Effective Management in Therapeutic Recreation Service, 4th ed.

Effective Management in Therapeutic Recreation Services, Fourth Edition, provides theoretical and practical knowl­edge about the management of therapeutic recreation services* in health and human service organizations. The text was written forupper-level undergrad­uate and graduate students as well as practitioners. The text is also intended for a therapeutic recreation specialist who has responsibility for managing direct therapeutic recreation service and those who deliver the service.  

The fourth edition is organized into four parts with 16 chapters. The five chapters in section one cover management and leadership concepts introducing in Chapter 1 an overview of trends, scope of practice, ethical codes, and expectations of first-line managers. Chapter 2 through 5 present management functions, management and leadership theories, organizational behavior, and planning, decision making, and solving problems.

Section two reviews operational aspects of management including technology and research (Chapter 6), marketing and advocacy (Chapter 7), and managing fiscal resources and budgeting (Chapter 8). Human resources are the focus of section three of the text. Chapters consider staffing (Chapter 9), volunteers and interns (Chapter 10), workplace communication (chapter eleven), and motivating and healthy work environments (Chapter 12).  

Four chapters comprise section four and focus on service delivery: They include service accountability (Chapter 13), risk, safety, and legal aspects (Chapter 14), quality (Chapter 15), and managing a professional career (Chapter 16).

Each text chapter is introduced with key terms and learner outcomes embedded in the text proximity to the relevant learner content. Within the chapters, significant content is presented in tables and figures and enumerated in the chapter summary. Lastly, review questions and references are found at the close of each chapter with the availability of chapter power points.

Throughout the text, the global nature of health and human services is acknowledged: Students and managers may engage in professional preparation, live, and practice in completely different geographic areas. Culture and diversity are integrated into topics throughout the text. Health is a global public concern as is safety of professionals, clients, and information. Realized disparities among populations and countries are acknowledged as managers and professionals globally address population health and common threats yet benefit from international and interprofessional expertise. Lastly, content reflects the results of evidence-based research and the imposition of legislation and standards that regulate practice. Text citations and content note research and government and organizational resources directed toward quality, access, and accountability—the Triple Aim. Constant change affects recreational therapy practice and its management. Management will change dramatically in the future. As well, we realize relevancy of this material will change in time.   

*Throughout the text terms used to describe ‘therapeutic recreation service’ are intended to be inclusive of the terms ‘recreational therapy’ and/or ‘recreation therapy’ and recognize the interpretations presented by the professional association in 2015 (https://www.atra-online.com/page/WhoWeAre).