/recreation service/therapy is intended to provide an overview of the range of professionalism that exists.

Growth. Each of these service/therapies is growing in number of persons served, in number of practitioners, and in professional development. During the period 2001 to 2025, it may be predicted that these areas will grow in numbers of people served, in their respective contributions to treatment, healing, function, community settlement, and in their overall contribution to the richness of life for people who are disabled.

Professional Status. In the period 2001 to 2025, as its impact grows, there will be a significant increase in the professional status given to activity/ recreation service/ therapies. In turn, this will foster further growth of the overall field and the areas within.
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Accreditation: Recreational Therapy/TRS is a leader among the specialties with 43 college and university departments/ programs accredited to provide degrees in therapeutic recreation service. These 43 curricula operate within the total of 93 accredited "recreation and parks service" curricula. There are an additional 50 NON-accredited recreation and park service curricula. Other therapies have or are working on higher education professional education programs and/or accreditation standards and accreditation of curricula.

Body of Knowledge/Literature: Each of the 15 activity/recreation therapies has a body of knowledge in the form of five to 10 published books/literature. Recreation Therapy/Therapeutic Recreation is a leader here also with 35 published professional books with on "therapeutic recreation," with the term "therapeutic recreation" used in title.

Education, Pre-Service and In-Service. The activity/recreation specialties provide pre-service higher education professional education (see accreditation above, for example, Recreational Therapy/TRS has 43 accredited institutions) and in-service continuing education/ training for practitioners. Usually in-service continuing education is provided at state and national conferences as part of the overall program of professional development and exchange.

Organization: There are 15 professional organizations providing various of the following:
__Accreditation of pre-service education;
__Accreditation of in-service continuing education/training;
__Archives;
__"Code of Ethics" and surveillance;
__Employment services;
__Foundations;
__Protection of personnel (harassment, insurance, etc.);
__Public education/information; publishing;
__Standards of practice (for personnel, for programs/services by agencies/organizations; and,
__Technical assistance agencies, organizations, services, etc..

Practice in Activity/Recreation Service/Therapy Areas: Te are practicing, full-time and part-time practicing personnel in the following areas: Activity, Animal, Aquatics, Art, Bibliotherapy, Dance, Drama, Expressive, Equestrian, Horticulture, Humor, Music, Play, Recreation, and Writing.

Research: Research on activity/recreation service/therapy is being pursued by educator/ researchers in the various areas, particularly in recreational therapy/TRS. Further, and, also research is being pursued by an array of researchers in other fields such as education, medicine, psychology, etc. This findings of these researcher are being published in activity/recreation refereed journals such as the "Therapeutic Recreation Journal" and in the referred journals of other professions.

Standards of Practice: Various of the activity/recreation service/therapies have prepared, adopted, and enforce their standards of practice. The Recreation Therapy/TRS standards include: codes of ethics, certification, individual practice, and service provided by agencies and organizations. Also, various activity/recreation therapies have prepared and promote use of "guidelines" for delivery of service in various settings.

Work Force, Collective: Fifteen activity/recreation service/therapies areas have an estimated total work force in the USA of:

51,450: Personnel who hold professional membership in their specialty. The is a quite limited number. It does not include, for example, any of the adapted/special sports activities personnel such as professional coaches.

38,000: The U.S. cites a total work force of 38,000 activity/recreational therapists and activity/recreational therapy assistants.

18,030: Personnel who work as Activity Assistants in health care.

69,480: Identifiable activity therapy work force, certified/non-certified.

17,170: Recreational Therapists/TRS "Certified" based ed., experience, and exam.
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GLOBAL VISION PROJECT:
Global Vision of Rehabilitation and Recreation
for People with Disabilities in the 21st Century
A JOINT PROJECT BY:
Disability International Foundation AND
Special Recreation for disABLED International

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