In Photo: Becky Garrett, LRT, CTRS (Executive Director of N.C. Brd of Rec. Therapy Licensure), Brent Strum, CTRS (2009 W.Va. TR Association President) and Danny Pettry, MS, CTRS.
Becky Garrett is a Licensed Recreational Therapist (LRT) in North Carolina and she holds Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist (CTRS credentials.
Becky serves as the Director for the North Carolina Recreational Therapy Licensure Board.
I had the great privilege to meet her at the West Virginia Therapeutic Recreation Association’s 2010 annual conference, which was held at Canaan Valley State Park (W.Va.).
Becky presented on “State Licensure – What did North Carolina do and how did they do it” because several members of the W.Va. Therapeutic Recreation Association are interested in pursuing state licensure for Recreational Therapists in our state (including me).
I had learned that the members of the West Virginia Therapeutic Recreation Association (WVTRA) had pursued licensure of recreational therapists twice already. This was back in the mid and late 80s. I was in elementary school at that time and was not involved.
Jeremiah Gagnon (1st President of WVTRA) attended this session. He said that the problem in 1985 was money. The bill had passed once in the house, but didn’t in the senate. The second time it had passed in the senate, but didn’t in the house.
Becky Garrett said that it doesn’t cost the state of N.C. anything for licensure. By law a person must be a Licensed Recreational Therapist in order to practice in North Carolina.
I [Danny Pettry] feel like this is a very important move for our profession. Currently four states require licensure. These include: North Carolina, Utah, Oklahoma, and New Hampshire.
The big purpose of licensure is to protect the public from harm. There is great potential for harm in our profession. Recreational therapists often work with people who have mental, physical, cognitive, or behavioral health needs. A person should be trained in providing services for people with these needs. A person who isn’t trained could provide services that are counterproductive or even harmful.
A person isn’t legally allowed to drive a vehicle without a license. People aren’t allowed to practice in other occupations including: physical therapy, occupational therapy, or even massage therapy in West Virginia without a license. Naturally, state licensure for Recreational Therapists is the way to go.
Protecting the public from potential harm is the number one reason for licensure. We as a public don’t want unlicensed drivers because they could hurt someone. A person DUIs will lose her or her license. Even hair stylist in W.Va. requires a license to practice. People don’t want to catch lice because a person isn’t trained in working with hair.
There are several things we would need to do in W.Va. to obtain licensure.
We’d need to: agree on definitions of RT, review the latest occupational licensing board laws who’ve recently obtained licensure, review other states RT licensing boards laws.
We’d need to create a task force, present the idea to WVTRA, and get as many people on board as possible. Owen Walker (past President of WVTRA) claimed we have 39 people who hold the Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist (CTRS) credentials in W.Va. I’m not certain if all of these people are practicing in the field. There are people who work in W.Va. as a Recreational Therapist who live in close states: Ohio, Virginia, PA, Maryland, or Kentucky.
We’d need to get an attorney for an original bill.
We’d need to be familiar with the state legislation process.
We’d need to get to know our state representatives better.
T
hen we’d need to take action. It is a long and daunting thought and task.
I’m ready to do it. I’m ready to form a W.Va. Committee for the Licensure of Recreational Therapists.
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