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August 2008
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National Council For Therapeutic Recreation Certification 845.639.1439
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NCTRC Annual Certificants Meeting NCTRC conducts its annual meeting of certificants each year at the professional conferences of the American Therapeutic Recreation Association (ATRA) and the National Therapeutic Recreation Society (NTRS). The official meeting this year will be held in Reno, Nevada at the 2008 Annual ATRA Conference. The Annual Meeting will be held at the Peppermill Casino Resort on Tuesday, September 30, 2008 at 5:30pm. NCTRC will also sponsor a meeting of certificants at the NTRS Annual Conference in Baltimore, MD on Thursday, October 16, 2008 at 5:30pm. The NCTRC Annual Meeting of Certificants is a valuable opportunity for NCTRC to share information regarding current activities and introduce the Board of Directors, Committees, and Staff. NCTRC has several exciting projects underway that we look forward to sharing with you. The annual meeting also serves as an opportunity for certificants to address NCTRC and its leadership about issues of concern or share suggestions to improve services. We hope that you will attend the meeting at either conference site. If you are unable to attend, please contact NCTRC with any concerns or suggestions you may have about the NCTRC credentialing program. A Message from the Chair Jim Shea, CTRS, Chair NCTRC Board of Directors
As the Chair of the Board of Directors it is with great pride that I report to you some of the remarkable accomplishments by NCTRC during this past year. It is important to point out that the achievements of this past year and NCTRC's future direction are all guided by a comprehensive strategic plan developed by the NCTRC Board in 2007. This plan is based on the NCTRC mission to protect the consumer by promoting the provision of quality service and is linked by sound operational management, open communication and a commitment to promoting and protecting the value of the credential.
An acknowledgement of the operational strength of the Council was documented this past June when NCTRC received re-accreditation from the National Commission for Certifying Agencies (NCCA). This significant distinction once again places NCTRC among a select group of credentialing organizations who have met an extremely stringent set of standards. This achievement is a tribute to the talented staff in the office, the dedicated members of the NCTRC standing committees and the forward thinking of the Board of Directors.
NCTRC is successfully making progress towards achieving the delicate balance of both striving to increase the number of CTRSs while strengthening certification standards. Specific efforts to encourage students to begin the process of becoming certified prior to graduation have resulted in an increase in the number of applicants taking the certification exam. Interestingly, the exam scores for candidates who register for the certification exam prior to degree completion are slightly higher than the overall group of candidates who take the exam.
During this past year, NCTRC has also been exploring ways to gain a greater presence in international markets. Great strides have been made in strengthening the CTRS credential within Canada as a result of on-going discussions with the Canadian Therapeutic Recreation Association. NCTRC has provided direct assistance to the Therapeutic Recreation Association of Atlantic Canada in their efforts to establish RT licensure in Nova Scotia. Additionally, NCTRC was invited (cost free) to present at the International Psychomotricity Conference in Paris, France, this past July as one of the 14 countries in attendance.
Our future plans are exciting and ambitious. We continue to examine the findings of the NCTRC Job Analysis Study (2007) and use the results to explore ways to strengthen professional eligibility requirements. We continue to explore the possibility of offering specialty certification as an addition to the CTRS certificate and as a way to recognize those who have achieved an advanced level of practice. We continue to be proactive by promoting the CTRS credential and assist states in pursuing licensure legislation. Most importantly, we continue to pursue opportunities and make decisions that will strengthen the value of the CTRS.
Thank you for your continued support of NCTRC and the CTRS credential. NCTRC is Out and About In an effort to continuously promote the CTRS credential and educate individuals about TR/RT, NCTRC has planned a very busy fall travel schedule with presentations at the following conferences: Sept. 24-27: Council on Licensure, Enforcement, and Regulation Annual Conf., Anchorage, AK Sept. 29-Oct. 2: ATRA Annual Conference, Reno, Nevada Oct. 14-18: NTRS Annual Conference, Baltimore, Maryland Nov. 6-7: SUNY Cortland Annual Recreation Conference, Cortland, NY
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