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Bill to license therapeutic recreation specialists fails after concerns from health department
Summary
House Bill 12-18, which would create state licensure for therapeutic recreation specialists (CTRS), failed in committee after Department of Health opposition and a recorded vote; proponents said licensure protects vulnerable clients and cited low expected administrative costs.
House Bill 12-18, a measure to create licensure and a regulatory board for therapeutic recreation specialists, failed to pass the committee following debate and public testimony.
Proponents — certified therapeutic recreation specialists and an academic program director — said the profession serves vulnerable populations in hospitals, rehabilitation, veterans' services and community recreation programs and argued state licensure provides consumer protection and disciplinary authority beyond national certification. They cited comparators in other states with few administrative staff overseeing hundreds of licensees.
Opposition came from the Arkansas Department of Health, which registered opposition during testimony; committee members asked for more detail on scope of practice language and whether regulatory language belonged under the department. After discussion the committee voted on the motion to pass and the motion failed.
