ATRA Code of Ethics (1990)
American
Therapeutic Recreation Association
Current
Code of Ethics
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Code of Ethics (1990)
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Therapeutic
Recreation is the provision of treatment services and the
provision of recreation services to persons with illnesses
or disabling conditions. The primary purposes of treatment
services which are often referred to as Recreational Therapy,
are to restore, remediate or rehabilitate in order to improve
functioning and independence, as well as reduce or eliminate
the effects of illness or disability. The primary purposes
of recreation services are to provide recreation resources
and opportunities in order to improve health and well-being.
Therapeutic Recreation is provided by professionals who
are trained and certified, registered and/or licensed to
provide Therapeutic Recreation.
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The American
Therapeutic Recreation Association acts as an advocate
for members of the Therapeutic Recreation profession and
consumers. Our objectives include:
- to promote and advance public
awareness and understanding of Therapeutic Recreation
- to develop and promote professional
standards for Therapeutic Recreation
- to advocate the advancement
of Therapeutic Recreation services with education, habilitation,
rehabilitation, and medical treatment of individuals in
need of services
- to support and conduct research
and demonstration efforts to improve service
- to support and conduct educational
opportunities for Therapeutic Recreation professionals.
- PRINCIPLE 1: BENEFICENCE/NON-MALEFICENCE
- Therapeutic Recreation personnel
shall treat persons in an ethical manner not only by respecting
their decisions and protecting them from harm but also
by actively making efforts to secure their well-being.
Personnel strive to maximize possible benefits, and minimize
possible harms. This serves as the guiding principle for
the profession. The term"persons" includes not only persons
served but colleagues, agencies and the profession.
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- PRINCIPLE 2: AUTONOMY
- Therapeutic Recreation personnel
have a duty to preserve and protect the right of each individual
to make his/her own choices. Each individual is to be given
the opportunity to determine his/her own course of action
in accordance with a plan freely chosen.
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- PRINCIPLE 3: JUSTICE
- Therapeutic Recreation personnel
are responsible for ensuring that individuals are served
fairly and that there is equity in the distribution of
services. Individuals receive service without regard to
race, color, creed, sex, age, disability/disease, social
and financial status.
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- PRINCIPLE 4: FIDELITY
- Therapeutic Recreation personnel
have an obligation to be truthful, faithful and meet commitments
made to persons receiving services, colleagues, agencies
and the profession.
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- PRINCIPLE 5: VERACITY/INFORMED
CONSENT
- Therapeutic Recreation personnel
are responsible for providing each individual receiving
service with information regarding the service and the
professional's training and credentials; benefits, outcomes,
length of treatment, expected activities, risks, limitations.
Each individual receiving service has the right to know
what is likely to take place during and as a result of
professional intervention. Informed consent is obtained
when information is provided by the professional.
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- PRINCIPLE 6: CONFIDENTIALITY
AND PRIVACY
- Therapeutic Recreation personnel
are responsible for safeguarding information about individuals
served. individuals served have the right to control information
about themselves. When a situation arises that requires
disclosure of confidential information about an individual
to protect the individual's welfare or the interest of
others, the Therapeutic Recreation professional has the
responsibility/obligation to inform the individual served
of the circumstances in which confidentiality was broken.
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- PRINCIPLE 7: COMPETENCE
- Therapeutic Recreation personnel
have the responsibility to continually seek to expand one's
knowledge base related to Therapeutic Recreation practice.
The professional is responsible for keeping a record of
participation in training activities. The professional
has the responsibility for contributing to changes in the
profession through activities such as research, dissemination
of information through publications and professional presentations,
and through active involvement in professional organizations.
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- PRINCIPLE 8: COMPLIANCE
WITH LAWS AND REGULATIONS
- Therapeutic Recreation personnel
are responsible for complying with local, state and federal
laws and ATRA policies governing the profession of Therapeutic
Recreation.
March 1990
(Special Thanks to Dr. Mary Ann Keogh Hoss, CTRS and Ms. Sharon
Nichols, CTRS.) |