PRPS Weekly News

New PSECU Video Promoting Parks and Recreation

2015 Greenways and Trails Summit-Host Request

The Pennsylvania Recreation and Park Society (PRPS) and the PA Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) are currently seeking a host for the 2015 Greenways and Trails Summit. The Summit provides trail professionals, volunteers, and advocates with the essential information needed to build, manage, and maintain trails throughout the Commonwealth. It garners approximately 200-250 attendees and has been held in a number of locations with a variety of themes and sessions.

Proposals are being accepted from viable organizations interested in hosting the 2015 Greenways and Trails Summit. The selected host will work actively with PRPS and DCNR to determine the Summit's details. Please review the 2015 Greenways and Trails Summit Request Proposal for Host to obtain full proposal details. The deadline for proposals is August 30, 2014. Contact Emily Gates, PRPS Special Projects Coordinator, at egates@prps.org or 814-234-4272 with any questions.

PA Therapeutic Recreation Society

Anne Wieland, CTRS, MHA

State of Pennsylvania: Recreational Therapy Licensure Approval UPDATE

We have great news! The "Recreational Therapists Practice Act" was introduced on May 29, 2014 (House Bill 2290). So far, we have 14 legislators who have signed on as co-sponsors for the bill, but we need more!

You don't have to be a Recreational Therapist to support this excellent patient benefit! PLEASE contact your House Representatives and Senators and ask them to co-sponsor the bill. This is VERY easy and will only take five minutes. Simply follow these instructions:

Find your legislators by clicking here
Click on your desired legislator
Next click the envelope icon to email your legislator
Paste the message below into the legislator's email template (personalize if desired)
Click "submit/send"

Dear [insert legislator's name),

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics half of all people who claim to be a recreational therapist in Pennsylvania (PA) are not nationally certified. This poses a high risk of harm to our citizens, as national certification ensures that people meet the basic competency to practice recreational therapy. Representative Sabatina introduced the "Recreational Therapists Practice Act" (HB2290) that will require all recreational therapists in PA to be licensed (which will require all recreational therapists in PA to be nationally certified). As a healthcare consumer, this is VERY important to me, as I do not want individuals providing recreational therapy services who are not qualified to do so. I am asking that you please sign onto this bill as a co-sponsor to ensure the safety of our citizens.

Sincerely,

[type your name]

Thank you for your support!

Sincerely,
The Recreational Therapists Licensure Committee for PA

NRPA News

Identify Yourself as a Park and Recreation Month Participant!

Whether you're hosting a big event, hanging up Park and Recreation Month posters or celebrating all month long, add your agency's information to our Park and Recreation Month events page. We'll be compiling the information into an interactive map so the public can find your events and so that you are identified as a Park and Recreation Month participant. Stay tuned to the Park and Recreation Month website as we'll be adding more items to our toolkit and announcing this year's contest! Learn more.

Renew Your Professional Certification

with the help of Professional Service Experience Credits

Together with the traditional CEU or academic credit, Professional Service Experience (PSE) credits enable individuals to renew professional certification by utilizing their professional activities. Points fall into two different categories: Service and Literary/Training Material Contribution. In order to receive the appropriate credit, supporting documentation must be finished with the PSE application. The PSE Information Sheet outlines points awarded for service, maximum points available within the two year period, and supporting documentation required.

In order to obtain PSE credit, complete the PSE Form and submit it to NRPA with your renewal application. You may use up to 5 PSE Points (.5 CEU equivalency credits) as a partial offset to the 2.0 CEUS required to maintain your certification. The remainder must be CEUs or CEU equivalents earned through attendance at CEU granting courses or workshops, or through academic courses or other qualifying continuing education experiences. (Example: .3 PSE + 1.7 CEU = 2.0 minimum requirement) Email certification@nrpa.org if you have any questions.

"2014 Professional Service Experience Program." National Recreation and Park Association. National Recreation and Park Association, 2014. Web. 5 June 2014. <"2014 Professional Service Experience Program." National Recreation and Park Association. National Recreation and Park Association, 2014. Web. 5 June 2014. Path: http://www.nrpa.org/uploadedFiles/nrpa>.

PRPS and Other Trainings

To view the PRPS Calendar, click here.

Resource Operations Workshop

October 22, 2014 - Cabela's, Hamburg

More information will be available at a later time.

Fall Membership Meeting

November 19, 2014

Location TBD

PA Game Commission

The Game Commission now offer workshops for Educators. Click here to check them out. Then go to "2014 Educator Workshops". All workshops are approved for Act 48 hours.

For a list of other training outside PRPS, click here.

Save the Date

Click here for the 2015 session proposal form.

Member Request

Bethel Park Recreation is asking for help from agencies that have after school programs. They're working with the Bethel Park School District to develop an after school program, below are the questions they plan on asking in a parent survey. Please review the questions below and provide your feedback to Chuck Stover.

Would you be interested in an afterschool program through a joint effort between the Bethel Park Recreation Department and the Bethel Park School District?
What grade is your child currently in?
What time would you need the program to operate? 5:30, 6:00, 6:30
What would you see as the type of program that your child needs? a) tutoring b) activities - fitness, hobby/interests c) online learning opportunities/enrichment d) structured supervision during after school hours
Would you require transportation home?
Would you want your child to be fed dinner?
What frequency would you need the program to run? Monday through Friday
Service Learning Component