21 NCAC 65 .0302. MINIMUM LEVEL OF EDUCATION AND COMPETENCY FOR LICENSED RECREATIONAL THERAPY ASSISTANTS

(a)  For the purposes of G.S. 90C-27(b) an academic major is defined as an Associate of Applied Science Degree in therapeutic recreation or recreational therapy from a community college by an accrediting agency approved by the United States Department of Education.

(b)  Course work for an Associate degree must reflect the following:

(1)           A minimum of nine semester hours in therapeutic recreation or recreational therapy content courses. January 15, 2008, nine hours in recreational therapy or therapeutic recreation content courses.

(2)           Ten semester hours in therapeutic recreation or recreational therapy interventions;

(3)           A minimum of 15 semester hours of supportive coursework including at least one course from three of the following areas: psychology, sociology, physical and biological science, human services and physical education courses.  Beginning January 15, 2008, the degree requirements for supportive coursework must include a minimum of five semester hours of anatomy and physiology and three semester hours of abnormal psychology, three semester hours of growth and development the remaining four semester hours of supportive coursework must be in the areas of psychology, sociology, physical and biological science, human services and/or physical education;

(4)           A course with a minimum 380 hour field placement experience in a clinical, residential, or community-based agency under the supervision of a Licensed Recreational Therapist or Licensed Recreational Therapy Assistant.  The field placement must be a minimum of 12 consecutive weeks with each week including a minimum of 20 hours. Supervisors of field placements in North Carolina must be licensed by the North Carolina Board of Recreational Therapy Licensure (NC BRTL).  Successful performance in a field placement course must be demonstrated to the NC BRTL. Successful performance in a field placement course is defined as a grade of D or pass or higher awarded by the university field placement supervisor and an Overall Rating of "Achieves Performance Expectations" awarded by the agency supervisor on the performance appraisal form provided by the NC BRTL.  The performance appraisal form includes the content and performance criteria from the ATRA Standards for Practice of Therapeutic Recreation and Self–Assessment Guide, Clinical Performance Appraisal Summary, which is herein incorporated by reference.  A copy of the ATRA Standards for the Practice of Therapeutic Recreation and Self-Assessment Guide may be purchased from the American Therapeutic Recreation Association (ATRA) at: http//www.atra-TR.org.

 

History Note:        Authority G.S. 90C-22(2)(i),(7); 90C-24(a)(3); 90C-27(b);

Temporary Adoption Eff. December 1, 2005;

Eff. December 1, 2006;

Amended Eff. October 1, 2007.