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PREE Courses

Dr. Deborah A. Hutchins

Assistant Professor of Therapeutic Recreation

Office:   101 Eisenberg Classroom Building
Address:  PREE Department, SRU, Slippery Rock, PA 16057
Phone:  (724)738-4402
FAX:  (724)738-2938

Formal Education
  • Ed.D. Nova Southeastern University, Fort Lauderdale, Fl.
    Major: Health Care Education, 2003.
  • M.S., University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina.
    Major: Therapeutic Recreation Administration-graduated December 1985. Teaching Assistant 1980.
  • B.S., The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania. Major: Therapeutic Recreation-graduated "with distinction" March 1975.

    Professional Experience
  • Assistant Professor, Therapeutic Recreation (1994-Present).  Coordinator of Therapeutic Recreation Program. Teach undergraduate and graduate courses in Therapeutic Recreation including: Inclusive Leisure Services, Clinical Aspects of TR, Client Assessment. Program Design in TR, TR for persons with Physical Disabilities, and Issues in Therapeutic Recreation. Coordinate and supervise TR student internship program. Provide advisement to approximately 30 students, advisor for TR student club. Responsible for overall TR curriculum development and implementation to meet current practice standards and certification requirements. Member of Department and College assessment committees, Department internship committee, Department planning committee (95-97). Served on College task force related to TR curriculum movement into Allied Health Department, and on a task force to evaluate the development of an OT curriculum.
  • Clinical Manager, Recreational Therapy and Therapeutic Aquatics (1975-1994).  Hamarville Rehabilitation Center, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Developed the department and expanded the scope of services and staff over fifteen years. Developed recreational therapy services and provided clinical leardership on spinal cord, head injury, chronic pain and CVA units. Developed student internship program. Managed and supervised departmental staff, student interns and a range of programs. Manage departmental budget, staff education and development, program development and evaluation, policy and procedures, productivity, quality assurance activities and coordinate department services within the Center and the community. Provided leadership to the building of a therapeutic pool and to the development of an interdisciplinary approach to therapeutic aquatic treatment. Involved in a leadership role with facilitation of TQM initiatives. Instrumental in the securement and management of over $200,000 in outside funds (private and governmental grants) to implement new programs at Harmarville Rehabilitation Center

    Professional Services and Involvements
  • Member of various national and state organizations which advocate for Theraqeutic Recreation and the needs of people with disabilities. Elected to leadership roles in local, state and national professional organizations.
  • President of Southwestern Pennsylvania Therapeutic Recreation Organization. Elected secretary (1981-83) of the Pennsylvania Therapeutic Recreation Society (PTRS) (1982-83), President-Elect of PTRS 1987-89), President of PTRS (1989-91), Past President of PTRS (1992-93).
  • Served in a primary leadership role in the planning and implementation of the 1985 National Wheelchair Games, a national sports competition for persons with physical disabilities held at Edinboro University in Pennsylvania.
  • Selected as a member of the National Council for Therapeutic Recreation Certification Exam Development Committee (1993-95). One of twelve committee members who provided leadership and expertise to the development of the first national certification exam for the profession of Therapeutic Recreation.
  • Elected to the Board of Directors for the American Therapeutic Recreation Association Member at Large, Office of Public Relations (1993-95), President Elect (1995-96), President (1996-97). American Therapeutic Recreation Foundation Board of Trustees (1996-98).

    Presentations
    Presented numerous educational workshops to local, state and national organizations in addition to university students:
  • WVA ATRA Affiliate Workshop, Jackson Mills, WVA, "Professionalism, What's your IQ", "Ethics", October 1997.
  • ATRA National Conference, Nashville TN, "Enhancing Professional Competency through Higher Education and Self Assessment" and, "1997 ATRA Membership Survey Results", Sept 1997.
  • PA Recreation and Parks Conference, TR Management Symposium, "Professional Competency", "Hiring for Success", "Developing Effective Internship Programs". April 1997.
  • PA Therapeutic Recreation Society, TR Institute, Altoona, PA, "Professional Advocacy", June 1997.
  • PA Therapeutic Recreation Society, "Developing and Evaluating an Internship Program" and "From Education to Employment" June, 1996.
  • American Therapeutic Recreation Association Annual Conference, "Making a Case for Recreational Therapy Services," September 1993.
  • American Therapeutic Recreation Association Annual Conference, "Developing a System to Assess Professional Competency," September 1993.
  • Mid East Symposium on Therapeutic Recreation, "Developing Staff Performance and Satisfaction," May 1993.
  • Mid East Symposium on Therapeutic Recreation "An Interdisciplinary Approach to Community Re-Integration," May 1993.
  • Poster Session American Spinal Cord Injury Association "Relationships Between Psychosocial Functioning and Leisure Lifestyle Changes of Individuals with Spinal Cord Injury Experiencing Chronic Secondary Health Conditions," May 9-12, 1993.
  • Pennsylvania Recreation and Parks Society State Conference (PRPS) "Developing a System to Assess Professional Competency," March 1993.

    Certifications
  • National Council for Therapeutic Recreation Certification-Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist (1982-Present).

    Research and Scholarly Activity
  • Co-investigator in research project with Temple University entitled "Relationships Between Psychosocial Functioning and Leisure Lifestyle Changes of Individuals with Spinal Cord Injury Experiencing Chronic Secondary Health Conditions" (1990).
  • Contributed to two research projects initiated by Penn State University utilizing Importance-Performance evaluation tools. These project results were published in professional journals. (1985, 1988, 1994).

    Publications
  • Therapeutic Recreation Journal, Fourth Quarter, 1993. "Psychosocial Functioning and Changes in Leisure Lifestyle Among Individuals with Chronic Secondary Health Problems Related to Spinal Cord Injury," Coyle, C.; Shank, J.; Kinney, T.; Hutchins, D.

    Awards
  • Certificate of Appreciation from the American Therapeutic Recreation Association, 1997.
  • SRU Apple Polishing Award, 1996 and 1997. Annual Faculty recognition by University Fraternities and Sororities.
  • Recipient of 1993 Pennsylvania Therapeutic Recreation Society Distinguished Member Award.
  • Certificate of Appreciation from the Pennsylvania Therapeutic Recreation Society, 1993.
  • Presidents Citation, PA Therapeutic Recreation Society, 1991.

    More information on Therapeutic Recreation at Slippery Rock University