Fred Humphrey Internship Program

(12-2-97) The National Therapeutic Recreation Society (NTRS) offers the Fred Humphrey Internship Program each year to a therapeutic recreation graduate student.

The intern works at the National Recreation and Park Association's (NRPA) Public Policy Division office in Washington, DC and the NRPA Ahren's Institute in Ashburn, Virginia.  Working closely with the NTRS Executive Director, the intern monitors public policy and legislative efforts in the areas of health care and human services and issues related to aging and persons with disabilities.  Involvement with national legislative coalitions, attendance at briefings and hearings on Capitol Hill, and preparation of testimony and action alerts are examples of the responsibilities of the position.

The internship is scheduled to begin in January, 1998 and continue through April, 1998.  The deadline for applications has been extended to December 12, 1997.  If you know of a student who might be interested in this opportunity, please have them contact Rikki Epstein, Executive Director, NTRS, at (703) 858-2151, fax (703) 858-0794, or e-mail:  <NTRSNRPA@aol.com>.  Feel free to contact me if I can provide additional information or fax a brochure that describes the internship opportunity, criteria and application.

Thanks in advance for any assistance that you can provide in identifying prospective candidates for this internship opportunity.

Take care,

by U.S. Department of Education at KidSource

(11-4-97)

• June3 Make a poster of summer safety tips with your child.
• June 4 Share family history, photos with your child.
• June 5 Watch an educational television show with your child

This an many other activities are suggested for each day of the summer.

by Cindy Ware at KidSource

(11-4-97) Work side by side with a microbiologist 8 hours a day. Collaborate with playwrights and directors to produce a new play. Learn to fly a small plane. Be immersed in the world of music. Be a writer 12 hours a day, creating short stories, poems, essays, or a weekly newspaper.

by David Fernie at KidSource

(11-4-97) In play, children expand their understanding of themselves and others, their knowledge of the physical world, and their ability to communicate with peers and adults. This digest discusses children's play and its relationship to developmental growth from infancy to middle childhood. The digest also suggests ways in which educators and other adults can support children's play.

by Merrill Meadow at KidSource

(11-4-97) The authors believe it is important for athletes, coaches and parents to understand the full extent of the dangers and effects of drugs in sports.

by National Institute on Drug Abuse at KidSource

(11-4-97) An informative brochure for teenagers about the effects of marijuana. It includes a list of questions and answers such as "Does marijuana affect school, sports, or other activities?" and "How can you tell if someone has been using marijuana?"

by National Eating Disorders Organization at KidSource

(11-4-97) For anorexia nervosa, the age of onset varies, though symptoms usually appear in early-to-middle adolescence. For bulimia nervosa, the symptoms usually appear during late adolescence. This article provides a list of physical problems associated with eating disorders and contains information on how to help a person who exhibits these disorders.

by United States Consumer Product Safety Commission at KidSource

(11-4-97) On November 18,1988, the President-signed into law the Labeling of Hazardous Art Materials Act (Public Law 100-695). This law requires that all art materials be reviewed to determine the potential for causing a chronic hazard and that appropriate warning labels be put on those art materials found to pose a chronic hazard. The law applies to many children's toy products such as crayons, chalk, paint sets, modeling clay, coloring books, pencils, and any other products used by children to produce a work of visual or graphic art.

by American Academy of Opthalmology at KidSource

(11-4-97) A study in the May issue of Ophthalmology warns that water balloons launched by slingshots can inflict vision and life-threatening injuries. With maximum forces similar to those of rifle bullets, water balloon projectiles can perforate a cornea, rupture an eye globe, and/or fracture the bony orbit of an eye.

This article is from the Pushin' On Newsletter, Vol 15[1], Winter, 1997

(10-19-97) There are a number of organizations that train service dogs or provide training for individuals to use their own dogs. You want to do your research to find the program that best suits your needs and provides the type of training you feel most comfortable with. [See list at end of article].

Submitted by Bob Winslow

(10-11-97) NEWS FLASH!!!! SB 1347, the California RT Title Protection Bill was signed by Governor Wilson last week. It is now an official law on the books in California.

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Submitted by Jen Piatt

(9-30-97) As far as I know as of today's date, the bill has not been signed by the govenor in California. He has until the 12th of October to sign it. The bill SB 1347 (Polanco) has to deal with title protection for recreation therapists. This law will establish a legal mechanism that will allow the profession to police itself against frauduent advertisement and provision of recreation therapy services. The bill reads as follows:

"Section 17505.2 (a) It is unlawful for a person to represent himself or herself as a recreation therapist, to represent the services he or she performs as recreation therapy.....unless he or she meets all of the following requirements:

(1) Graduation from an accredited college...with a specialization in recreation therapy.....

(2) Current certification or eligibility for certification as a recreation therapist.....

(e) Any person injured by a violation of this section may bring a civil action and may recover one thousand five hundred dollars for the first violation and two thousand five hundred dollars for each subsequent violation....."

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Lora Serra, MA, CTRS, NTRS representative to the HCFA "Sharing Innovations in Quality" project.

(8/16/97) NTRS has been invited to participate in the Health Care Finance Administration's (HCFA) new project, "Sharing Innovations in Quality". This new initiative is a result of recommendations made at HCFA's 1996 Quality of Life Symposium, suggestions obtained through a recent HCFA poll of ombudsmen, and supports Task IX of the Long Term Survey Process, which directs HCFA to work with the States and stakeholders to develop materials for use in improving care to beneficiaries in nursing homes.

I am very pleased to have been requested by Lisa Turpel and Rikki Epstien to represent NTRS on this project. The inclusion of Therapeutic Recreation in this project is a milestone for us in terms of recognition of the contribution of our profession to quality of life of residents in Long Term Care. In addition to NTRS, ATRA and the National Association of Activity Professionals (NAAP) will participate. I am sure you will all join us in celebrating this exciting moment in the development of our profession, and in thanks to all of our members whose years of lobbying and advocacy has made this possible. A description of the project, and request for member participation follows.

HCFA has invited representatives from a broad base of concerned parties to participate in developing a repository of Quality Practice Ideas in Long Term Care. Other organizations represented include: NY State Department of Health, NJ Department of Health and Senior Services, American College of Health Care Administrators (ACHCA), American Association of Homes and Services for the Aging (AAHSA), American Society of Consultant Pharmacists (ASCP), National Association of State LTC Ombudsman Programs (NASOP), National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare (NCPSSM), American Health Care Association (AHCA), American Medical Directors Association (AMDA), , National Senior Citizens Law Center (NSCLC), National Association of Social Workers (NASW), National Association of Directors of Nursing Administration (NADONA), Hospice Association of America, National Hospice Organization, Catholic Health Association (CHA), American Dietetic Association (ADA), National Citizens Coalition for Nursing Home Reform (NCCNHR), American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME), Career Nursing Assistants Program (CNAP), American Association of Retired Persons (AARP), Service Employees International Union, and the Alzheimer's Association.

The Health Care Finance Administration (HCFA) kicked off its new project, "Sharing Innovations in Quality", with a teleconference on July 23, 1997.

This will be followed by a two-day meeting in Washington on September 29th and 30th. The goal of the project is to gather best practices and innovative ideas in quality of care and quality of life and make them available to all nursing homes.

The types of materials being sought include established practices, innovative ideas that have been formally tested, and innovative ideas that are demonstrating effectiveness in use but have not been formally tested.

On August 2, a request for sharing ideas was sent to Nursing Home Administrators, by Evie Munley, at AAHSA, as part of the project. You can also forward materials, or any questions or suggestions you may have, directly to me, for submission. I can be contacted at:

Lora Serra, MA, CTRS
Director, Therapeutic Recreation,
Samuel and Bertha Schulman Institute
for Nursing and Rehabilitation at the
Brookdale University Hospital and Medical Center,
555 Rockaway Parkway
Brooklyn, New York, 11212
(718) 240 - 5104
e-mail: LSerra@compuserve.com

Established practices may be in the form of pamphlets, books, chapters of books, or videos. To submit established practices, the committee is requesting a copy of the actual document, plus an abstract. In writing the abstract, assume that the reader knows nothing about the topic. Availability and cost of the item should be included.

For innovative ideas that have been tested, the committee is requesting submission of actual materials, a summary of content, information about test measurement, results, and replication of ideas.

For innovative ideas that have not been tested, include a submission of actual material, a summary of content, and a description of observable outcomes that demonstrate effectiveness at your facility.

At the September meeting, submissions will be reviewed for inclusion in the repository. We will also be looking at ways to disseminate ideas collected, ways to house the repository and effective means of sharing information collected with all nursing homes. Please share any ideas you have in this area as well.

by Alison Pedlar at the Therapeutic Editorial Library

(8-20-97) Recreation in institutional settings has come to be recognized as particularly helpful in the rehabilitation and recovery process. In addition it also provides a vehicle for enhancing people's general sense of well being, therapeutic recreation has proven to be a vital component of treatment.

Submitted by: Pat Schmidt, NCRPS- TR Division

(7-13-97) Issue: Ensuring access on a nation level to alternative physicians and therapies.

Summary: The Access to Medical Treatment Act (AMTA)allows individuals to be treated by a health care practioner with any medical treatment (including a medical treatment not approved, certified or licensed by the Secretary of Health and Human Services) that the individual desires if: (a) the practitioner has personally examined the individual and agrees to treat the individual, (b) administration of treatment does not violate licensing laws, (c) the treatment, when used as directed, presents no danger to the individual, (d) the individual has been informed in writing that the treatment has not yet been approved by the federal government, (e) the individual has been warned in writing that the treatment has not yet been declared safe and effective by the federal government and the individual is proceeding at his or her own risk, (f) the individual has been informed in writing of the contents, methods benefits, side effects, past results, and any other information necessary to meet the requirements for informed consent.

Please contact your local Senators & Representatives, either via e-mail or letter, as voting on this issue is being pushed through sometime in August.

Sample letters:

Senator_________________
The Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, DC  20510

Dear Senator__________

I urge you to support the "Access to Medical Treatment
Act"(S.578).  I  believe it is every American's right to
make a personal choice indeciding  which medical course
of action to take in healing and maintaining one's 
own body.

Please affirm my right to choose by passing this 
legislation.

Signature   _____________________
Name (print)______________________
Address     ___________________________________________

Rep.___________________________
U.S. House of Representatives
Washington, D.C.  20515

Dear Rep._____________________
use same letter as above.
Signature  __________________
Name (print)_________________
Address     __________________________________

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TR Research Funds Available

(7-13-97) NTRS Therapeutic Recreation Research Support Funds are awarded each year to provide seed money and/or partial funding for research projects which investigate the efficacy of therapeutic recreation sevices and lead to scholarly presentations and publications. For information on how you can obtain these funds, contact M. Jean Keller at (817) 565-2233.

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TR Associations on the Web

(7-13-97) Slowly, TR associations around the country are begining to post organizational news and information for their members. The following associations have web sites:

• Cincinnati/Dayton RTA
• Nebraska Association of Recreation Therapists
• New York State TRA
• TR Section of Virginia RPS
• West Virginia TR Association

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by William Bishop at the Therapeutic Editorial Library

(7-7-97) The earliest record of Sport for the Physically Disabled dates back to World War I when it was initiated as a form of treatment, especially among the blind and amputees servicemen.

by Diana Gibson at the Therapeutic Editorial Library

(7-7-97) The changing face of health care is having a dramatic effect on therapeutic recreation (TR) services in physical rehabilitation settings. Nationwide, restructuring and reorganization of physical rehabilitation units is the trend as facilities struggle to increase efficiency without jeopardizing the quality of their health care services.

The Intern-NET Scholarship

(2-5-97) The Intern-NET on the Internet is providing 3 scholarships annually to any full-time undergraduate who is planning to participate in a full-time academic internship (for university/college credit) at any internship agency listed on Intern-NET. For information on the scholarship program write Intern-NET, 404 Shadow Lane, State College, PA 16803. ATTENTION: Scholarship

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A Report of the Surgeon General: Physical Activity and Health, The Link Between Physical Activity and Morbidity and Mortality

at NRPA Home Page

(2-4-97) Regular physical activity that is performed on most days of the week reduces the risk of developing or dying from some of the leading causes of illness and death in the United States........Regular physical activity improves health in the following ways:

• Reduces the risk of dying prematurely from heart disease.
• Reduces the risk of developing diabetes.
• Reduces the risk of developing high blood pressure.
• Reduces feelings of depression and anxiety.

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A REPORT OF THE SURGEON GENERAL: PHYSICAL ACTIVITY AND HEALTH, ADULTS

at NRPA Home Page

• (2-4-97) More than 60 percent of U.S. adults do not engage in the recommended amount of activity.

• Approximately 25 percent of U.S. adults are not active at all.

• Physical inactivity is more common among: Women than men, African American and Hispanic adults than whites, Older than younger adults, and Less affluent than more affluent people.

• Social support from family and friends has been consistently and positively related to regular physical activity.

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A REPORT OF THE SURGEON GENERAL PHYSICAL ACTIVITY AND HEALTH: ADOLESCENTS & YOUNG ADULTS

at NRPA Home Page

(2-4-97)

• Nearly half of American youths aged 12-21 years are not vigorously active on a regular basis.
• About 14 percent of young people report no recent physical activity. Inactivity is more common among females (14%) than males (7%) and among black females (21%) than white females (12%).
• Participation in all types of physical activity declines strikingly as age or grade in school increases.
• Only 19 percent of all high school students are physically active for 20 minutes or more, five days a week, in physical education classes.
• Daily enrollment in physical education classes dropped from 42 percent to 25 percent among high school students between 1991 and 1995.

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A REPORT OF THE SURGEON GENERAL PHYSICAL ACTIVITY AND HEALTH: PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES

at NRPA Home Page

(2-4-97) FACTS:

• People with disabilities are less likely to engage in regular moderate physical activity than people without disabilities, yet they have similar needs to promote their health and prevent unnecessary disease.
• Social support from family and friends has been consistently and positively related to regular physical activity.

Significant health benefits can be obtained with a moderate amount of physical activity, preferably daily. The same moderate amount of activity can be obtained in longer sessions of moderately intense activities (such as 3040 minutes of wheeling oneself in a wheelchair) or in shorter sessions of more strenuous activities (such as 20 minutes of wheelchair basketball).

Additional health benefits can be gained through greater amounts of physical activity. People who can maintain a regular routine of physical activity that is of longer duration or of greater intensity are likely to derive greater benefit.

PLAY: 9 Ways to Get More Out of Life!

"We do not cease playing because we are old; we grow old because we cease playing."

by Joseph Lee at NRPA Home Page

(2-4-97) Want to get more out of life. Would you be interested in having more fun and finding more pleasure and enjoyment for yourself? It's time for play in the life of American adults. Play and recreation are good for everyone, including adults.

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VIDEO MOVIE THERAPY

An Overview of a New Art Therapy

Dr. Gaetano Giordano, Rome, Italy at Mental Health Net

(1-29-97) V.M.T leads each participant to play his own "character" and create an interaction with the group, a story based on himself. In other words, everybody plays, with humor, a sort of caricature he 'is' in real life. This improvisation requires one's psycho/logical 'knots' (i.e: "psycho" as they are logical, but "logical" because they are "psycho" - and therefore "knots"!) to be perceived in a relative way, becoming transformed into both a source of humor and the 'creation of a creation' (i.e. Escher's 'hands'), and not into an objective pathology.

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NCTRC Accepts Alternative Source of CEU

(1-10-97) The National Council for Therapeutic Recreation Certification (NCTRC) will now accept ATRA Annual in Therapeutic Recreation and other delivery sources for continuing education. Contact NCTRC for complete details on what DEU delivery sources will be accepted.

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Laughter as Therapy: The Results are Excellent

at Carolina Health and Humor Association

(1-8-97) Humor is a perspective that enables one to view stress and pain with a softer edge. Though not an immediate cure for trauma, chronic illness, or emotional difficulty, humor can be a therapeutic tool.

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NATIONAL AMBUCS SCHOLARSHIP FOR THERAPISTS

(1-8-97) Scholarships are available for recreation therapy students by AMBUCS. To qualify for the scholarship you must meet the following criteria...

1. A US citizen.

2. Demonstrates financial need.

3. Have a minimum GPA of 3.0 4

4. At least a junior in college or higher.

5. Be enrolled in an accredited program in one of the following disciplines:

Physical therapy, Occupational therapy, Speech/Hearing therapy, Music therapy, Therapeutic Recreation

To receive a scholarship application send a #10, self-addressed, postage paid envelope to:

AMBUCS Resource Center 
PO Box 5127
High Point, NC 27262

Scholarship grants vary between $500 and $1,500 annually. There is one, two year award in the amount of $6,000. Applications are mailed in December and must be returned by April 15.

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EXERCISE: THE THIRTY MINUTES A DAY MIRACLE.

by Herb Denenberg of WCAU, Channel 10, Philadelphia

(1-8-97) Here's an easy way to substantially reduce your risk of developing or dying from heart disease, diabetes, colon cancer, and high blood pressure. It will take only a half an hour a day, and may not only save your health and life, but can do more. It will improve your mental health, promote psychological well-being, and help protect the health of your muscles, bones and joints.

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THE JOKE CALLED MEDICAL ETHICS

by Herb Denenberg of WCAU, Channel 10, Philadelphia

(1-8-97) George Bernard Shaw said it best when he said, "A profession is a conspiracy against the public interest." He was thinking about doctors, dentists, lawyers and others. And the wisdom of his words was demonstrated once again when the Federal Government recently decided that so-called "gag rules" in health maintenance organization (HMO) contracts are illegal.

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