National Council for Therapeutic Recreation Certification
Protecting and Promoting Since 1981
A Message from the NCTRC Chair Andrea Waters, CTRS®, NCTRC Board of DirectorsMy name is Andrea Waters and I am the current Chair of the NCTRC Board of Directors. I am excited to have this opportunity to share a message with you, the Certificants. NCTRC is a service oriented organization dedicated to protecting the public. Having the opportunity to work closely with the exemplary staff at NCTRC, and a talented and diverse group of professionals on the Board of Directors has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my career. I have been working for
almost 25 years as a Recreation Therapist and Professional Practice Leader in Nova Scotia, Canada. For me to become certified in 1995, I needed to complete my internship under the supervision of a CTRS®. At that time, there were not any practicing recreational therapists who held the CTRS® credential in Canada. Off I went to Shriners Hospital in Philadelphia to start what became a life-long commitment to maintaining my credential and helping grow the credential in Canada. This, in part, is what led me to my work with NCTRC. Prior to my nomination to the Board, I was an active member on the NCTRC Standards Review Committee. This is one of three committees Certificants can express interest in becoming a part of. This fall, will also mark another opportunity for Certificants to vote for candidates of their choice to become part of the 2020 Board of Directors. It is very important
that you voice your opinion in the election process by voting, as the Board of Directors is a vital part of NCTRC and make decisions which inform standard changes. NCTRC currently has 17,832 individuals who hold active, inactive, and eligible for re-entry status on their Registry. These individuals work in a variety of settings around the world. NCTRC is committed to marketing the credential globally and leads an active International TR Coalition with seven countries represented. NCTRC has also made the website more accessible and you can view pages in different languages. Another initiative of NCTRC is the Board Ambassador Program, which focuses on promoting the credential to hiring officials at non-TR conferences. The NCTRC Board of Directors is also excited to share with you two Corporate
Social Responsibility initiatives, both of which have been receiving numerous applications. Please see the website to learn more about the NCTRC Scholarship Program and Hardship Waiver Program. If you have any questions, please contact the NCTRC office. Please remember to keep your profile updated so you can receive the NCTRC newsletter; it is important to read this publication as it contains information about NCTRC happenings and the Certification Standards. In closing, I want to thank you for trusting me with this opportunity. It has provided me with the opportunity to grow personally and professionally. I had the opportunity to see some of you at the recent Canadian Therapeutic Recreation Association Conference, and look forward to meeting others at the upcoming American Therapeutic Recreation Conference. Capture those summer moments with whatever brings you joy!
NCTRC Will Complete a New CTRS® Profile StudyNCTRC will be conducting a research project to collect information about current CTRS® demographics and employment practices. The findings derived from the survey will be used to create the CTRS® Profile Report, a publication designed to inform the public and vital interest groups about CTRS® employment practices and professional issues. Your participation in this survey is critical to the success of this project and to the advancement of the CTRS® credential and the therapeutic recreation profession. Please check your inbox for the survey shortly.
NCTRC Scholarship and Hardship Fee Waiver ProgramsOver the past year, NCTRC has released two corporate social responsibility initiatives via the NCTRC Scholarship Program and a Hardship Fee Waiver Program. The NCTRC Scholarship Program was created to recognize the achievements of those who seek to advance their knowledge and professional competency to improve the quality of recreational therapy services. Individuals may apply for
an NCTRC Scholarship for full or partial reimbursement of funds associated with successful completion (earned grade of C or better) of academic credit generating course(s) completed within the past 12 months. Academic courses must lead to application for Professional Eligibility, recertification of their CTRS® credential, Area of Specialization Designation, progress toward advancement of a degree in TR/RT, or enhanced recreational therapy knowledge to provide improved quality of care. The Hardship Fee Waiver Program is designed to provide a waiver of NCTRC fees associated with the CTRS® credential, to those who have experienced an unanticipated hardship
that has caused a substantial financial burden. If you believe that you might qualify for a fee waiver, please contact the NCTRC office and speak with a Credentialing Specialist about the process. Please visit nctrc.org and click on the Financial Assistance tab to learn more about these opportunities.
Application Review and Exam StatisticsNCTRC Exam: A review of the July 2018, September 2018, November 2018, January 2019, March 2019 and May 2019 exams indicated that a total of 1711 individuals participated in the NCTRC exam program. Provided below is a summary that contains the number of candidates per exam administration and the corresponding pass rate of first-time examinees. Exam Date > # Tested > Pass Rate: - July 2018 > 266 > 89%
- Sept. 2018 > 284 > 84%
- Nov. 2018 > 286 > 81%
- Jan. 2019 > 208 > 93%
- March 2019 > 244 > 85%
- May 2019 > 423 > 90%
New Applications for Professional Eligibility: For the period July 2018 to July 2019, 1803 new applications were reviewed for professional eligibility. The total number of candidates that met the NCTRC Professional Eligibility Standards and thus became eligible to sit for the NCTRC exam was 1719 (95%). NCTRC
Registry: - Total of CTRSs (active and inactive) = 16,323
- Reentry = 1,509
- Total = 17,832
Country > # of CTRSs: - Australia > 1
- Bermuda > 3
- Canada > 822
- Italy >
1
- Japan > 10
- New Zealand > 3
- Qatar > 2
- Republic of Korea > 2
- Spain > 2
- Sweden > 1
- Switzerland > 1
- Taiwan > 1
- Trinidad and Tobago > 1
- United Kingdom > 4
- United States of America
> 15,469
NCTRC Attends CTRA Annual ConferenceIn the continuing effort to nurture its international focus, NCTRC attended the Canadian Therapeutic Recreation Association (CTRA) Annual Conference in Quebec City in Canada, June 19-21, 2019. NCTRC sponsored an exhibit booth, presented two educational sessions, and conducted a certificant’s meeting. NCTRC and CTRA continue to collaborate on an active basis to expand the CTRS® credential throughout Canada. These strategic efforts have been very successful, and resulted in an increase in the number of recreational therapists who hold the CTRS® credential in Canada. There are now 822 CTRSs residing in Canada.
NCTRC to Conduct Annual Certificant’s MeetingNCTRC conducts an Annual Meeting for CTRSs at the annual professional conference of the American Therapeutic Recreation Association (ATRA). The official meeting this year will be held on Monday, September 16, 2019, from 12:15-1:15 during the ATRA Annual Conference at the Peppermill Resort Spa Casino in Reno, Nevada. The NCTRC Annual Meeting of Certificants is a valuable opportunity for NCTRC to share information regarding current strategic initiatives, updates to the certification standards, and to introduce the Board of Directors, Standing Committees, and Staff. NCTRC has several exciting projects
underway that we look forward to sharing with you. We hope that you will attend the meeting at ATRA or review a post of the meeting on the NCTRC website. If you are unable to attend, please contact NCTRC with any questions or suggestions you may have about the CTRS credentialing program.
NCTRC is Out and AboutIn an effort to continuously market the CTRS® credential, NCTRC is scheduled to present at the following conferences and webinars: Sept. 12–14, 2019 – DRTA Conference, Gold Coast, Queensland, AustraliaSept. 14–17, 2019 – ATRA Annual Conference, Reno, NevadaOct. 20–22, 2019 – NCRTA, Charlotte, NCNov. 4–5, 2019 – ILTRA, Alsip, ILNov. 14–15, 2019 – TRSSW, Dallas, TX
Please mark your calendars and plan on visiting the NCTRC staff at one of these conferences.
Go further with an NCTRC Scholarship.An NCTRC Scholarship recognizes the achievements of those who seek to advance their knowledge and professional competency to improve the quality of recreational therapy services.
Recertify and Reinvest in Yourself.NCTRC knows how hard you worked to obtain the CTRS® credential. Continue your professional journey by renewing your CTRS® certification.
CTRS® Credential VerificationVisit our CTRS® Verification Search Portal to verify information about active Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialists.
Thank you for your continued support of NCTRC and the CTRS® credential!
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