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23. <br /> Educational Needs. The wide range of competencies required by the <br /> recreational provider has led to a trend toward preparing adaptable generalists <br /> rather than specialists. Because the field is changing rapidly, recreation <br /> professionals must engage in continuing education throughout their careers. <br /> Accreditation. The recreation profession has implemented credential <br /> standards to ensure that practitioners are competent. In 1974, the National <br /> Recreation and Parks Association (NRPA) and the American Association for <br /> Leisure and Recreation (AALR) initiated the Council on Accreditation, which <br /> sets the standards for college curricula specializing in the field of recreation. <br /> Colleges may seek accreditation for programs in the following areas: leisure <br /> services management, natural resources recreation management, <br /> leisure/recreation program delivery, and therapeutic recreation. According to <br /> Henderson (1993), 88 programs in the nation's colleges and universities have <br /> received accreditation from the NRPA/AALR Council. Universities with <br /> accredited programs located in or near the Minneapolis/St.Paul metropolitan <br /> area include: the University of Minnesota; Mankato State University; the <br /> University of Northern Iowa; the University of Iowa; and the University of <br /> 4111/ <br /> Wisconsin, LaCrosse. The Certified Leisure Professional (CLP) examination, <br /> implemented in 1991, requires initial testing and recertification every two years • <br /> • <br />