Recreation Therapy at CAMH

Therapeutic Recreation is a process that utilizes treatment, education, and recreation participation to enable persons with physical, cognitive, emotional and/or social limitations to acquire and/or maintain the skills, knowledge and behaviours that will allow them to enjoy their leisure optimally, function independently with the least amount of assistance and participate as fully as possible in society. (Therapeutic Recreation Ontario, 2003)

Recreation Therapists at CAMH assess individual interests, abilities and attitudes surrounding leisure; plan and develop treatment plans with clients to assist them in reaching their leisure goals; implement leisure based programs and; evaluate clients' treatment plan and goals and programs. Recreation therapists assist clients in finding ways to enjoy meaningful leisure time.

There are currently 32 Recreation Therapy positions at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health. Recreation Therapists can be found as members of the Interdisciplinary Teams within the following areas: Law and Mental Health Program, Schizophrenia Program, Geriatric Psychiatry Program, Dual Diagnosis Program, General Addiction Program, Cocaine Program, Rainbow Services, Women's Program, Neuropsychiatry, and the Mood and Anxiety Program. Recreation Therapists provide their services on both inpatient and outpatient treatment teams.

CAMH requires that all Recreation Therapists hired here have a degree or diploma in Recreation or Recreation Therapy. We have students from various schools such as Georgian College, Centennial College, Humber College, Sir Sanford Flemming, University of Waterloo, and Lake Superior State. Occasionally, we have students completing the internship portion of the process to become a Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist, which is recognized in the United States. Some of our former students have been recruited as full or part time recreation therapists between the CAMH sites.

All Recreation Therapists at CAMH follow the Standards of Practice for Therapeutic Recreation, which were developed by our provincial organization Therapeutic Recreation Ontario and published in 2003.

The Therapeutic Recreation Council at CAMH is chaired by the Recreation Therapist- in- Chief and all Recreation Therapists are members of this council. The council meets monthly and rotates sites and chairs of the meetings. Meetings serve to disseminate information, share resources and also involve a professional development component.

Contact Information

Anissa Lamb, BA
Recreation Therapist- in- Chief
416-535-8501, Ext. 1110

Therapeutic Recreation Services Information Line
416 535-8501, Ext. 7315