Peg Connolly, Ph.D. First Executive Director of NCTRC Professor Emeritus Western Carolina University – College of Health and Human Sciences   Hard to believe NCTRC is now 40 years old. I remember being on the NTRS (National Therapeutic Recreation Society) Board of Directors in 1981 when we voted to set up NCTRC as an independent credentialing organization. Then it was a bit unexpected for me to be selected as their first full-time Executive Director in 1986 when we celebrated the 5th year of NCTRC. There were so many challenges in those early years to manage the organization so that it…

Creation of the National Council for Therapeutic Recreation Certification, Inc. Marcia Jean Carter, ReD, CPRP, CTRS, FALS, FDRT Chair NCTRC 1981-1985 Foundations of the National Council for Therapeutic Recreation Certification, Inc. The Council for the Advancement of Hospital Recreation (CAHR) in 1956 put forth a National Voluntary Registration Plan for Hospital Recreation Personnel. Applications, transcripts with verification of the information and a $10.00 registration fee were submitted to the Registration Board for review. An Appeals process was also established. In 1957, 68 individuals were the first to be registered as either Hospital Recreation Director, Hospital Recreation Leader, or Hospital Recreation…