CTRAC promotes ongoing professional growth through structured Continuing Education and Professional Development activities designed to maintain competency, strengthen service delivery, and uphold regulatory and professional standards within therapeutic recreation and activity services.
While both support lifelong learning, Continuing Education and Professional Development differ in scope, review requirements, and instructional structure.
Continuing Education (CTRAC Endorsed Programs)
Continuing Education refers to structured educational programs that are formally reviewed and endorsed by CTRAC. These programs are typically eight (8) hours or longer in duration and represent comprehensive, competency-based instructional experiences.
CTRAC Endorsed Continuing Education programs must:
- Align with one or more areas of the CTRAC Body of Knowledge
- Include structured learning objectives
- Demonstrate measurable instructional outcomes
- Provide verifiable contact hours
- Meet CTRAC educational review standards
CTRAC Endorsement ensures educational quality, consistency, and professional integrity. Endorsed programs are intended to provide in-depth instruction that strengthens applied knowledge, compliance understanding, and service effectiveness.
Professional Development (Short-Format Learning)
Professional Development activities are shorter, topic-specific learning experiences typically ranging from one (1) to two (2) instructional hours. These sessions focus on targeted subject areas designed to enhance specific skills, documentation practices, leadership capacity, clinical techniques, or regulatory knowledge.
Professional Development may include:
- Topic-focused workshops
- Conference breakout sessions
- Webinars
- Skills-based seminars
- Short instructional presentations
Although shorter in duration, professional development activities must remain professionally relevant and aligned with CTRAC competency standards when submitted for recertification consideration.
Recertification & Alignment Standards
All Continuing Education and Professional Development activities submitted toward recertification must:
- Correspond to established CTRAC Body of Knowledge categories
- Provide verifiable documentation of instructional hours
- Demonstrate professional applicability
- Maintain instructional integrity
CTRAC encourages certificate holders to pursue both comprehensive endorsed Continuing Education programs and focused Professional Development sessions to ensure balanced, competency-driven professional growth.
Continuing Education & Professional Development Applications