M.S. in OT Required in 2007

I just saw in the morning paper that, beginning in 2007, occupational therapy will require a master's degree as the minimum educational requirement. This action should signal to universities with master's programs in RT that it is time for them to get together to: (a) set minimum standards for the RT master's degree; and (b) begin discussion of making the master's degree the minimum educational requirement for RTs.

Just last month there were two posts on the RT Blog regarding the requirement of the master's degree as an entry-level requirement for RTs. The dates of those posts were April 9 and April 13 if you want to have a look.

Who should begin discussion of advancing the RT master's degree? It seems to me that university RT faculty need to take the lead -- rather than waiting for NCTRC to do something. Further, it seems to me that the university programs who now produce the largest numbers of master's prepared RTs should come together to form a working group. Couldn't an organizational meeting of RT faculty be held at the ATRA Conference in Orlando?

Marieke to IU

I recently learned that Marieke Van Puymbroeck has accepted an offer to join the TR faculty at Indiana University. Marieke does quality of life research and is highly regarded among her colleagues. It pleases me a great deal that Marieke is assuming my old faculty slot at IU. She joins Bryan McCormick and Youngkhill Lee to form one of the best TR faculty groups to be found at any university. Best of success at IU, Marieke!

ATRA History Project

George Patrick and I spent much of last Wednesday, May 24th, at the ATRA Office where we used the ATRA archives to research the history of ATRA. As usual, Ann Huston and her staff were wonderful hosts and George and I were able to get a great deal accomplished.

The aim of this work is to produce a 20 year ATRA history. The target date for this is sometime in 2007. Should you have any information that you believe should be included in the 20 year ATRA history, please sent it in to Ann Huston at the ATRA Office.

Dickason's Prostate Cancer Blog

Many in RT know Jerry Dickason. Jerry was on faculty at Montclair State University in New Jersey for many years. He is now retired on Vancouver Island. Jerry and I have been good friends since our days of working at Madison State Hospital in the 1960s. He is a great guy.

Jerry is taking chemo treatments for prostate cancer. He maintains a blog, titled Dickason's Prostate Cancer. I know that many of his friends will want to know what is happening with Jerry. The address for his blog is http://dickasonprostatecancer.blogspot.com/

Madison RT Workshop, July 13 & 14

The Madison RT Workshop has been organized and hosted by Madison State Hospital staff for a number of years. Each summer around 50 practitioners look forward to gathering together at the annual Workshop in the charming community of Madison, Indiana. It was recently announced that the 2006 RT Workshop will be held July 13 and 14 on the beautiful grounds of Madison State Hospital, which overlook the Ohio River from a bluff high above the city of Madison.

This year's Workshop leaders will include RT practitioners Michelle Rucker-Benton, Lisa Cox, and Byron Welker, as well as Indiana University professors Georgia Frey (from adapted PE) and Lesa Lorenzen-Huber (from the Center on Aging). It will be my priviledge to join this excellent group of speakers on the Workshop program.

All RTs who wish to attend the Madison RT Workshop are welcome. (And, by the way, Madison offers ATRA CEUs for those attending.) Anyone with interest should contact Debbie Leland of the Madison staff for information and directions. Debbie may be reached at (812) 265-7471 or at the e-mail address of dleland@fssa.state.in.us

Good Friend George Patrick to Retire

I just received an announcement that colleagues at the National Institute of Mental Health will be hosting a retirement reception for Dr. George Patrick on June 22, 2006. George has been a leader in the profession and the Director of Recreation Therapy for NIMH for a number of years. He has been a good personal friend to me and a good friend to our profession.

I am sure I speak for the field in expressing appreciation to George for his outstanding contributions to the profession. His professional leadership will be missed. But I'm sure George will enjoy the next chapter of his life -- which should include some university teaching and a lot of golf. Best of success in retirement, George!

RT Licensure in New Hampshire!

Sharon Nichols just sent me an e-mail message to announce that the New Hampshire legislature had passed a licensure bill for recreation therapists in the state of New Hampshire. New Hampshire is the third state in the nation to pass an RT licensure law. Nice going, Sharon! You and your colleagues are to be congratulated!

Self-Message Resource for RTs

Self-message is a facilitation technique that I cover in my book Therapeutic Recreation Processes and Techniques (5th edition). Because self-message can be used to reduce stress and provide relief from everyday ailments, it is a wonderful still to teach clients.

While recently in London (carrying the bags of my wife who was speaking at the Royal Society of Medicine), I found a book on self-message that would be a great resource for RTs. The book is A Practical Guide to Self-Message and is authored by Mary Atkinson. It was published in 2005 by Cico Books of London. I'll certainly cite the book when I write the 6th edition of Therapeutic Recreation Processes and Techniques but I thought it would be good to let others know of my "find."