What does Standard 2 of ATRA focus on?

Standard 2 of the American Therapeutic Recreation Association (ATRA) focuses on the development of treatment goals. This standard emphasizes the importance of establishing specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART) goals tailored to each client's needs and preferences. By aligning treatment goals with individual client assessments, therapeutic recreation specialists can create personalized plans that address the unique challenges and objectives of the client.

The development of treatment goals guides the therapeutic process, allowing for careful planning of interventions and activities that will be most beneficial to the client. It ensures that the goals are not only relevant to the clients’ recreational needs but are also linked to their overall health and wellness objectives. This alignment is crucial in tracking progress and making necessary adjustments to the treatment plan as needed.

In contrast, while assessment and implementation of activities are integral parts of the therapeutic recreation process, they do not specifically fall under the focus of Standard 2, which is primarily concerned with goal formulation based on the assessment of client needs. Long-term outcome measurement, while important in evaluating the effectiveness of the intervention, is generally associated with later stages of the therapeutic process after treatment goals have been set and implemented.