Recreational therapy workforce: An update

Abstract

This article explores why there is a decline in the growth rate of recreational therapy while there are substantial increases in other therapy professions and recreation workers. The growth numbers of the recreational therapy profession are at a normal growth rate of 7 percent for all occupations according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). The growth rate from the Occupational Handbook for 2010-2011 projected a growth rate of 15 percent. The growth rates for occupational therapy, “therapists, all others” and recreation workers are higher than recreational therapy projected by BLS at 20 percent or higher. Possible considerations as to causes for this change in growth are proposed.