OCCUPATIONAL THERAPIST ASSISTANT PHYSIOTHERAPIST ASSISTANT EDUCATION ACCREDITATION PROGRAM

OCCUPATIONAL THERAPIST ASSISTANT & PHYSIOTHERAPIST ASSISTANT EDUCATION ACCREDITATION PROGRAM Education Session May 23, 2013 Montreal QC

Welcome Introductions Kathy Davidson – Program Manager, OTA & PTA EAP Lesley Bainbridge – Chair, Joint Accreditation Committee (JAC) Sandra Hobson – Vice-Chair, JAC Participants Occupational Therapist Assistant & Physiotherapist Assistant Education Accreditation Program 2

Outline Overview of the Accreditation Process Candidacy Status Accreditation Self Study Reports Fieldwork Hours Upcoming Policy Changes Lots of time for questions/ comments/ feedback throughout Occupational Therapist Assistant & Physiotherapist Assistant Education Accreditation Program 3

Overview of the Accreditation Process 1. Candidacy Status Maximum 4 -6 months Application submitted Candidacy Status granted by JAC 2. Letter of Intent to Participate in an Accreditation Review Mutually convenient date set for onsite accreditation review 3. Program Self-Study Report Due 5 months prior to onsite review date 4. Off-site Accreditation Review 3 months prior to onsite review date Occupational Therapist Assistant & Physiotherapist Assistant Education Accreditation Program 4

Overview of the Accreditation Process 5. Onsite Accreditation Review 2 ½ days long 6. PRT Report submitted to OTA & PTA EAP 2 -3 weeks after visit 7. PRT Report sent for Education Program Review and Response due back 5 -6 weeks after visit 8. JAC Review and Accreditation Recommendation Goal: within 6 months of onsite visit 9. PEAC and CAOT Approval of JAC Recommendation Goal: within 6 months of JAC Meeting Occupational Therapist Assistant & Physiotherapist Assistant Education Accreditation Program 5

Overview of the Accreditation Process FEES Candidacy Status: • One time Fee with Application • 2013: $5100 + GST/HST Accreditation Fees: • Annual – invoiced in January each year • Paid by programs with Candidacy Status and by programs who are accredited • 2013: $6630 + GST/HST Increase each year by 2% or the Consumer Price Index, whichever is higher Occupational Therapist Assistant & Physiotherapist Assistant Education Accreditation Program 6

Overview of the Accreditation Process OTA & PTA EAP Expenses Staffing Contingency 22% Accreditation Reviews 36% Translation Governance 4% 1% Website Office (telephone, fax, photocopying, postage, banking, bookkeeping etc) Other fees (legal, admin fees etc) 16% 2% 3% 16% Occupational Therapist Assistant & Physiotherapist Assistant Education Accreditation Program 7

OCCUPATIONAL THERAPIST ASSISTANT & PHYSIOTHERAPIST ASSISTANT EDUCATION ACCREDITATION PROGRAM Candidacy Status

Candidacy Status Purpose • A requirement for occupational therapist assistant and physiotherapist assistant education programs to begin the accreditation process • Denotes a formal affiliation of the education program with the Occupational Therapist & Physiotherapist Assistant Education Accreditation Program (OTA & PTA EAP) • Offers OTA and PTA programs in Canada the opportunity to become familiar with the accreditation standards and processes 9

Process Candidacy Status 1. Program submits Application Form, Preliminary Report, and fee (2013: $5100 + GST/HST). 2. Within 1 month of receipt, OTA & PTA EAP staff reviews application, provide feedback and make request for further information if required. 3. If necessary, within 1 month of receiving feedback from OTA & PTA EAP staff, education program revises & resubmits Preliminary Report, responding to any recommendations. Occupational Therapist Assistant & Physiotherapist Assistant Education Accreditation Program 10

Candidacy Status 4. Candidacy Status application and documentation is reviewed by the Joint Accreditation Committee (JAC) at their next scheduled meeting. 5. If review is successful, OTA & PTA EAP awards Candidacy Status to Program, and includes the education program on the OTA & PTA EAP website 6. a) OTA & PTA EAP sends letter to program confirming Candidacy Status and outlining next steps, including tentative dates for onsite review and acceptable wording to publish regarding the definition of Candidacy Status. Occupational Therapist Assistant & Physiotherapist Assistant Education Accreditation Program 11

Candidacy Status 6. b) Program submits letter of confirmation to OTA & PTA EAP to participate in full accreditation review. 7. Full accreditation review is scheduled. 8. Program submits annual report and annual accreditation fees (2013: $6630 + GST/HST) to OTA & PTA EAP to maintain Candidacy Status. Occupational Therapist Assistant & Physiotherapist Assistant Education Accreditation Program 12

Candidacy Status Programs must provide evidence that: • A certificate/diploma is granted by the educational institution, • The education program is affiliated with an institution authorized under applicable law to provide postsecondary education, • The education program includes 500 OTA/PTA practicum hours, 13

Candidacy Status • The individual responsible (i. e. , program head/coordinator/director) for the OTA & PTA education program is a registered occupational therapist or physiotherapist, and • There is • a curriculum framework document and an articulated educational philosophy, • a designated sustainable budget, and • identifiable program space 14

Candidacy Status Anticipated Changes to Candidacy Status • Pending approval from PEAC and CAOT • Likely to take effect after September 6, 2013 Suggested Changes include: • Program Coordinator is an OT or PT registered with no conditions with the appropriate provincial regulatory body • Separate sections for programs already in existence vs. programs currently in development • More details regarding number, discipline and FTE of faculty members and instructors 15

OCCUPATIONAL THERAPIST ASSISTANT & PHYSIOTHERAPIST ASSISTANT EDUCATION ACCREDITATION PROGRAM Self Study Reports

Self Study Report The education program’s Self Study Report is submitted 5 months prior to the onsite accreditation review. It is a critical piece of the accreditation dossier and will be read by: • OTA & PTA EAP staff • The Peer Review Team members • The Joint Accreditation Committee • Potentially PEAC and CAOT if requested It is kept on file at OTA & PTA EAP for the six years between accreditation reviews. Occupational Therapist Assistant & Physiotherapist Assistant Education Accreditation Program 17

Self Study Report PURPOSE: • An opportunity for the program to reflect on its own progress • A standard format for presenting your program to the accreditation team to provide consistency • A reference document for the accreditation team during the phases of the review Occupational Therapist Assistant & Physiotherapist Assistant Education Accreditation Program 18

Self Study Report WHAT DOES A SELF STUDY REPORT INCLUDE? 1. Narrative report 2. Appendices Along with submission of the Self Study Report, the education program also submits the mandatory accompanying forms, found in the Self Study Inventory (available on the OTA & PTA EAP website and from staff) Occupational Therapist Assistant & Physiotherapist Assistant Education Accreditation Program 19

Self Study Report WHAT FORMAT WILL BE ACCEPTED BY THE OTA & PTA EAP? 1. A single PDF document, using hyperlinks to link to websites and to other locations within the document, including the appendices. 2. A single PDF document, using hyperlinks to link to websites and attaching appendices as individual documents to the PDF. When attaching the appendices as individual documents to the PDF, they must be clearly numbered, and referenced using the same numbering system within the text of the narrative to facilitate navigation. Occupational Therapist Assistant & Physiotherapist Assistant Education Accreditation Program 20

Self Study Report HOW IS THE SELF STUDY REPORT SUBMITTED? 1. Because the file is typically very large, the OTA & PTA EAP provides “File Upload” option on the website. 2. The OTA & PTA EAP is a paperless system and accepts only electronic versions of all documentation. 3. It is the education program’s responsibility to ensure that any hyperlinks within the Self Study Report remain active following submission. Occupational Therapist Assistant & Physiotherapist Assistant Education Accreditation Program 21

Self Study Report NARRATIVE REPORT • Organized by standards and criteria • Addresses each criterion and sub-criterion • Provides EVIDENCE for each criterion – see the STANDARDS for suggested types of evidence Occupational Therapist Assistant & Physiotherapist Assistant Education Accreditation Program 22

Self Study Report NARRATIVE REPORT • Provides a CRITIQUE/EVALUATION of program performance on each criterion: simple description is not enough • Provides selective evidence that guides the surveyors and helps them to understand how the evidence presented clearly demonstrates adherence to the criteria Occupational Therapist Assistant & Physiotherapist Assistant Education Accreditation Program 23

Self Study Report APPENDICES • Much of the evidence can be placed in appendices • Number appendices within each Standard: make it easy for the surveyors to find the material • Hyperlink appendices within narrative report OR • Ensure appendices are clearly numbered/named within the narrative report and appended to the PDF document Occupational Therapist Assistant & Physiotherapist Assistant Education Accreditation Program 24

Self Study Report MANDATORY FORMS – The Self Study Inventory The OTA & PTA EAP provides standard forms related to evidence for the evaluative criteria. These that must be submitted with SSR and include: • SSR-Form 1: Program Contact information • SSR-Form 2: Signature Form • SSR-Form 3: Program Personnel Profile • SSR-Form 4: Student Profile • SSR-Form 5: Program Course Profile • SSR-Form 6: Clinical/Fieldwork Education Program Profile • SSR-Form 7: Standard 6 Criteria/Course Form (or Competency Matrix if preferred) • SSR-Form 8: Inventory of Evidence Submitted/Available Onsite Occupational Therapist Assistant & Physiotherapist Assistant Education Accreditation Program 25

Self Study Report RESOURCES • http: //www. otapta. ca • Handbook to assist in preparing the Self Study Report • Forms & Templates • Kathy Davidson and the office • Programs and colleagues who have already done it Occupational Therapist Assistant & Physiotherapist Assistant Education Accreditation Program 26

Self Study Report Standard 4: Program Evaluation • Explain the entire program evaluation process – • who collects what sort of data • where it is analysed and reviewed for changes needed • how changes based on the feedback are made • how impact of changes is monitored • Include particularly relevant bits of data from some reviews in an Appendix • Give some specific examples of changes made and their results • Accreditation reports will become one source of program review for future self study reports Occupational Therapist Assistant & Physiotherapist Assistant Education Accreditation Program 27

Self Study Report Standard 4: Program Evaluation The educational program maintains an effective process of continuous self-assessment, planning and improvement. 4. 1 There is a documented plan for program evaluation that is based on clearly defined and measurable goals. 4. 2 The program collects data for a systematic and comprehensive evaluation of its effectiveness on a regular basis. 4. 3 The program analyzes and synthesizes program evaluation data to identify need for change. 4. 4 The program makes changes in response to analysis of program evaluation data and evaluates the impact of these changes. Occupational Therapist Assistant & Physiotherapist Assistant Education Accreditation Program 28

Self Study Report Standard 4: Program Evaluation Exemplars Occupational Therapist Assistant & Physiotherapist Assistant Education Accreditation Program 29

Self Study Report Standard 6: OTA and PTA Competencies • There is duplication for OTA 6. 1 – 6. 6 and PTA 6. 1 – 6. 6 • OTA 6. 7 and PTA 6. 7 are very different and are based on OT and PT Essential Competencies documents for each profession. • List courses where the relevant content is covered and include course outlines/syllabi in an Appendix. • It may be useful to produce charts showing where various competencies are covered, especially for 6. 7 Occupational Therapist Assistant & Physiotherapist Assistant Education Accreditation Program 30

Self Occupational Therapist Assistant & Physiotherapist Assistant Education Accreditation Program 31

Self Study Report Standard 6: OTA and PTA Competencies Exemplars Occupational Therapist Assistant & Physiotherapist Assistant Education Accreditation Program 32

Self Study Report FEEDBACK FROM PROGRAMS THAT HAVE BEEN ACCREDITED • An opportunity to learn from your peers…. Occupational Therapist Assistant & Physiotherapist Assistant Education Accreditation Program 33

Self Study Report FINAL TIPS Start well ahead Ask for additional resources Make navigation easy Present your program honestly and fairly – both strengths and challenges • Avoid paranoia - this is about becoming a better program • Save everything and use it to build the SSR for the next accreditation review • • Occupational Therapist Assistant & Physiotherapist Assistant Education Accreditation Program 34

Self Study Report Questions? Occupational Therapist Assistant & Physiotherapist Assistant Education Accreditation Program 35

OCCUPATIONAL THERAPIST ASSISTANT & PHYSIOTHERAPIST ASSISTANT EDUCATION ACCREDITATION PROGRAM Fieldwork Hours

Fieldwork Hours WHY IS FIELDWORK IMPORTANT? • Placements provide an ideal learning opportunity for students that links theory to practice. • This is related to: • Experiential learning in the workplace • Professional role modelling and socialization • Opportunities to apply knowledge, rehearse/refine existing skills, and learn new skills under supervision Occupational Therapist Assistant & Physiotherapist Assistant Education Accreditation Program 37

Fieldwork Hours CURRENT FIELDWORK STANDARDS 3. 4 The program provides clinical education / fieldwork experiences in occupational therapy and physiotherapy that enable students to achieve the learning outcomes. Occupational Therapist Assistant & Physiotherapist Assistant Education Accreditation Program 38

Fieldwork Hours 3. 4. 1 CORE: Clinical/fieldwork education includes a minimum of 500 hours in the clinical setting. 3. 4. 2 Clinical/fieldwork education includes no less than 30% of the total time in each discipline. 3. 4. 3 A registered occupational therapist faculty member is available to students and preceptors on issues related to occupational therapy practice in fieldwork. Similarly, a registered physiotherapist faculty member is available to students and preceptors on issues related to physiotherapy practice in fieldwork. Occupational Therapist Assistant & Physiotherapist Assistant Education Accreditation Program 39

Fieldwork Hours TARGET: • Substantially equivalent hours of OTA and PTA fieldwork experience WHY? • Accreditation by its very nature is a badge of quality and that must be reflected in both academic and clinical/fieldwork. • By granting accreditation, CAOT and PEAC are signalling that graduates from that program will be competent to practice as OTAs and PTAs respectively. Both organizations have to be assured that graduates are equally well prepared for both OTA and PTA duties. Occupational Therapist Assistant & Physiotherapist Assistant Education Accreditation Program 40

Fieldwork Hours ISSUE? • There are currently barriers to meeting equivalency and so a 2 year time frame has been established during which time solutions and options can be examined. BARRIERS: • Availability of OTA and PTA placements is not equal • No mechanism for separating OTA and PTA fieldwork hours in combined OTA/PTA placements Occupational Therapist Assistant & Physiotherapist Assistant Education Accreditation Program 41

Fieldwork Hours TASK: Brainstorm ideas for increasing placements and tracking OTA and PTA hours in combined placements Work in small groups Assign a scribe. We will collect the group’s notes to inform the work of the JAC on this topic. • Half work on strategies to increase fieldwork placements for both OTA and PTA • Half work on methods to track fieldwork hours in combined placements • Share any strategies that you are currently using and how well they work Occupational Therapist Assistant & Physiotherapist Assistant Education Accreditation Program 42

Fieldwork Hours FEEDBACK: Occupational Therapist Assistant & Physiotherapist Assistant Education Accreditation Program 43

Fieldwork Hours Next Steps • Review ideas from this session as well as material from the COPEC meeting held previously • Support the working groups assigned by JAC to develop recommendations • JAC to review recommendations and prepare suggested changes to the standard • CAOT and PEAC review the recommendations before approving Occupational Therapist Assistant & Physiotherapist Assistant Education Accreditation Program 44

OCCUPATIONAL THERAPIST ASSISTANT & PHYSIOTHERAPIST ASSISTANT EDUCATION ACCREDITATION PROGRAM Upcoming Policy Changes/Revisions

Upcoming Policy Changes/Revisions • The JAC has recommended several revisions/additions to policy. • These changes are pending approval from PEAC and CAOT, but will be outlined here briefly. • Once approved, all education programs will be informed of the new versions via briefing note. Occupational Therapist Assistant & Physiotherapist Assistant Education Accreditation Program 46

Upcoming Policy Changes/Revisions 1. Candidacy Status – changes summarized earlier 2. Substantive Change • It is required for all programs with Candidacy Status or Accreditation Status to inform the OTA & PTA EAP of any changes to the program which may impact compliance with candidacy status criteria or accreditation criteria. • Any changes in leadership contact information or leadership faculty must also be communicated to the OTA & PTA EAP • To date, no formal policy existed regarding how/what to report. • A policy has been developed to clarify more explicitly what the expectation is from programs. • Candidacy Status and Accreditation Status is dependent on compliance with this policy. Occupational Therapist Assistant & Physiotherapist Assistant Education Accreditation Program 47

Upcoming Policy Changes/Revisions 3. Appeal Process • The right to appeal an accreditation decision has always existed; however the process to date has been rather vague. • This policy will again further clarify the process and timelines for appeal. 4. Disclosure • This policy will further clarify: • The information disclosed by the OTA & PTA EAP regarding an education program’s candidacy or accreditation status to the pubic, and • The information which must be published by education programs with regards to their candidacy or accreditation status. Occupational Therapist Assistant & Physiotherapist Assistant Education Accreditation Program 48

Upcoming Policy Changes/Revisions 5. Distributed Education • There is wide variation in delivery models that exist for OTA and PTA education programs. • Multi-campus programs and programs providing distributed education sites create a unique challenge for accreditation, as often there is duplication of policy, curriculum, etc between campuses/sites. • Ensuring that the fees charged reflect the cost of accreditation for both the accreditation program staff and the time spent by volunteers is critical. • Ensuring that the requirements and the fees are perceived as fair by all stakeholders is also critical. • A policy has been developed to guide the OTA & PTA EAP in its accreditation process for such education programs. Occupational Therapist Assistant & Physiotherapist Assistant Education Accreditation Program 49

OCCUPATIONAL THERAPIST ASSISTANT & PHYSIOTHERAPIST ASSISTANT EDUCATION ACCREDITATION PROGRAM Final Questions? Thank you!