INFORMATION FOR CTRSs AND OTHER PROFESSIONALS
National Council for Therapeutic Recreation Certification® (NCTRC®) wants to support CTRSs, recreational therapists, activity professionals, and practitioners from a variety of professions in their search for continuing education opportunities that align with the current NCTRC Job Analysis.
CEUs help CTRSs and other professionals demonstrate their continuing professional knowledge and competence, comply with industry standards and regulations, enhance their professional standing and grow their careers, and improve their ability to serve patients and clients effectively.
The purpose of the NCTRC Organizational Continuing Education Session Content Pre-approval Program is to enhance the opportunities for individuals to engage in professional training and education to assure continuing competence in the practice of recreational therapy.
NCTRC pre-approved continuing education session content provides educational training for those looking to refine or enhance their skills within a particular subject matter, specific populations, and service sectors.
Learn in confidence knowing that NCTRC has pre-approved continuing education session content from various conferences, workshops, online and on-demand courses offered by a multitude of organizations and continuing education providers.
Continuing education session content that has current NCTRC pre-approval status has been reviewed and verified by NCTRC – pre-approval status indicates that it aligns with the NCTRC Job Analysis and meets NCTRC Certification Standards. This includes CE courses/trainings required for a digital badge associated with an NCTRC approved micro-credential.
NCTRC pre-approves continuing education session content for CTRSs, activity professionals, and others to fulfill recertification and licensing requirements.
Stay informed and stay up to date on pre-approved continuing education requests received by NCTRC – watch for NCTRC e-Blasts, read NCTRC e-News, and check the NCTRC Continuing Education Online Event Calendar.
NCTRC e-Blasts: Continuing education providers who receive NCTRC pre-approved continuing education session content can request to be featured in weekly e-Blasts sent by NCTRC. When we need to communicate with you, we rely on the contact information you provide in your NCTRC account. Please take a moment to check your personal dashboard through the MY NCTRC LOGIN portal to ensure you have provided the most up-to-date and accurate contact information.
NCTRC e-News:
NCTRC Continuing Education Online Event Calendar
As part of the CTRS® recertification process, each Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist® (CTRS®) is required to recertify every five years in order to demonstrate their continuing professional knowledge and competence.
It is the responsibility of the CTRS to acquire and maintain official documentation of continuing education credit (certificates of completion). Certificants may upload and save records of continuing education to the Recertification – Education and Experience application available on the dashboard profile through the MY NCTRC LOGIN portal. The content of continuing education opportunities must relate directly to the current NCTRC Job Analysis.
The NCTRC Certification Standards require that a CTRS upload an official document (not a copy) documenting continuing education credit which indicates your name, attendance date (which must be within your 5-year cycle), title of the course or program and contact hours (it does not have to awarded in CEU credit). NCTRC does not track continuing education hours, including CEU’s awarded at professional conferences or workshops. For detailed information on recertification requirements, download and review the NCTRC Certification Standards.
After attending in-person or virtual conferences, workshops, online and on-demand courses, CTRSs may want to check with NCTRC prior to your recertification deadline to see if the CEUs will be accepted for recertification. Learn more about NCTRC’s Continuing Education Pre-Approval Review process. This application is optional and is available on your personal dashboard through the MY NCTRC LOGIN portal.
The Specialization Area Designation on the CTRS credential is used to indicate advanced knowledge, skill, recreational therapy experience and focused continuing education within a specified area of practice.
Many professionals are looking for focused Continuing Education (CE) within a specified area of practice to gain specialization, including the seven designated specialization areas offered by NCTRC. Some NCTRC pre-approved CE sessions are also pre-approved under one or more specialization areas. Check with the CE provider to learn if the CE session has been pre-approved under NCTRC Specialization Area Designation.
Gain CEU credits and valuable skills from industry experts who are offering a digital badge associated with an NCTRC approved micro-credential.
Earners are assured that a digital badge associated with an NCTRC approved micro-credential is a direct result of NCTRC pre-approved Continuing Education (CE) session content that meets NCTRC Standards and is directly related to the NCTRC Job Analysis.
Digital badges associated with NCTRC approved micro-credentials are available for individuals from any profession to earn. NCTRC issues digital badges to earners who have completed the required continuing education and apply to NCTRC.
When NCTRC issues a digital badge associated with an NCTRC approved micro-credential, the CEU information is automatically connected to your personal account through MY NCTRC LOGIN. The continuing education required to earn a digital badge associated with an NCTRC approved micro-credential may be applied to CE credits required for CTRS recertification within an eligible recertification cycle. For detailed information on recertification requirements, download and review the NCTRC Certification Standards.
NCTRC approved micro-credentials are transformed into digital badges – secure, web-enabled credentials containing verified information about each earner’s professional achievements.
The NCTRC collection of digital badges associated with NCTRC approved micro-credentials provides CTRSs and learners from various professions the ability to earn digital badges from a wide variety of online education and professional development programs. Click here to access the collection.
NCTRC is pleased to offer e-Blast communication for content related to the profession of therapeutic recreation and the practice of recreational therapy. Please read the details, including eligibility, policy, and procedures within each form to determine which request form is the right for your needs.
