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Congratulations to all TRO members who have recently obtained their registration designation!

What is the Registration (R/TRO, R/TRO DIP) Designation?

The Registration designation demonstrates excellence in the field of Therapeutic Recreation (TR). R/TRO is the designation for degree-prepared practitioners, and R/TRO DIP is for diploma-prepared practitioners. Registered Professional TRO members have demonstrated a minimum standard in TR experience, formal education, professional affiliations, and professional contributions.

The Registration Maintenance (Ongoing Professional Contribution) process demonstrates accountability to the Therapeutic Recreation profession in the province of Ontario through continuing with professional contributions after receiving the Registration designation. The maintenance program requires that every five years, R/TRO and R/TRO DIP designation holders must renew their Registration by providing proof of continued learning. This proof is obtained by collecting a minimum 25 professional contribution points within that timeframe.

Advocating for the Registration (R/TRO & R/TRO DIP) Designation

Why Become Registered with TRO?

Why Hire Registered TRO Professionals?

Letter to Employers 2014

Employer Briefing Letter 2015 - A briefing note was created to educate employers about the addition of the R/TRO DIP designation (effective September 2015), promote our careers section of the website, and define the difference between R/TRO and R/TRO DIP.

Briefing Note to Employers announcing Scope of Practice (2016) -A letter for employers outlining the Scope of Practice and the benefits of hiring a TR practitioner who is a Registered Professional member of TRO (R/TRO, R/TRO DIP).

R/TRO Elevator Statement : TRO Members! Have you ever had trouble explaining the importance of RTRO to others? Do you want an easy way to describe the purpose of this designation? Now, imagine you had two minutes alone in an elevator and your goal is to explain what R/TRO is and why it is important. The Registration Committee has created an elevator statement to bring to light some important points regarding the R/TRO designation.

Frequently Asked Questions about the R/TRO and R/TRO DIP Designation

R/TRO stands for registration with TRO. It is a voluntary credential that indicates you have met a minimum standard of excellence within your Therapeutic Recreation experience, formal education, professional affiliation and professional contributions.  

Yes you do need to be a member of TRO prior to being able to submit your Registration Application package.

In addition to obtaining the minimum points overall and within the other areas of TR experience, professional affiliations and professional contributions, you must obtain a minimum number of points with a variety of education options as per our revised Education Requirements.

Yes you do. You must maintain membership to maintain Registration. Any interruptions to your membership will nullify Registration status.  

 

 

 

Registration with TRO & Certification with NCTRC

FAQs 

Registration (R/TRO or R/TRO DIP) is a designation issued through Therapeutic Recreation Ontario (TRO), a provincial voluntary membership organization. A registered member of TRO has demonstrated that they are a well-rounded practitioner, having met certain criteria in the areas of Therapeutic Recreation (TR) education, TR experience and Professional Contributions, in addition to being an active member in good standing with Therapeutic Recreation Ontario. Only members of TRO can become registered with TRO. Certification (CTRS) is a credential that is issued through the National Council for Therapeutic Recreation Certification (NCTRC), an international credentialing organization. A Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist (CTRS) is a recreational therapist that has passed the national certification exam and met the requirements for training, skills, and knowledge recognized as essential for recreational therapy practice.
To become registered with TRO, there is a formal application process; the applicant must maintain their membership annually with TRO, they must have graduated from an academic institution in a TR program, completing a certain number of TR credits, and supportive coursework credits. In addition, the applicant must have completed a minimum number of hours of practical experience, exercising TRO’s standards of practice. Lastly, the applicant must demonstrate contributions to the profession by earning professional contribution points for activities such as supervising students, attending or presenting at conferences, to name a few. Individuals seeking certification apply to NCTRC and must meet established standards that include education, experience, and continuing professional development. The Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist (CTRS) credential is granted by NCTRC after the specific educational and experiential qualifications are met, eligibility to take the exam is established, and testing is successfully completed.
Both registration and certification are currently voluntary, as there is no legislation in Ontario dictating the minimum hiring standards for recreation therapy professionals. Depending on your academic pathway, your desired employment, and future goals, either registration, certification, or both might be to your advantage. It’s best to educate yourself on the benefits of holding both designations, as well as other factors such as time, financial, additional education investments to determine what will be best for you as a professional working in the field of Therapeutic Recreation (TR). Some TR practitioners choose to pursue both registration and certification.
Currently TRO is not actively pursuing regulation through RHPA. TRO recently met with government representatives to discuss the future of regulation of health care professionals in Ontario. The Ministry has many concerns with the current process and will propose options for new models to the government after June 2018. This could take many forms including a registry, title protection, curriculum standards, umbrella college, or more. As we continue to advocate for the profession to employers and government, and evaluate the best method of standardization for recreation therapy practice and professionals, TRO continues to recommend the registration designation as the minimum hiring criteria in Ontario. In terms of elevating our profession, TRO believes it is important to work towards standard education. In conjunction with TR educators, TRO has developed an Essential Competency Framework that is currently being used across our post-secondary educational institutes to ensure standardization in education. Additionally, the Essential Competency Framework (ECF) will be shared with the Ministry of Advanced Education and Skills Development during their TR diploma and post-graduate certificate program standards review process where we anticipate participating in the consultation process.
Employers in Ontario do not have a minimum hiring standard as dictated by the government. We do, however, see an increasing number of employers preferring candidates who are Registered with TRO and even more requiring membership with TRO. Every hiring facility will have its own hiring standards. A common theme that has been noticed among our members is that hospitals often seek university education as the minimum hiring criteria, whereas long term care centres, or community organizations seek college-prepared practitioners.
R/TRO is for degree-prepared practitioners and R/TRO DIP is for diploma-prepared practitioners.
To maintain your registration with TRO, you must demonstrate ongoing education in TR over the course of 5 years. Every 5 years you will be required to collect professional contribution points These can be earned through education opportunities, supervising students, taking courses, or facilitating learning opportunities. You must also maintain your membership in good standing with TRO by submitting your membership renewal and membership fee annually, as well as the $25 maintenance fee to renew your designation every five years. To maintain your CTRS certification, you must earn a minimum of 50 hours of continuing education, related to the NCTRC Job Task Analysis. You are also required to submit an annual maintenance application and fee each year of the 5-year cycle.

 

For more information about certification with the National Council for Therapeutic Recreation Certification (NCTRC), please visit: www.nctrc.org