Employment

What is a Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist? (CTRS)

A Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist has acquired a body of knowledge that includes theory, philosophy, and practice that spans a wide range of disabling conditions and illnesses. When that knowledge is applied, the CTRS addresses the total person and the related life factors that apply. All UWL Therapeutic Recreation graduates are eligible to sit for the CTRS national certification exam.

  • UWL Therapeutic Recreation graduates have a 98% pass rate on the national certification exam offered by the National Council for Therapeutic Recreation Certification.
  • UWL TR graduates consistently score very high on the national certification exam. (higher than the regional and national averages)
  • The CTRS credential is recognized by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) and the commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF) as well as many governmental regulatory agencies.
  • Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialists have demonstrated a unique set of competencies, abilities, and skills for practice in a wide variety of health care and human service settings.
  • Entry level professionals who seek the CTRS credential need to complete the following at UWL:
    • A Bachelor of Science or Master of Science in Therapeutic Recreation.
    • Completion designated coursework
    • Completion of a full-time internship under the supervision of a CTRS (16 weeks during the student’s last semester before graduation)
    • Pass the NCTRC national certification exam
  • The CTRS’ certification is designed to exemplify the profession’s dedication to quality standards and professional excellence.
  • There are nearly 30, 000 therapeutic recreation specialists/ recreation therapists in the United States with over 16,000 professionally certified by the National Council for Therapeutic Recreation Certification.
  • As demand for therapeutic recreation increases from acute care hospitals to community living settings, the Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist numbers are expected to rise and play an important role in today’s health care arena.

Sample Therapeutic Recreation Jobs

Jobs in therapeutic recreation vary by setting, types of individuals served, and locale.

Here are just a few examples of employers of UWL TR grads.

Hospitals:

  • St. Mary’s Hospital – Mayo Clinic: physical rehabilitation, psychiatry
  • St. Joseph’s Hospital – Marshfield Clinic:
    • Mental health (addictions, psychiatry)
    • Pediatrics (child life)
    • Physical rehabilitation
  • Gundersen Lutheran Hospital (psychiatry, child life, physical rehab)
  • Franciscan Skemp: psychiatry (adolescent unit, inpatient adult unit)
  • Hennepin County Medical Center, Minneapolis, MN
  • Veterans’ Administration Hospitals

Psychiatric Hospitals:

  • Mendota Mental Health Institute, Madison, WI
  • Winnebago Mental Health Institute, Oshkosh, WI
  • Rogers Memorial Psychiatric Hospital, Oconomowoc, WI
  • Lakeview Hospital, West Salem, WI

Pediatric Hospitals:

  • Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia
  • Children’s Hospital of New Orleans
  • Gillette Children’s Specialty Health Care, St. Paul, MN
  • St. Joseph’s Children’s Specialty Health Care, Marshfield, WI

Alcohol and Drug Rehabilitation Centers:

  • St. Mary’s Hospital, Madison, WI
  • St. Joseph’s Hospital, Marshfield, WI

Correctional Facilities:

  • Federal Medical Center, Rochester, MN
  • Minnesota Department of Corrections, Red Wing, MN
  • Sand Ridge Secure Treatment Center, Mauston, WI

Geriatric Facilities:

  • Bethany St. Joseph Health Care, La Crosse, WI
  • Hillview Health Care, La Crosse, WI
  • Assisted living facilities Group homes (Alzheimers)

Community Settings:

  • Easter Seals Camps, Wisconsin Dells, WI
  • Special Recreation Associations, Chicago suburbs, IL
  • Rockford Park and Recreation Programs, Rockford, IL\
  • La Crosse Area Special Olympics
  • Rocky Mountain MS Center, Denver, CO
Cooperation KOOB
Group initiatives foster cooperation A game of KOOB encourages
coordination and enjoyment

Unsolicited email from a UWL Therapeutic Recreation graduate

  Sent: Friday, October 18, 2002

Subject: Hello

I wanted to keep you posted and let you know that I love my job at the VA in Tampa and being a part of the Brain Injury Program. I thank you again for the preparation at UW-L. We just went through a CARF survey and got wonderful reviews complementing our treatment team and they even remembered to compliment TR! I was very proud and wanted to share this with you.

Abby Wolf (2001 UWL TR grad)

A short biography of a UWL TR grad working at a special camp:

  Kristin Olson is a 2001 Therapeutic Recreation graduate from the University of Wisconsin – La Crosse. She completed an internship in the adolescent unit at Oregon State Hospital. Kristin has worked in a variety of positions including: youth with behavioral and emotional disorders and people with developmental disabilities. In 2006 Kristin moved to Minnesota to work at Friendship Ventures, an organization that serves children and adults with developmental disabilities in a camp setting. Friendship Ventures offers year round services in three locations: Eden Wood Center in Eden Prairie, Camp Friendship in Annandale, and Camp New Hope in McGregor. Kristin’s primary responsibility is managing a year-round weekend respite care program. She also supports other services such as summer and winter resident camping trips, and a travel vacation program. Camp
Kristin and Matt enjoy a weekend at camp

Matt: “ That’s MY camp; I love that place”

Matt’s Mom: “It’s really sad what a hidden secret Camp Friendship is.”
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A Reminiscence activity for older adults 2 TR alums enjoy an inservice on the UWL campus
   
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Mr. Guy Herling, our friendly college advisor Simple materials yield great outcomes

Job Placement Information for Therapeutic Recreation

According to a recent survey by the National Council for Therapeutic Recreation Certification

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Industry Standards in Therapeutic Recreation

The profession of therapeutic recreation has also shown tremendous growth and development over the past two decades. Today, the U.S. Department of Labor projects that there are over 27,000 recreational therapists in the United States. Over 15,000 of these professionals are professionally certified as CTRSs by NCTRC. The CTRS credential is the most professional advanced credential in the field of therapeutic recreation. (Source: NCTRC web site)

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TR Student Practices a Client Interview Younger children gain self confidence in TR