Providing Culturally Competent Disability Services to Persons Born in other Countries May 6 - 8, 2002

Key competencies in multicultural education for entry level therapeutic professionals

Getz, D.
Eppley Institute for Parks and Public Lands
Indiana University
Bloomington, Indiana USA
dgetz@indiana.edu

Abstract

As the United States becomes more culturally diverse, it will be increasingly important for therapeutic recreation professionals to understand the critical role that culture plays in the lives of their clients. This study employed a modified Delphi techni que implemented through the use of an Internet site to identify 42 competencies crucial to the clinical realm of the therapeutic recreation professional. The competencies that were evaluated originated from the kindred professions of counseling, nursing, and social work. The competencies identified were then placed into a theoretical framework that can be integrated into professional preparation curricula. This framework was initially designed for the therapeutic recreation profession, but can easily be i ntegrated across the clinical spectrum. The development and integration of these key competencies into university curricula provides an initial step for the development of more culturally aware practitioners. The potential result is a more effective clini cian.

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