The purpose of the Recreation Therapy and Activity Therapy Programs is to provide treatment services and recreation services to persons with illnesses or disabling conditions. The primary purposes of treatment services are to restore, remediate or rehabilitate in order to improve functioning and independence, as well as reduce or eliminate the effects of illness or disability. The primary purpose of recreation services is to provide recreation resources and opportunities in order to improve health and well being.

The purpose of the Child Life Program is to provide psycho emotional support to hospitalized children and their families; to further the intellectual, emotional, social, and physical growth of children in hospitals; and to support family centered care.

Members of the Department subscribe to the ethical statements of the American Therapeutic Recreation Association and the Child Life Council. Any employee witnessing unethical behavior should report the behavior to his/her supervisor (or a higher level if necessary). All reporting will be held in confidence.

Recreation/Activity Therapists and Recreation Therapy Assistants are licensed by the state of North Carolina and nationally certified by the National Therapeutic Recreation Association or are certification eligible.

Child Life Specialists are certified nationally or are certification eligible by the Child Life Council.