S.B. 235: COMMITTEE SUMMARY - THERAPEUTIC RECREATION SPECIALISTS
Senate Bill 235 (as introduced 2-27-97)
Sponsor: Senator Joanne G. Emmons
Committee: Economic Development, International Trade and Regulatory Affairs
CONTENT
The bill would amend the Public Health Code to provide for the registration of therapeutic recreation specialists. The bill would do the following:
-- Establish a $20 application processing fee and a $60 annual registration fee.
-- Create the Michigan Board of Recreational Therapy.
-- Incorporate professional standards for the Board's guidance.
-- Require applicants to pass an examination and meet educational requirements for registration.
The bill would define "therapeutic recreation specialist" as an individual who provided therapeutic recreation services and was registered under the Code. "Therapeutic recreation" or "recreation therapy" would mean the provision of treatment services and recreation services to individuals with illnesses and disabling conditions. Therapeutic recreation would include individualized assessment to collect systemic, comprehensive, and accurate information necessary to determine and implement treatment services; the evaluation and revision of treatment services; and the development of a discharge plan relative to treatment services.
"Treatment services" would mean services designed to restore, remediate, or rehabilitate to improve functioning and independence as well as to reduce or eliminate the effects of illness or disability through treatment intervention. "Recreation services" would mean the specific use of services designed to provide resources and opportunities to improve health and well-being through recreation intervention.
The bill would create the Michigan Board of Recreational Therapy in the Department of Consumer and Industry Services (DCIS). The Board would consist of the following five voting members: three registered recreation therapeutic specialists and two public members. The registered specialists also would have to meet additional Code requirements concerning national certification or approval and/or active practice or teaching in the profession (MCL 333.16135(2)).
For guidance in any action by the Board, the bill would incorporate by reference the professional standards entitled, "Standards for the Practice of Therapeutic Recreation" issued by the American Therapeutic Recreation Association and published in 1992. The Board could amend or supplement the standards by promulgating a rule.
The DCIS would have to issue a registration to an individual who applied to the Department on a form provided by the DCIS; passed an examination accepted by the Board; was of good moral character; fulfilled the educational requirements described in the bill; and met any other requirements established in rules promulgated by the Board. The DCIS would have to issue a registration without examination to an individual who met the remaining requirements and who applied for registration within one year after the bill's effective date.
An individual could satisfy the educational requirements by obtaining at least a baccalaureate degree from an institution of higher education acceptable to the Board with a major in therapeutic recreation or a major in recreation with an option in therapeutic recreation. The degree would have to include at least the following:
-- Eighteen semester hours of recreation with at least nine semester hours in therapeutic recreation.
-- Eighteen semester hours including three semester hours involving each of the following, with the remaining nine hours involving courses considered human services: anatomy and physiology; abnormal psychology; and human growth and development.
Alternatively, an individual could satisfy the educational requirements by completing at least all of the following:
-- Eighteen semester hours of upper division or graduate level therapeutic and general recreation with at least nine semester hours in therapeutic recreation and three semester hours involving each of the following: anatomy and physiology; abnormal psychology; and human growth and development.
-- Twenty-four semester hours involving any three of the following subject matter areas: adaptive physical education; biological or physical sciences related to therapeutic recreation; human services; psychology; sociology; or special education.
An individual fulfilling the alternative educational requirements would have to present proof acceptable to the Board of at least five years of full-time paid experience in a clinical, residential, or community-based therapeutic recreation program.
MCL 333.16131 et al. - Legislative Analyst: S. Margules
FISCAL IMPACT
The Department of Consumer and Industry Services estimates that the creation of this new license category would cost the Department approximately $80,000 to $100,000 to create and develop the associated programs that are required of this type of regulation, such as inspections and administrative support services. Once the programs were established, the revenue generated by licensing fees would be set at a level to offset the administrative costs incurred by the Department.
- Fiscal Analyst: M. Tyszkiewicz
S9798\S235SA
This analysis was prepared by nonpartisan Senate staff for use by the Senate in its deliberations and does not constitute an official statement of legislative intent.