The Impact of CARTE on the CTRS Practitioner

1. The Impact of CARTE on the CTRS Practitioner Teresa Beck PhD, CTRS Cliff Burnham, CTRS Presentation can be retrieved at http://www.gvsu.edu/tr/ Click on Faculty/Staff link and there is a link at the end of Teresa Beck’s profile

2. What is CARTE? • CARTE stands for Committee on Accreditation of Recreational Therapy Education • Initiative started by the North Carolina Recreational Therapy Association (NCRTA) in 2008 to investigate the feasibility of an academic accreditation program for recreational therapy in NC. • NCRTA decided to investigate academic accreditation because of the significant professional need and because the state has nine (9) colleges/universities with degrees/options in RT/TR, four with specific degrees in recreational therapy • In January 2010, the American Therapeutic Recreation Association (ATRA) completed a comprehensive review of accreditation options for the profession. • The ATRA Board reviewed the working documents of CAAHEP - CARTE and reviewed the NRPA/COAPRT approach. • The ATRA Board voted to support CAAHEP as a national accreditation mechanism for recreational therapy education.

3. Mission of CARTE • The mission of CARTE is to promote the highest levels of professional competence of recreational therapists through: • the development and promotion of professional preparation standards reflecting the current needs of consumers and practice environments; • the encouragement of excellence in educational program development; and • the accreditation of recreational therapy professional preparation programs.

4. What is CAAHEP? • CAAHEP stands for Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs • CAAHEP is a programmatic postsecondary accrediting agency recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) • carries out accreditation activities in cooperation with 18 review committees (Committees on Accreditation) with CARTE being one of the review committees • CAAHEP currently accredits over 2100 entry level education programs in 22 health science professions http://www.caahep.org/Content.aspx?ID=63

5. A Comparison • CARTE Accreditation of an RT program in Higher Education is similar to a health care agency going for CARF (Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities) accreditation or a hospital going for Joint Commission accreditation

6. What is Accreditation in Higher Education • The goal of accreditation is to ensure that education provided by institutions of higher education meet acceptable levels of quality • Two levels of Accreditation in Higher Education • Institutional • normally applies to an entire institution, indicating that each of an institution's parts is contributing to the achievement of the institution's objectives, although not necessarily all at the same level of quality. Examples of institutional regional accrediting bodies are: • North Central Association of Colleges and Schools, The Higher Learning Commission • Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, Commission on Colleges • Middle States Commission on Higher Education • New England Association of Schools and Colleges, Commission on Institutions of Higher Education • Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities • Western Association of Schools and Colleges, Accrediting Commission for Senior Colleges and Universities US Department of Education: http://www2.ed.gov/admins/finaid/accred/index.html

7. What is Accreditation in Higher Education (continued) • Specialized or programmatic • Typically applies to programs, departments, or schools that are parts of an institution • Most of the specialized or programmatic accrediting agencies review units within an institution of higher education that is accredited by one of the regional accrediting agencies • CAAHEP/CARTE is specialized/programmatic accreditation U.S. Department of Education: http://www2.ed.gov/admins/finaid/accred/index.html

8. A Process and A Status • A process of reviewing institutions/programs to judge their educational quality (how well are they are serving students and society) • The result of the process, if successful, the status of “accredited” is awarded to the institution or program • The Value of Higher Education Accreditation (2010). CHEA

9. Accreditation Benefits Students • Students can have confidence that a degree or credential has value • Encourages confidence that the educational activities of an accredited program have been found to be satisfactory • Signals to prospective employers that a student’s educational program has met widely accepted standards • The Value of Accreditation. (June 2010). Council for Higher Education Accreditation

10. Accreditation Benefits the Public • Confirms that the public presentation of an educational program, student services and graduate accomplishments is fair and accurate • Promotes accountability through ongoing external evaluation of the program with a finding that there is compliance with general expectations of a professional field as reflected in the accreditation standards • Identifies programs that have voluntarily undertaken explicit activities directed at improving the quality of the program and carrying them out successfully • The Value of Accreditation. (June 2010). Council for Higher Education Accreditation

11. Steps in the Accreditation Process • Standards: The accrediting agency, in collaboration with educational institutions, establishes standards. • Self-study: The institution or program seeking accreditation prepares an in-depth self-evaluation study that measures its performance against the standards established by the accrediting agency. • On-site Evaluation: A team selected by the accrediting agency visits the institution or program to determine first-hand if the applicant meets the established standards. • Publication: Upon being satisfied that the applicant meets its standards, the accrediting agency grants accreditation or preaccreditation status and lists the institution or program in an official publication with other similarly accredited or preaccredited institutions or programs. • Monitoring: The accrediting agency monitors each accredited institution or program throughout the period of accreditation granted to verify that it continues to meet the agency's standards. • Reevaluation: The accrediting agency periodically reevaluates each institution or program that it lists to ascertain whether continuation of its accredited or preaccredited status is warranted. • U.S. Department of Education: http://www2.ed.gov/admins/finaid/accred/index.html

12. The New Workforce • Over the next 20 years, America will have a demand for increasing the output and quality of its education and workforce preparation systems • Our country faces a future of slow population growth, and fewer young entry level workers, resulting in a smaller percentage of its population available for its workforce • This means more employment and career options for its participants • Workforce will also be expected to meet the skill demands of a rapidly growing global economy • The economy continues to define what basic, academic, and technical education preparation will be needed in the future • Jones, R. T. (2013). The New American Workforce: Challenges and Opportunities for Higher Education. Education Workforce Policy, LLC. http://www.educationworkforcepolicy.com/papers.html

13. New Workforce (continued) • Every worker (unskilled to PhD) is subject to increasingly uncontrollable changes in their work environment • Employers are requiring higher basic, academic, and technical skills, measured competencies, adaptive learning, critical thinking, teamwork, etc. • Recent studies suggest: • 78% of employers are very concerned with the fact that over 40% of the workforce is scheduled to retire in the next 5 years • 68% are concerned with loss of skills with the changing demographics of the entering workforce • 40% say college graduates are not prepared for entry level work • 60% say college graduates are not prepared for advancement Jones, R. T. (2013). The New American Workforce: Challenges and Opportunities for Higher Education. Education Workforce Policy, LLC. http://www.educationworkforcepolicy.com/papers.html

14. Public Policy and Higher Education • At the Federal level, policy trends are reflective of the public’s growing awareness of the changing expectations in the work force • One of these trends is for more accountability in Higher Education in the areas of : • Outcomes • Curriculum • Graduation rates • Costs • Accreditation • These are all a growing requirement for post-secondary education • Jones, R. T. (2013). The New American Workforce: Challenges and Opportunities for Higher Education. Education Workforce Policy, LLC. http://www.educationworkforcepolicy.com/papers.html

15. Public Policy and Higher Education (continued) • One of the challenges for higher education is to develop a series of strategic alliances with groups external to the university • Both employers and educators are looking toward developing partnerships in developing the definition of new skills and competencies, the related curriculum, the required assessments, and the resulting credential • This system opens up the pipeline for skilled workers and provides a communication system for internships, work based learning, and ultimate support for placement of graduates within the industry • Forming strategic alliances with professional organizations and accreditors ensures alignment of curricula and outcome standards • Jones, R. T. (2013). The New American Workforce: Challenges and Opportunities for Higher Education. Education Workforce Policy, LLC. http://www.educationworkforcepolicy.com/papers.html

16. Employers Assess the Potential Value of High Impact Educational Practices • 84% Expect students to complete a significant project before graduation that demonstrates their depth of knowledge in their major AND their acquisition of analytical, problem solving and communications skills • 81% Expect students to complete an internship or community based field project to connect classroom learning with real-world experiences • 81 % Ensure that students develop the skills to research questions in their field and develop evidence-based analyses • 73% Expect students to work through ethical issues and debates to form their own judgments about the issues at stake • LEAP: What Employers Want. The Humanities Institute http://humanitiesinstitute.wfu.edu/leap-what-employers-want

17. Employers’ Top Priorities for Student Learning Outcomes in College • Effective Oral/Written Communication • Critical Thinking/Analytical Reasoning • Knowledge/skills applied to real world settings • Analyze/solve complex problems • Connect choices and actions to ethical decisions • Teamwork skills/Ability to collaborate • Ability to innovate and be creative • Concepts/developments in science/technology • LEAP: What Employers Want. The Humanities Institute http://humanitiesinstitute.wfu.edu/leap-what-employers-want • Dunn, L. (2012). 4 Must-Have Traits for Hospital Employees in a Value Based World

18. Employers and Accreditation • The concern of employers is that their new employees have a “high” quality” education has resulted in the specialized accrediting organizations (especially true where certification/licensure is required to practice) • Have interest in accreditation in three areas: • Institutions • Academic Programs • Individual Graduates • Jones, D. (2002). Different Perspectives on Information about Educational Quality: Implications for the Role of Accreditation. CHEA Occasional Paper. Council for Higher Education Accreditation

19. Accreditation / Institutions • Employers tend to focus solely on institutional reputation • Assurance that the institution is a credible source of new employees with solid cognitive abilities and the right combination of attitudes and values Jones, D. (2002). Different Perspectives on Information about Educational Quality: Implications for the Role of Accreditation. CHEA Occasional Paper. Council for Higher Education Accreditation

20. Accreditation / Academic Programs • Employers tend to focus on three things • Capacity • Overall reputation • Nature of its faculty • Nature of its curriculum • Good practice • Co-ops, Internships, Service Learning • How responsive are faculty to the needs of the employer • Outcomes • # of graduates • Placement information • Pass rates on certification/licensure • Anything that allows comparison between programs • Jones, D. (2002). Different Perspectives on Information about Educational Quality: Implications for the Role of Accreditation. CHEA Occasional Paper. Council for Higher Education Accreditation

21. Accreditation/ Individual Graduates • Employers in this area focused exclusively on outcomes: • Knowledge, skill, and abilities • Certification/Licensure • Demonstrated ability to apply knowledge in the workplace setting • Jones, D. (2002). Different Perspectives on Information about Educational Quality: Implications for the Role of Accreditation. CHEA Occasional Paper. Council for Higher Education Accreditation

22. CARTE Standards Areas • Program Goals • Must regularly assess • Must have minimal expectations in knowledge, skills and abilities • Adequate Resources • Clerical, finances, classroom, laboratories, computer resources etc. • Adequate personnel • Faculty and staff • Qualifications and certifications/licensure

23. CARTE Standards Areas • Student and Graduate Evaluation/Assessments • Student evaluation • Outcomes Assessment (must meet thresholds as designated standards) • Retention Rates • Credential Exam pass rate • Graduate Satisfaction • Clinical Supervisor Evaluation of Intern • Clinical Intern Competency Self-assessment • Required Content Areas covered • Required Knowledge and Skill competencies • Requires Support Content Areas • Positive Placement (graduate school or employed full/part time in a related field or continuing in education or serving the military

24. CARTE Standards Areas • Fair Practices • Publications, academic calendars • Lawful and non-discriminatory practices • Safeguards (health and safety) • Student records

25. CARTE Standards Areas • Curriculum Content • Foundations of Professional Practice • 23 standards • Individualized Patient/Client Assessment • 15 standards • Planning Treatment/Programs • 10 standards • Implementing Treatment/Programs • 15 standards • Evaluating Treatment Programs • 6 standards • Managing Recreational Therapy Practice • 16 standards

26. CARTE Standards Areas • Supportive Coursework • Anatomy, Physiology, Analysis of Movement/Biomechanics • 6 Standards • Human Growth and Development • 5 Standards • Psychology, Cognitive/Educational, and Abnormal • 13 Standards • Disabling Condition • 4 Standards

27. CARTE Standards Areas (continued) • Other suggested supportive coursework • Motor Learning • Counseling, Group Dynamics, Leadership • First Aid and Safety • Pharmacology • Health Care Organizations/Legal Aspects of Health Care • Recreation and Leisure • Clinical Experience • 3 Standards • Use of CARTE’s Clinical Performance Appraisal Summary Form • Interns use the Competency Self-Assessment Detail Form

28. The Value of CARTE to Employers and Internship Supervisors • Quality professional preparation in recreational therapy education • Advocacy for quality professional preparation in recreational therapy education • Focus on competency/outcome driven education • Responsive to the profession • Responsive to changes in the practice environment • Relevant professional standards • Integration of practitioner feedback regarding changing practices/service delivery • Monitor the performance of CARTE accredited recreational therapy programs • Identification of trends in parallel allied health accreditation bodies • Diverse committee membership (International representation, practitioners, students, faculty, administration, consumers of TR service)

29. QUESTIONS

30. REFERENCES • Dunn, L. (2012). 4 Must-Have Traits for Hospital Employees in a Value-Based World. Becker’s Hospital Review http://www.beckershospitalreview.com/hospital-management-administration/4-must-have-traits-for-hospital-employees-in-a-value-based-world.html • Jones, D. (2002). Different Perspectives on Information about Educational Quality: Implications for the Role of Accreditation. CHEA Occasional Paper. Council for Higher Education Accreditation. • Jones, R. T. (2013). The New American Workforce: Challenges and Opportunities for Higher Education. Education Workforce Policy, LLC. http://www.educationworkforcepolicy.com/papers.html • LEAP: What Employers Want. The Humanities Institute http://humanitiesinstitute.wfu.edu/leap-what-employers-want • Standards and Guidelines for the Accreditation of Educational Programs in Recreational Therapy. CAAHEP • The Value of Accreditation (June, 2010). Council for Higher Education Accreditation • U.S. Department of Education. http://www2.ed.gov/admins/finaid/accred/index.html