RT Blog

Name:
Location: Indiana, United States

I became a Professor Emeritus after serving 29 years as a recreational therapy faculty member at Indiana University. I'm a long-time Hoosier, having grown up in Hanover, Indiana. My RT practitioner work was in psych/mental health. After completing my Ph.D. at the University of Illinois, my first faculty position was at the University of North Texas. RT has been a wonderful profession for me as I have had the opportunity to serve as an author and national leader.

Tuesday, June 30, 2009

National Veterans Summer Sports Clinic

From DisabilityInfo.gov comes this announcement:

The National Veterans Summer Sports Clinic gives veterans an opportunity for self development and promotes rehabilitation. This year the Clinic will be held September 20-25 in San Diego, CA.

Monday, June 29, 2009

Friendly Reminder: Comments Due by Tomorrow

Your comments addressing the proposed MBPM changes are due no later than June 30th, 2009 at mbpmcomments@cms.hhs.gov

See June 24th post for details on making your comments.

Thursday, June 25, 2009

Link to RTV Videos

To stream an RTV video go to this web link:
https://scholarworks.iu.edu/dspace/handle/2022/3378

Once you get to the address shown you will see titles of 23 videos listed. Click on the title of the video you wish to view. This will take you to a page for that video. Simply click on the address there to view the video.

Wednesday, June 24, 2009

Take Time to Respond to Action Alert

From ATRA...

Don't delay.
This is the last
week to act!

ATRA ACTION ALERT: Inpatient Medical Rehabilitation


On April 29th, 2009, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) issued its 2010 proposed rule for the inpatient rehabilitation facility (IRF) prospective payment system (PPS). CMS has also proposed to revise the Medicare Benefits Policy Manual (MBPM) provisions on coverage of IRF services and has established a separate comment period and process for these changes.

Taken together, the proposals represent one of the most comprehensive sets of rule changes governing access to inpatient rehabilitation services in years and will set the stage for IRF care for the foreseeable future.

Proposed CMS Change:


In reference to the "3-hour Rule," the removal of the phrase "other skilled rehabilitative modalities" and insertion of "... active and ongoing therapeutic intervention of at least two therapy disciplines (physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech-language pathology, or prosthetics/orthotics therapy)..." in both the IRF-PPS final rule for 2010 and the Medicare Benefits Policy Manual.

Proposed ATRA Member Actions:

Given the impact such a change will have for years to come, ATRA needs all RT professionals to:

1) Submit two comment letters to CMS (Note: Because CMS will make changes to two different rules and regulations, comments need to be submitted to two different sources); and

2) Solicit similar comments to CMS from your colleagues in your IRF setting including Physicians, Physical Therapists, Occupational Therapists, Nurses and other providers. You can share the draft letter with them.

Drafting a Comment Letter:

1) Please review the draft letter below. Add your personal information in the beginning paragraph.

2) Your comments addressing the proposed rule change must be submitted to CMS as soon as possible. While the deadline may be June 29th, we need to demonstrate an influx of responses well before that date so PLEASE DO NOT DELAY in drafting and sending your comment letter. The final deadline is no later than June 29th, 2009 at www.regulations.gov under file "CMS-1538-P".

3) Your comments addressing the proposed MBPM changes are due no later than June 30th, 2009 at mbpmcomments@cms.hhs.gov. Please send as soon as possible.

4) If you can fax or email ATRA a copy we would appreciate tracking the responses (email ceu@atra-online.com or fax 601-582-3354.)

DRAFT LETTER

[Please use your personal or agency stationary for your response. Also, please ask your administrators to submit a letter on our behalf using facility letterhead. Delete this instruction in your final letter]

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
Department of Health and Human Services
Attention: CMS-1538-P
P.O. Box 8012
Baltimore, MD 21244-8012
Re: Proposed Rule for Medicare Program; Inpatient Rehabilitation Facility Prospective Payment System for Federal Fiscal Year 2010 (42 CFR, parts 412, May 6, 2009)

To Whom It May Concern:

I am a recreational therapist practicing in XX city and XX state.

I would like to take this opportunity to respond to the Proposed Rule for the Inpatient Rehabilitation Facility (IRF) Prospective Payment System for Fiscal Year 2010. My principal concern relates to the proposed changes to the so-called "Three Hour Rule" that is used as a guideline for determining a patient's need for a relatively intense level of therapy services.

Under the current Three Hour Rule, the physician and rehabilitation team are given flexibility to determine, on a priority basis, which skilled modalities are appropriate for each patient in the IRF setting. A number of specific therapies are explicitly identified as "skilled modalities," including but not limited to physical therapy (PT), occupational therapy (OT), speech language pathology (ST), and orthotics and prosthetics (O&P). Until recently, over half the fiscal intermediaries permitted recreational therapy services to be counted as a skilled modality for purposes of qualifying under the Three Hour Rule.

The proposed changes restrict the current language of the Three Hour Rule by limiting the therapies that may be counted toward the total amount of therapy time to PT, OT, ST and O&P only, leaving no discretion for clinicians to determine the appropriate mix of therapy services for each patient. The modification, as proposed, excludes recreational therapy, despite the fact that recreational therapy provided in an IRF must be medically necessary and ordered by a physician as part of the patient's treatment plan.

Elimination of recreational therapy as counting toward the Three Hour Rule will have a negative impact on access to this important therapy and is not reflective of current practices in inpatient rehabilitation. Furthermore, such an exclusion is not consistent with CMS policy on medical necessity and deference to the judgment of the treating physician. Recreational therapy, when provided by a qualified recreational therapy professional (nationally certified and/or state licensed), has proven to have a statistically positive effect on Functional Independence Measure (FIM) score gains for both stroke and spinal cord injury patients (See Williams, R., et al, 2007 and Hawkins, B., 2009) and is commonly utilized with a variety of other patient populations.

I am therefore requesting that CMS explicitly include recreational therapy in the list of therapy services that may be counted under the Three Hour Rule when ordered by a physician as part of a patient's plan of care and provided by a qualified recreational therapy professional (nationally certified and/or state licensed). This should be reflected in both the regulations and the Medicare Benefits Policy Manual. Furthermore, I would like to offer my support to the position and request made by Congresswoman Tauscher and Congressman Thompson in their letter to Ms. Charlene M. Frizzera, Acting Administrator for CMS dated May 4, 2009.

Thank you for your consideration of my views.

Sincerely,


Your name
Title
Mailing Address
City, State, Zip
Telephone number

cc: ATRA National Office

How to Stream RTV Videos

Several individuals have contacted me about streaming the RTV videos. It is relatively simply to view a video -- even I can do it!

To stream an RTV video go to this web link:
https://scholarworks.iu.edu/dspace/handle/2022/3378

Once you get to the address shown you will see titles of 23 videos listed. Click on the title of the video you wish to view.

This will take you to a page for that video. Simply click on the address there to view the video.

Tuesday, June 23, 2009

Early Reports on Curriculum Conference

I've heard from three individuals who attended the curriculum conference last week at Oklahoma State University. I got the impression that the conference organizers went out of their way to make sure the participants were taken good care of. The presentations were well prepared and well presented. The participants were earnest and hard working. It seems apparent that those at the conference agreed that current RT curricula must be improved.

Yet, I didn't get the impression from those attending that a great deal will come out of the conference because from my understandings many attending were not able to cast off old ideas that have held back the profession for years. I hope I am wrong but I really doubt that we will be able to point back to the Oklahoma State conference as one which produced true curriculum reform.

Sunday, June 21, 2009

Comment on Curriculum Conference?

If you attended last week's curriculum conference, I'd be extremely interested to learn how it went. Please do comment.

Friday, June 19, 2009

Best of Success to Colleagues

I'd like to wish our colleagues who begin meeting today at the Oklahoma State University curriculum conference the best of success. Curriculum reform remains one of the keys to advancing our profession.

Thursday, June 18, 2009

epsychology Blog

Today I ran across the blog epsychology that covers psych related articles and news.

It was interesting to me that the most recent posts are on the Yerkes-Dodson Law and the Pygmalion Effect -- two topics I covered with my students in my Social Psychology of TR course at IU.

To check out the epsychology blog go to http://www.epsychology.us/

"Professional Ethics" RTV Video

Have you viewed any of the RTV videos? Remember that to do so you simply have to go the the RTV website and click on the video you wish to view. The address is https://scholarworks.iu.edu/dspace/handle/2022/3378

In earlier posts I discussed two RTV videos, "Clinical Supervision" and "Portraits of Pioneers in Therapeutic Recreation: Parts 1 and 2." Today I want to discuss the RTV video titled "Professional Ethics."
"Professional Ethics" features ethicist Meg Gaffney, M.D., of the IU School of Medicine. Dr. Gaffney teaches ethics to medical students at the IU School of Medicine.

I would have to say that "Professional Ethics" far exceeds what I expected when we first conceptualized the video. I believe the final result was very good -- largely thanks to the excellent information provided by Dr. Gaffney. There is much in the video for both students and professionals.

The running time for "Professional Ethics" is just over 36 minutes. It defines the term professional ethics, establishes the importance of ethics for recreational therapists, and reviews ethical principles related to confidentiality, autonomy, beneficience, justice, nonmalificence, and fidelity.

The video provides an excellent means to introduce the topic of professional ethics to undergraduate or graduate students and can be used by recreational therapists to initiate discussions of ethics in clinical agencies.

Tuesday, June 16, 2009

"Portraits of Pioneers in TR" Video Has 2 Parts

"Portraits of Pioneers in Therapeutic Recreation" is an RTV video with two parts. Part 1 features some of the early pioneers in RT. Part 2 features more modern pioneers.

The accessing of Part 2 can be a bit tricky. This is because you have to select Part 2 after you click on the address of the the "Portraits" video. Once you click on the address, look down the right side of the page and you'll see "Part 1" and "Part 2." If you do not click on Part 2, Part 1 will play. So click on Part 2 if you wish to view it.

The pioneers featured in Part 1 were selected in 1991 by Palaestra magazine. These include: Fred Humphrey, Ira Hutchinson, Jerry O'Morrow, Janet Pomeroy, and Jean Teague.

The pioneers featured in Part 2 were selected by Palaestra in 2001. Part 2 features: David Austin, Marcia Carter, Dave Compton, Carol Peterson, and Gary Robb.

I plan to continue to provide information about the individual RTV videos via posts on the RT Blog.

RT/TR Directory Includes Link to RT Videos

I just visited the RT Directory (http://www.recreationtherapy.com/index.htm) where I found that a link has been set up for the RTV videos. The link is titled Recreation Therapy Videos and is listed under NEW RESOURCES. Thanks Charlie!

RTV Videos

I have been viewing the RTV videos on my computer just to check out the streaming. I have run into a "glitch" from time-to-time. If you have any problem in viewing any of the RTV videos, please let me know so I can get it corrected.

The information on how to access the RTV videos follows:

RTV videos:
https://scholarworks.iu.edu/dspace/handle/2022/3378
(Go to the address shown. You will see titles of 23 videos listed. Click on the title of the video you wish to view. This will take you to a page for that video. Simply click on the address there to view the video.)

Sunday, June 14, 2009

My Hope for the Curriculum Conference

All participants going to this month’s curriculum conference at Oklahoma State University (June 19 & 20) should take a copy of Guidelines for Competency Assessment and Curriculum Planning for Recreational Therapy Practice. The document was revised by Ray West, Terry Kinney, and Jeff Witman in 2008. (Perhaps ATRA should make copies available at the conference at a special price just in case some don’t have them.)

While I personally take issue with several of the competencies listed under the heading of “Recreation and Leisure,” the list of competencies in the Guidelines is the most complete listing of competencies found anywhere. The Guidelines also provide “Structural Components for Professional Preparation.”

I would hope that as a result of the Oklahoma State conference that participants adopt the Guidelines’ competencies as a beginning list of competencies to guide curriculum development, with the intent of refining them in order to form a final list of competencies.

I would likewise hope that the “Structural Components” found in the Guidelines are endorsed by the participants with the intent of having them form the foundation for the development of a self-study document for universities to use in curriculum assessment.

I am sorry that I cannot attend the curriculum conference. It is very much needed and I wish the best to participants who attend. They will have provided a wonderful service to our profession if the conference produces real strides in curriculum development.

Saturday, June 13, 2009

RTI Call for Presentations

I received the following call for presentations from the Recreation Therapists of Indiana. This year's Annual Conference is in Carmel, just north of Indianapolis -- so here is hoping that some RTs from Cincinnati and Dayton submit presentations because it is a relatively short drive over to Indy.

Call for Presentations
Recreation Therapists of Indiana Annual Conference
November 12-13, 2009
Renaissance Mariott Carmel, Carmel, Indiana

Speakers will be offered a partial waiver of conference registration. Waivers are awarded on the basis of a 60 or 90 minute session, and will be divided among the number of presenters for each session. Speakers will pay for their own meals, lodging, transportation, CEU’s, handouts and registration (minus the waiver). It is requested that speakers provide 50 copies of their session handouts.

Please send the following information to RTI:

TITLE OF SESSION: 20 words or less

SPEAKER QUALIFICATIONS: Please include a brief bio or resume for each speaker. Please include information on current position and qualifications to present topic(s) listed. Bios are intended to demonstrate speaker competency on the topic, not to detail work history. Bios should not exceed one page per speaker.

SESSION DESCRIPTION: Limit 30 words. If your proposal is accepted, this will be inserted into the program to describe your session.

LEARNING OUTCOMES: Please state learning outcomes for each session in measurable terms.
Example: Participants will be able to identify at least three critical issues facing healthcare.

SESSION OUTLINE: Please be brief yet descriptive. ATRA must have a detailed session outline in order to determine the number of CEUs to assign.

MODE OF PRESENTATION: Please indicate whether the session will be lecture, discussion, interactive, panel, etc.

JOB ANALYSIS CODE: A code must be assigned to each conference session.
.Background; Diagnostic Groupings; Assessment; Planning Program
.Implementing the Program/Treatment; Documentation and Evaluation
.Organizing/Managing Services; Advancement of the Profession

SESSION LENGTH: 60 minutes or 90 minutes

AUDIOVISUAL EQUIPMENT: Please list only the equipment that you are sure you will need.
Due to costs, RTI does not provide LCD projectors or laptop computers.
Individuals may rent or bring their own, but technical assistance will not be available.

Please submit your proposal and required information as a Microsoft Word attachment via email to Julie Foster at ctrsjulie@embarqmail.com by September 11, 2009 to receive full consideration. If you prefer, you may mail your proposal to RTI, PO Box 22095, Indpls, IN 46222.

Friday, June 12, 2009

"Clinical Supervision" RTV Video

I promissed to discuss the content of the RTV videos on RT Blog posts. Below is information on the video title "Clinical Supervision."

I think one of the best of the RTV videos is titled "Clinical Supervision." It can be used by universities in preparing students for their internships and by agencies.

Agencies may use "Clinical Supervision" in two ways. One would be viewing it with an intern and then discussing the contents with the intern. This use is timely as many student interns are completing thier internships this summer.

There is a second possible usage by agencies. That is to use the video to introduce the notion of clinical supervision to the entire staff when initiating a clinical supervision program -- something all agencies should have! Clinical supervision is for ALL therapists. Anyone can benefit from clinical supervision because we can all continue to learn and, from time to time, all of us need consultation in dealing with difficult cases.

"Clinical Supervion" has a running time of just over 30 minutes. Two RTs are featured in the video, along with two students. Maureen Fleetwood is one of the RTs and she is a favorite of mine. She "knows her stuff" and articulates it clearly. (By the way, Maureen has appeared in a number RTV videos and I'm told is a particular favorite among students in Australia.) Judy Saunders is the other RT. Judy has provided excellent clinical supervision for interns at her hospital.

"Clinical Supervision" covers the following learning objectives: (a) the goals/rationale for clinical supervision; (b) the roles/functions of supervisors and supervisees; (c) developmental stages for superisees; and (d) what to do in the initial supervisory conference.

Both university students and agency personnel can enhance their viewing of "Clinical Supervision" by reading the chapter by the same title in my textbook Therapeutic Recreation Processes and Techniques (Austin, 2009, 6th edition). The publisher is Sagamore Publishing, Inc.

To access "Clinical Supervision" just follow the intructions in yesterday's post.

Thursday, June 11, 2009

RTV Links

I'm posting this information on RTV links again. I'd suggest you add the addresses to your list of favorites or somehow record them for easy access. Here are the links:

RTV videos:
https://scholarworks.iu.edu/dspace/handle/2022/3378
(Go to the address shown. You will see titles of 23 videos listed. Click on the title of the video you wish to view. This will take you to a page for that video. Simply click on the address there to view the video.)

Descriptions of RTV videos:
http:www.indiana.edu/~iutr/
(Go to the address shown. It is the IU TR website. On the left side you will see "Recreation Therapy Videos." Click on it and you will get a complete listing of the 23 videos with descriptions for each.)

Tuesday, June 09, 2009

Possible Teaching Innovation

Professor Jo Ann Coco-Ripp from Winston-Salem State University is involved in an interesting teaching project and is looking for other educators who might share her interest. The message she sent me follows:

I am working on adding a new learning activity to one of my classes for fall. It is called a WebQuest. Here is one website that give some information in case you are interested: http://webquest.org/index-resources.php

The activity will be targeted to increase student knowledge and interest in the history and development of the field (TR/RT). It will be planned for group work out of class and will use one full class period of an hour for the final product.

I am still in the design phase and thought there might be some other educator who would like to develop this assignment with me. Then we could share our insights as well as learn what went right and wrong with the assignment.

If you are interested in learning more about this project, please contact me at jcoco.ripp@yahoo.com

Oklahoma Passes TR Practice Act

From Professor Jo Ann Coco-Ripp of Winston Salem State University, I received great news about Oklahoma establishing the Therapeutic Recreation Practice Act.

Here, in part, is what Jo Ann sent to me:
"I know that the folks in Oklahoma would not mind my passing along their good news... the Therapeutic Recreation Practice Act was approved by the Governor on 05/29/2009

"Last year this effort did not succeed but they tried again this year; the process started around the end of Jan and finally it passed House, Senate and then the Governor!"

Anyone interested can look at info on SB546 at this site http://www.lsb.state.ok.us/

Links for RTV Videos

I just realized that information on accessing the RTV videos and the descriptions of the RTV videos appears in two different posts. To make it easier to access the videos and to read about them, I'm providing the links below:

RTV videos:
https://scholarworks.iu.edu/dspace/handle/2022/3378
(Go to the address shown. You will see titles of 23 videos listed. Click on the title of the video you wish to view. This will take you to a page for that video. Simply click on the address there to view the video.)

Descriptions of RTV videos:
http:www.indiana.edu/~iutr/
(Go to the address shown. It is the IU TR website. On the left side you will see "Recreation Therapy Videos." Click on it and you will get a complete listing of the 23 videos with descriptions for each.)

Links to Summer Fun for Children

DisabilityInfo.gov provided a link that RTs who work with children may find interesting. The link is titled SPECIAL FOCUS: Summer Fun. It contains addresses of a number of links that may be of interest to those serving children. I've copied information from it below:

1000 cheers that summertime's here! Looking for ways to engage your children this summer? The quest can be more complicated when a child has a disability. So here's a quick list of ideas and resources that can help.

10 weeks of summer reading adventures for you and your kids.
http://www.readingrockets.org/articles/391

Fun things to do today.
You won't believe this list to choose from.
http://specialchildren.about.com/od/needinspiration/a/fivefunthings.htm

Five ways to keep learning going during school breaks.
http://specialchildren.about.com/od/learningissues/tp/learnvacation.htm

Summer Survival Kit.
http://specialchildren.about.com/od/holidays/p/summersurvival.htm?nl=1

Summer camps A-Z.
Talk about everything but the kitchen sink. Resources are organized by topics for easy hunting: special interest, age, overnight, art, academic, sports, special needs, state, you name it. http://summercamps.com/

Choosing the right summer camp.
Which is best for your child -- a special needs camp, a mainstream camp in your own community, or a summer spent at home with you? Each has its pros and cons. Here's help in choosing the best option, and recommendations on how to get started when you do.
http://specialchildren.about.com/od/specialneedssummercamps
/a/choosecamp.htm?nl=1

Going to summer camp with AT.
The Family Center on Technology and Disability (FCTD)'s May 2009 newsletter is entitled Summer Camp: Tents, Trees, and Technology and identifies resources to help families of children with disabilities who utilize AT for their child's camp experience.
http://www.fctd.info/resources/newsletters/index.php

Special needs camps, state by state.
http://www.familyvillage.wisc.edu/Leisure/camps.html

Special needs camps, by state and by disability.
http://www.veryspecialcamps.com/

Easter Seal's nationwide directory of recreation programs.
Easter Seals camping and recreation programs serve children, adults, and families of all abilities. Find out what's going on in recreation in your area.
http://www.easterseals.com
/site/PageServer?pagename=ntl_directory_recreation

Monday, June 08, 2009

RTV Videos and Staff Training

I was excited about the streaming of the RTV videos largely because the videos will be available for use in university professional prep programs. In a recent comment to an RT Blog post, Danny Pettry, M.S., CTRS, suggested another use for the RTV videos. That is the possible use of the RTV videos in staff training.

I think this is a great idea. Each video begins and ends with listing learning objectives for the video -- so it is very apparent as to what the viewer should learn from watching the video. These learning objectives could easily become the basis for staff discussions or for testing of the viewers' knowledge following watching the videos.

I hope others in clinical settings will consider using the RTV videos in staff training programs.

Descriptions of All 23 RTV Videos

Some have inquired about descriptions of the RTV videos. There is a page off the IU TR website to get a description of each of the 23 RTV videos. Go to the IU TR website and then click on Recreation Therapy Videos on the left side of the page. This will take you to a listing of all the RTV videos.

The address of the IU TR website is http://www.indiana.edu/~iutr/

You will not be able to access the videos via this page -- but you can read a brief description of each. I still plan to post information about the RTV videos on the RT Blog but thought having the listing might be helpful to RTV video users.

Saturday, June 06, 2009

RTV Video: "To Serve a Purpose"

Someone recently contacted me to tell me that they were going throught the RTV videos to view each of them. There is a website that lists all the RTV videos and gives a brief description of each. I'll plan to look up that address and pass it along -- but for now I thought I'd just post information about selected RTV videos so you may begin to learn the content of each and where you might use them.

The first video we made was "To Serve a Purpose." This video serves to provide an introduction to RT/TR. A number of facilities are visited and their programs are reviewed in order to acquaint viewers with where RT takes place and the types of programs that are provided.

"To Serve a Purpose" also goes over the "RT Process" of accessment, planning, implementation, and evaluation to introduce the concept that RT employs a goal-directed, systematic approch.

Finally, the video features related professionals (e.g., an OT, Medical Doctor,social worker) who speak of the value of RT in health care settings.

"To Serve a Purpose" is a good video to use in Introduction to RT/TR courses to introduce the profession to students.

Friday, June 05, 2009

Link for RT Videos

Someone suggested I again post the link to the Recreation Therapy Videos. Remember to click on the link and then click on the title of the video you wish to view. This will take you to the page for that video where you simply click on the address in order to view it.

Here is the link for the RTV videos:
https://scholarworks.iu.edu/dspace/handle/2022/3378

Wednesday, June 03, 2009

Instructors Get Instructor's Guide & PowerPoints

On Tuesday I made a post "Instructor’s Guide is Ready!" The post was on the Instructor’s Guide for the 6th edition of Therapeutic Recreation Processes and Techniques (Austin, 2009). It mentioned that the Guide has been sent to Sagamore Publishing for distribution to faculty who adopt the book.

I forgot to mention that Sagamore Publishing will also supply instructors with access to 85 PowerPoint slides that can be used to instruct material from the 6th edition of Therapeutic Recreation Processes and Techniques.

One element in the Instructor's Guide is a list of possible learning activities that instructors may use. A number of these learning activities suggest ways the PowerPoint slides may be employed in classroom teaching.

Position Opening in Indy

Meaningful Day Services, Inc. is seeking a Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist to provide home and community-based services to individuals throughout the lifespan through the Indiana Medicaid Waiver and First Steps Early Intervention program.

Positions:
Indianapolis: Full-time and Part-time

Eligibility:
Must be credentialed (CTRS) through NCTRC (we may hire in advance, providing other temporary work opportunities for new graduates waiting to take the certification exam)
Valid Driver's license.
Preferred experience with MRDD population and child development

Job Description:
Our therapists conduct standardized assessments for each client, attend interdisplinary team meetings, develop and implement treatment plans and interventions based on assessed need, educate families and caregivers on TR processes and techniques, and document measurable client progress on a quarterly basis. Typical full-time caseload is 18-28 clients, each client generally seen 1 time per week. Duration of therapy sessions is based upon number of Recreation Therapy hours approved by the state within each client's plan. Our Recreational Therapists may also be trained to provide Developmental Therapy for infants and toddlers.

Benefits:

Base rate ranges from $18 - $30/hour
Paid trainings for First Steps credentialling
401K
Medical Insurance
Moving cost assistance for out-of-state hires
One paid conference annually
Company sponsered CEU's
Stipend for therapy supplies
Paid travel time
Flexible hours
Opportunities for professional growth (Mentoring; Project Management)

To apply, please visit our website at www.meaningfuldays.com.

Mandy D. McQueeney, CTRS
Director of Recreational Therapy
Meaningful Day Services, Inc.
www.meaningfuldays.com

Tuesday, June 02, 2009

Thanks to IU Library for RTV Streaming!

This is to thank and acknowledge those at the Indiana University Library who are responsible for making the RTV videos available via streaming. Particularly to be thanked are Julie Bobay and Jennifer Laherty.

Julie Bobay is the Associate Dean for Collection Development and Digital Publishing for the IU Library. Jennifer Laherty is an IUScholarWorks Librarian with the IU Library.

IU is know for having one of the best university libraries and one of the best schools of library science. I'm very appreciative that the IU Library has been so supportive of TR at this time and over the years.

Thanks so much Julie and Jennifer!

More Messages Regarding the Streaming of the RTV Videos

Others are excited about the streaming of the RTV videos by the IU Library and heve taken the time to contact me. I've received messages from any number of RT friends including Nancy, Debbi, Mary Ann, Lin, Brad, Don, Deb,John, Pam,Ray,Robin,Sandy, Chuck,Charlie,Jerry, and Anne-Marie. And I've probably overlooked some names.It is great to hear from so many and to learn that they share my excitement about having the entire RTV video collection available to the world via streaming technology.

Instructor’s Guide is Ready!

The Instructor’s Guide for the 6th edition of Therapeutic Recreation Processes and Techniques (Austin, 2009) has been sent to Sagamore Publishing for distribution to faculty who adopt the book.

I believe this version of the Instructor’s Guide is the very best that has ever been prepared for my book. In fact, it may be the most complete instructor’s guide ever to accompany a RT/TR textbook.

The Instructor’s Guide contains an overview of every chapter, along with descriptions of a large number of learning activities and numerous multiple choice questions. In addition, instructors will find essay questions at the end of each chapter in the textbook that may be used as exam questions.

A new feature of the Instructor’s Guide is the use of videos in several learning activities. The videos have never previously been widely available but now may be retrieved through the Indiana University Library which has made the videos available for streaming. The address for the Recreation Therapy Videos (RTV) is https://scholarworks.iu.edu/dspace/handle/2022/3378

I would like to publicly acknowledge and thank my co-authors for the Instructor’s Guide, Professors Youngkhill Lee (Calvin College) and Bryan McCormick (Indiana University). We are very fortunate to have scholars like Youngkhill and Bryan in our profession.

Monday, June 01, 2009

Thanks for Responses Regarding the Streaming of the RTV Videos

Today I have received email messages from a number of individuals who are excited about having the RTV Videos streamed. It was particularly good to hear from two former students and colleagues, Don Rogers and Deb Getz.

Don appeared in a number of the RTV Videos and Deb was my Project Coordinator for the RTV Project. Both made significant contributions to the RTV Project.

MORE GREAT NEWS! All RTV Videos Available

In yesterday's post I evidently left out the colon following http in the address. Thanks to Mike Sutherland for bringing this to my attention. I'll correct that error in yesterday's post.

Most important, I just heard from the IU Library and the main page for the RTV Videos is now up. All 23 videos are listed. Just go to the page and click on the title you want to view.

The address for the RTV Videos is https://scholarworks.iu.edu/dspace/handle/2022/3378

Please try it out and please do comment after you check out the streaming of the RTV videos!