American Therapeutic Recreation Association (ATRA)

What American Therapeutic Recreation Association (ATRA) does

ATRA is a Washington, DC-headquartered nonprofit professional membership association and self-described as the only national membership organization representing the recreational therapy profession in the United States. It serves practicing Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialists (CTRS), recreational therapy students, healthcare agencies employing multiple recreational therapists, and universities with RT degree programs. The organization delivers a unified service platform spanning continuing education, professional advocacy, community engagement, and publications, rather than operating as a software product company.

ATRA's core offerings include the ATRA Connect member community platform, the ATRA Annual Conference (e.g., ATRA SoCal 2026 in Brea, CA), the Advance Your Practice Virtual Summit, ATRA Intensives online learning, the Therapeutic Recreation Journal (published quarterly for over 50 years), the ATRA Annual in Therapeutic Recreation, and the ATRA Awards Program (11 awards including Distinguished Fellow and the newly introduced 2025 Emerging Leader of the Year Award). Educational content is delivered through Path LMS, while membership and billing infrastructure runs on JourneyCare forms and Stripe. Standards-setting publications include the Code of Ethics (10 principles), Standards of Practice (12 standards, first published 1991), and Coverage of Recreational Therapy rules and regulations.

Revenue is generated through individual membership dues ($65-$175/year across student, professional, emeritus, supporting, and lifetime tiers), organizational membership dues ($1,125-$5,625/year tiered for 5-21+ recreational therapists), university memberships ($1,500-$3,000/year with CTRS exam fee benefits), conference registrations ($190-$700+ early bird), virtual summit registrations, CEU quiz access, and Quality Internship Supervisor Training fees. Distribution leverages 14 state chapter affiliates, direct website enrollment, and a network of strategic partners including NCTRC (credentialing), CAAHEP (program accreditation), CARF International, Joint Commission, and CMS advocacy relationships.

Name

American Therapeutic Recreation Association (ATRA)

Legal name

American Therapeutic Recreation Association

Website

https://atra-online.com

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

ATRA is the only national nonprofit professional membership association representing recreational therapists in the United States, delivering continuing education, advocacy, community engagement, and scholarly publications to CTRS practitioners, students, healthcare agencies, and RT degree programs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Professional Healthcare Association Services

NAICS

Business Associations (813910), Educational Support Services (611710)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Inpatient Rehabilitation Hospitals (IRFs) (HLAFAHAG)

Keywords

• Recreational therapy association
• Professional continuing education
• Membership organization services
• Healthcare advocacy services
• Professional development training

Headquarters

HQ city

Washington

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Individual Membership Dues: Annual membership fees ranging from $65 to $175 depending on membership category (student, professional, emeritus, supporting). Optional monthly subscription plan available with approximately 8.5% additional fee.
2. Organizational Membership Dues: Tiered organizational memberships for agencies and universities with 5 to 21+ recreational therapists, ranging from $1,125 to $5,625 annually. University tiers include faculty memberships and CTRS exam fee benefits.
3. Conference Registration: Revenue from annual conference registration including early bird rates ($525 professional members, $190 student members, $700 non-member professionals, $255 non-member students). Add-on workshops and on-demand content generate additional revenue.
4. Advance Your Practice Summit: Virtual summit with group rates available, featuring CEU content pre-approved by NCTRC. Registration fees provide access to on-demand webinars, live events, and exclusive forums.
5. Publications and CEU Quizzes: Members receive free access to Therapeutic Recreation Journal and discounted CEU quizzes. Non-members can access journal content and CEU quizzes for a fee through the learning platform.
6. Quality Internship Supervisor Training: Paid training program for professionals supervising recreational therapy interns, available through the learning platform.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

ATRA is a national nonprofit professional membership association representing recreational therapists in the United States. It sells individual and organizational memberships, hosts annual conferences and virtual summits, provides continuing education (CEU-approved) programs, publishes scholarly journals and standards of practice, runs the ATRA Connect member networking platform, and advocates for the profession at federal and state levels.

Product overview

The American Therapeutic Recreation Association (ATRA) is a national membership organization that serves as the primary professional body for recreational therapists. ATRA's offerings consist of a unified platform of educational, advocacy, and professional development services rather than a software product suite. The core offerings include the ATRA Connect conversation platform, annual conferences (ATRA Annual Conference, ATRA SoCal), the Advance Your Practice Virtual Summit, ATRA Intensives online learning, professional journals (Therapeutic Recreation Journal and ATRA Annual in Therapeutic Recreation), standards and ethics publications, scholarships (Peg Connolly and Martha Judge), Quality Internship Supervisor Training, the ATRA Awards Program, Research Registry, Jobs Board, and various advocacy resources. These products and services work together to empower recreational therapists through community, education, professional development, and advocacy.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• ATRA Connect

Quantifiable outcome

• Social prescribing affirmed as within scope of recreational therapy practice through official position statement
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

19 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• CAAHEP (Committee on Accreditation for Recreational Therapy Education)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerATRA partners with CAAHEP for accreditation standards of recreational therapy educational programs. CAAHEP provides accreditation services for RT programs, ensuring quality standards in therapeutic recreation education.
• Sagamore Publishing LLCcoreTechnology or IntegrationPublisher of the Therapeutic Recreation Journal, a renowned quarterly publication published for over 50 years. Sagamore provides the platform for manuscript submissions for the ATRA Annual in Therapeutic Recreation.
• National Youth Sports Strategy (NYSS) ChampionsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership through Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion supporting youth sports and physical activity initiatives aligned with recreational therapy outcomes.
• Recreational Therapy FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFoundation supporting research and advancement of recreational therapy profession. Works with ATRA on funding initiatives and professional development.
• National Council for Therapeutic Recreation Certification (NCTRC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCredentialing body for recreational therapists. ATRA works with NCTRC on certification standards, CEU approvals, and professional competency frameworks.
• CARF InternationalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAccreditation body for rehabilitation and human services. ATRA provides member access to CARF information and supports facilities seeking CARF accreditation for recreational therapy services.
• The Joint CommissioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHealthcare accreditation organization. ATRA provides information and resources about Joint Commission standards affecting recreational therapy practice in accredited healthcare settings.
• Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerATRA actively advocates with CMS on regulations affecting recreational therapy reimbursement, coverage, and scope of practice across Medicare and Medicaid programs.
• State Chapter Affiliates (14 chapters)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor14 affiliated state therapeutic recreation associations including Arizona, Bay Area, Georgia, Illinois, Michigan, New Jersey/Eastern PA, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Indiana, Texas, Utah, Washington State, and Wisconsin. These chapters provide local networking, advocacy, and professional development.
• Coalition to Preserve Rehabilitation (CPR)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoalition working to protect rehabilitation services under Medicare. ATRA signs onto coalition comment letters on healthcare policy.
• Healthcare Accessibility Coalition (HAB)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoalition addressing healthcare accessibility issues. ATRA participates in joint advocacy efforts with HAB on CMS policy matters.
• Disability Rights Rehabilitation Coalition (DRRC)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoalition focused on disability rights and rehabilitation services. ATRA signs onto DRRC comment letters on federal funding and policy issues.
• Consortium for Citizens with Disabilities (CCD)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoalition advocating for disability rights policies. ATRA participates in CCD transportation task force and other policy initiatives.
• ITEM CoalitionminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoalition advocating for assistive technology and durable medical equipment coverage. ATRA joins coalition efforts on rehabilitation policy.
• Mental Health Liaison Group (MHLG)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoalition addressing mental health policy and services. ATRA participates in advocacy for mental health treatment access.
• Concussion Awareness NowminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoalition focused on concussion awareness and treatment. ATRA contributes to policy discussions on brain injury rehabilitation services.
• Alignment for ProgressminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPolicy coalition focused on healthcare and disability issues. ATRA participates in coalition activities on federal policy matters.
• Canadian Therapeutic Recreation AssociationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational partnership with Canadian counterpart organization supporting therapeutic recreation practice across North America.
• Preserve RehabilitationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoalition dedicated to preserving rehabilitation services under healthcare programs. ATRA participates in advocacy efforts.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Regional players

• Canadian Therapeutic Recreation Association (CTRA): CTRA is the Canadian counterpart professional association for therapeutic recreation. ATRA explicitly lists it as a partnership, indicating closely comparable scope and operations, but it primarily serves Canadian practitioners rather than competing in ATRA's US market.

Direct peers

• National Therapeutic Recreation Society (NTRS): NTRS is a branch of NRPA focused on recreational therapy within the parks and recreation profession. It overlaps directly with ATRA's membership base and educational offerings, serving as the most direct competing body for recreational therapists operating outside clinical settings.
• American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA): AOTA is the national professional membership association for occupational therapists in the US. It shares ATRA's exact operating model — membership dues, annual conference, CEU pre-approval, advocacy with CMS, and scholarly journals — serving an adjacent allied health profession.
• American Physical Therapy Association (APTA): APTA is the national professional association for physical therapists. It mirrors ATRA's operating model at greater scale: individual and organizational memberships, conferences, CEUs, journals, federal advocacy, and specialty sections — making it a relevant structural peer despite the larger profession size.
• American Art Therapy Association (AATA): AATA is the national professional association for art therapists, offering membership tiers, an annual conference, credentialing support, a peer-reviewed journal, and advocacy. Highly comparable to ATRA in scope, structure, and creative-therapeutic positioning.
• American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA): ASHA represents audiologists and speech-language pathologists and operates membership, certification, CEU, journal, and advocacy programs comparable to ATRA's structure. It is a relevant operating-model peer within the allied health association category.
• American Music Therapy Association (AMTA): AMTA represents music therapists and operates as a membership-based professional association with conference, journal (Journal of Music Therapy), CEU programs, and federal advocacy. It is the closest analog to ATRA in being a niche creative/therapeutic modality association.

Others

• Society for Academic Continuing Medical Education (SACME): SACME is a membership society for continuing medical education professionals. It is not a competitor to ATRA but shares the CEU pre-approval, scholarly journal, and member-platform business model, making it a relevant structural reference point for ATRA's education business line.

Broad incumbents

• American Psychological Association (APA): APA is one of the largest US professional membership associations, offering journals, CE programs, advocacy, and member benefits at scale. While APA serves psychologists rather than recreational therapists, it is highly relevant as an institutional peer for how large professional associations operate and monetize member services.
• American Counseling Association (ACA): ACA is a large established professional membership association for counselors. It shares ATRA's membership, conference, journal, CEU, and advocacy operating model but serves a much broader and larger profession, positioning it as a structural incumbent analog rather than a direct competitor.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/ATRAinAction
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/atrainaction

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about American Therapeutic Recreation Association (ATRA)