Art Therapists Licensure Review Credentialing Equivalency Determinations Mercedes

Art Therapists’ Licensure Review & Credentialing Equivalency Determinations Mercedes B. ter Maat, Ph. D. , LPC, ATR-BC President-Elect, American Art Therapy Association & Angela Foehl, J. D. , M. P. H. Director of Public Policy American Art Therapy Association AASCB Annual Conference January 7, 2011 9: 45 am - 10: 45 am (P. S. T. ) San Diego, California

INTRODUCTION Mercedes B. ter Maat, Ph. D. , LPC, ATR-BC President-Elect American Art Therapy Association Associate Professor & Director of Counselor Education Programs Nova Southeastern University Center for Psychological Studies Ft. Lauderdale, Florida American Art Therapy Association copyright 2010

INTRODUCTION Angela Foehl, J. D. , M. P. H. Director of Public Policy American Art Therapy Association Alexandria, VA “Blue is the Color of Love” by Shirley Mason, a. k. a. Sybil

Overview The rationale and method for state licensing boards to adopt/improve the review of applications from those who intend to practice art therapy. o Licensing Implications for Non-traditional Therapists o Equivalency Criteria & Determinations for Credentials o The Role of Certifications o Tiered Review Procedures o Due Process

Benefits of Licensing State Duty to Protect Public Health & Welfare Provides Nonlitigation Dispute Resolution Route for Disciplinary Action Public Promotes Consistency of Professional Practices Promotes Uniformity of Professionals’ Roles in Society American Art Therapy Association copyright 2010

How Does Licensing Work? State Congress Legislates a Statute on Professional Licensing Statute Authorizes a State Agency to Set up Licensing Boards & Develop Licensing Protocols Agency Develops Licensing Regulations to Implement the Statute American Art Therapy Association copyright 2010

Art Therapists’ Licenses ART THERAPY LICENSE: currently in only a few states NM, NY, Art Therapists practice in many settings under various license titles, including: � Alcohol and Drug Abuse Counselor � Art Therapist � Marriage and Family Therapist � Nurse Practitioner � Occupational Therapist � Professional Counselor � Psychologist � Rehabilitation Provider � & others, depending upon academics, training, etc.

Licensing Implications for Non-traditional Therapists � Creates parity with similarly educated & trained healthcare professionals � Increases professional options, autonomy � Portal into enrollment as Medicare, Medicaid & private insurance providers; eligible for federal/state government employment � Licensing influences coverage & fee schedules for therapeutic services � May allow ownership of Professional Corporations (per state law) � Provides visibility & method to track Art Therapists - promotes data collection on patient outcomes, services utilization, etc. � Allows state greater control over practice, increases revenue

American Art Therapy Association copyright 2010

The Role of Certifications Art Therapy Credentials Board (ATCB) offers credentialing programs: v Registration (ATR) v Board Certification (ATR-BC) v Art Therapy Certified Supervisor (ATCS)

Art Therapy Credentials Board (ATCB) Certifications ATCB credentialing programs v 1) Registration (ATR) graduate-level education in art therapy and documentation of supervised post-graduate clinical experience v 2) Board Certification (ATR-BC) o Requires ATR Registration + successful completion of the national examination, demonstrating comprehensive knowledge of theories and clinical skills used in art therapy v 3) NEW! Art Therapy Certified Supervisor (ATCS)

Art Therapy Credentials Board (ATCB) Certifications ATCB requires all credential holders to adhere to the ATCB Code of Professional Practice that sets the parameters of ethical practice.

As defined by National Board for Certified Counselors, http: //www. nbcc. org/ NBCC maintains three examinations that are currently used by state counselor licensure boards. National Counselor Examination for Certification and Licensure® (NCE) Examination for Master Addictions Counselor (EMAC) National Clinical Mental Health Counselor Examination (NCMHCE) Satisfactory performance on the National Counselor Examination (NCE®) is one of the criteria used by NBCC to identify professionals who may be eligible to become a National Certified Counselor (NCC). Many states also use the NCE for state credentialing (LPC, LAPC, LPGC, etc). Click here for a list of state board contact information. All counselors certified by NBCC are required to abide by the NBCC Code of Ethics.

Equivalency: Criteria & Determinations Alternatives when the applicant’s degree credits, clinical experience & credentials do not exactly match licensure requirements: q Establish Equivalency Criteria & Equivalency Determination process in relevant licensing & administrative regulations & application review processes q Use Equivalency Criteria to compare applicant’s credentials to standard licensure requirements q Provide Temporary or Provisional license for interim when applicant obtains remaining qualifications

PORTABILTY Transferability: State A honors State B’s license as valid basis for licensure in State A Mutual Reciprocity: States A & B honor each other’s license as valid basis for licensure

PORTABILTY Additional Qualification Requirements Additional years of counseling experience Additional continuing education credits may be accepted to replace deficiencies in: coursework supervision hours additional testing requirements, etc. Standardized testing for consistent competency measure across states Streamlined Application Process Expedited Review Process

Due Process

Tiered Review Procedures Expedited Review Process AASCB’S National Credentials Registry Validate credentials Determine deficiencies for group status Make information available to state boards