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As part of ATCB℠’s ongoing security and technology improvements, atcb.org or select pages may be temporarily unavailable or slower to load at times. This work is intended to strengthen the site for the long term.

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Now Open: The 2025 ATCB℠ Survey 

Jul 28, 2025 | Latest News

The Art Therapy Credentials Board (ATCB℠) is committed to upholding the highest standards in credentialing—ensuring that art therapy services provided to the public are delivered by professionals who meet rigorous, ethical, and nationally recognized standards. The 2025 ATCB℠ Survey—now open—is one of the ways we stay informed about the professional landscape and the credentialing experience. 

This year’s survey invites credential holders to reflect on key aspects of practice, including credential advancement, supervision, communication, equity and access, and the broader role of credentialing in the field. While ATCB℠ is not a membership organization, we value insights from those we credential to help us understand how credentialing and certification intersects with current realities in the profession. 

Information gathered through the survey is reviewed alongside organizational data to help guide ATCB’s long-term priorities. Last year, those insights played a key role in shaping our 2025–2028 Strategic Plan—ensuring our work continues to protect the public by maintaining the integrity, relevance, and fairness of our credentialing programs. 

Your participation helps ATCB℠ maintain a clear, informed view of the profession and reinforces our commitment to safeguarding the public through responsible certification. 

The survey will remain open for a limited time. We encourage all credential holders—whether you’re newly credentialed or a long-standing leader in the field—to take part. 

We remain committed to strengthening credentialing in service to the public and the future of the art therapy profession. 

Take the Survey

Improvements Underway: Modernizing ATCB℠ Systems

Jul 28, 2025 | CMS, Latest News

Over the past few years, stakeholders have shared valuable insights about the challenges of navigating ATCB℠ systems—from confusing communications to issues with application processes, CE tracking, and supervision documentation.

In response, ATCB℠ engaged in a comprehensive organizational assessment last year, with support from an external consultancy specializing in strategy and user experience for nonprofits. The insight provided—through surveys, conversations, and direct feedback—played a pivotal role in helping us identify areas that need improvement.

We’re now taking meaningful steps to enhance our systems, including the ATCB℠ credentialing management system, MyATCB. We’re implementing changes that will streamline tracking continuing education, documenting supervision, renewing credentials, managing board certification, and more. Our goal is to ensure that the system works efficiently and can evolve to meet the growing practice of art therapy—supporting, not hindering, art therapists’ professional journey.

While no system is without its challenges, we’re committed to rolling out improvements thoughtfully and transparently. An updated MyATCB℠ is on the horizon, with an anticipated launch in early 2026.

Leading up to that launch, we’ll provide regular updates, helpful tutorials, and opportunities to become familiar with what’s coming—well in advance of the next credential year starting on July 1, 2026.

Throughout this transition, the security and confidentiality of all stakeholder information will remain a top priority.

Coming Soon: ATCB℠ Continuing Education Provider Program

Jul 28, 2025 | Latest News

The Art Therapy Credentials Board (ATCB℠) is pleased to announce the upcoming launch of the ATCB℠ Approved Continuing Education Provider Program—a new initiative designed to expand the delivery of high-quality, ethically grounded, and professionally relevant continuing education (CE) opportunities.

This program will formally recognize individual and organizational providers who meet ATCB’s standards for CE development and delivery, and whose offerings align with the categories and content areas required to maintain the Board Certified Registered Art Therapist℠ (ATR-BC®) credential.

Program Overview

The ATCB℠ Continuing Education Provider Program introduces a two-step approval process:

Step 1. Provider Approval

Providers may be individuals or organizations and must meet eligibility criteria based on credentials and content area. Approved providers commit to ATCB’s standards for compliant and ethical practice, content relevance, and professional quality.

  • Individual Providers: ATR-BC®, ATRs, licensed mental health professionals, and artists. The application fee for individual providers is $50 USD.
  • Organizational Providers: Art therapy-centered, mental health-focused, or art media-based. The application fee for organizational providers is $250 USD.

Step 2. Activity Approval

Each CE activity—live or asynchronous—must be approved individually. Fees are based on instructional hours and delivery format.

  • Activities are valid for two years following the credential year.
  • All CE activities must align with ATCB’s recertification guidelines.
  • A rush review option is available for time-sensitive offerings.

Both provider and activity approvals follow a two-year cycle aligned with ATCB’s credentialing calendar.

Why This Matters

This program helps ensure that art therapy professionals have access to continuing education opportunities that are relevant, ethical, and appropriately scoped. For CE providers, it offers a structured path to deliver content that clearly meets the professional development standards required for board recertification.

By approving both providers and individual CE activities, ATCB℠ is reinforcing the integrity of continuing education while helping to expand access to meaningful learning experiences for the art therapy community.

What’s Next

The program will launch in the coming weeks through a pilot phase on the ATCB℠ website. Application materials, submission checklists, and provider guidance will be made available at launch.

Stay tuned for official application opening dates and next steps.

Clarification on Recertification Standards Update: What Applies and When

Apr 14, 2025 | Credential Updates

We’ve received a number of questions recently about the updated recertification standards (announced in June of 2024), and we want to take a moment to clarify a few important points to avoid any further confusion.

First, it’s important to distinguish between recertification standards and registration standards—these are two separate processes that serve different purposes.

The updated recertification standards apply only to individuals who hold the Board Certified Registered Art Therapist℠ (ATR-BC®) certification and are completing their 5-year recertification cycle.

The updated registration standards apply to those obtaining their Provisional Registered Art Therapist (ATR-P®) and Registered Art Therapist (ATR℠) credentials. To learn more about the updated registration standards and when they go into effect, visit the ATCB℠ website.

Effective Date

The new recertification requirements, including updated continuing education (CE) categories, will apply to those whose current certification period ends on or after June 30, 2026.

Example:

  • If your certification period ends June 30, 2025, you’ll recertify under the current standards.
  • If your certification period ends June 30, 2026 or later, you’ll follow the updated standards.

Updated CE requirements for certification periods ending June 30, 2026, and later:

  • 50 CE credits in art therapy-specific content
  • 6 CE credits in ethics
  • 6 CE credits in supervision

Why Are 50 CE Credits Required to Be Art Therapy-Specific?

The Board Certified Registered Art Therapist℠ (ATR-BC®) is a professional certification in art therapy. It is accredited by the National Commission for Certifying Agencies (NCCA), which requires that all continuing education used for recertification directly support ongoing competence in the specific field of certification. For ATR-BC®, that field is art therapy.

To meet this requirement, continuing education activities must align with the Art Therapy Credentials Board Exam (ATCBE®) content outline, developed through a national job analysis completed by practicing art therapists. This outline defines the essential knowledge and skill areas in art therapy and informs both the exam and recertification requirements.

Requiring at least 50 CE credits in art therapy-specific content helps to:

  • Ensure that certified professionals remain current in core art therapy practices
  • Support the integrity of the ATR-BC® credential as a specialized certification
  • Reflect the art therapy-specific nature of the board exam
  • Meet the standards required for continued NCCA accreditation
  • Provide assurance to the public and employers that board-certified art therapists are maintaining competence in their professional discipline

At the same time, we recognize the value of a broader foundation. That’s why the remaining 50 CE credits may be earned through ATCB℠ Eligible Content Areas, including counseling, clinical theory, and other related topics that support holistic practice.

This approach balances the need for specialization with the flexibility to support diverse professional development pathways.

You can review the 2025 ATCBE® content outline for more details.

Quick Comparison

CategoryCurrent StandardsUpdated Standards
Applies toATR-BC℠ whose certification ends June 30, 2025ATR-BC℠ whose certification ends June 30, 2026 or after
Recertification requirements

Total CEs: 100

  • 6 hours in Ethics
  • 6 hours in Supervision

Art methods/techniques (non-therapeutic) capped at 10 CECs/cycle
Juried art exhibition: 1 show or 10 CECs/cycle

Total CEs: 100

  • 50 CE credits in art therapy-specific content
  • 6 CE credits in Ethics
  • 6 CE credits in Supervision

Art methods/techniques (non-therapeutic) capped at 10 CECs/cycle
Juried art exhibition: 1 show or 10 CECs/cycle

Approved Areas for Continuing Education Content
  • Theoretical Approaches
  • Facilitate Treatment
  • Administer and Evaluate Art Therapy and Art-Based Assessments
  • Professional Practice and Ethical Responsibilities
  • Professional Development and Research
  • Administrative Functions and Program Management
  • Theoretical Approaches
  • Facilitate Treatment
  • Administer and Evaluate Art Therapy and Art-Based Assessments
  • Professional Practice and Ethical Responsibilities
  • Professional Development and Research
  • Administrative Functions and Program Management
Accepted Courses and Events

Continuing Education Credits (CECs) will be accepted for all courses or events that fall within the ATCB℠ Eligible Content Areas and are presented or approved by any of the following entities for continuing education credit in art therapy, mental health, or behavioral sciences:

  • State Licensing Authorities
  • National Professional Organizations
  • National Credentialing Bodies

Continuing Education Credits (CECs) will be accepted for all courses or events that fall within the ATCB℠ Eligible Content Areas and are presented or approved by any of the following entities for continuing education credit in art therapy, mental health, or behavioral sciences:

  • State Licensing Authorities
  • National Professional Organizations
  • National Credentialing Bodies

If you have questions about your specific recertification period or continuing education options, please contact us.

Changes to Inactive Status Beginning June 2024

Aug 3, 2024 | Credential Updates

Notice: Reinstatement of Inactive Credentials

Effective July 1, 2024, at 12:00 AM EST, all inactive credentials will have one year (July 1 – June 30) to complete the reinstatement process and restore the credential to active status.

Reinstatement Fee: The reinstatement fee is $250, effective July 1, 2024.

Permanent Inactivation: If a credential is not reinstated within one year of becoming inactive, the credential (and assigned credential number) will be permanently inactive.

The Art Therapy Credentials Board (ATCB℠) will not hold onto personal data in inactive portals greater than one year to meet data security and privacy regulations.

Annual Renewal & Board Recertification

The Art Therapy Credentials Board (ATCB℠) credential year runs from July 1 – June 30. The windows for completing annual renewal and five-year board recertification are from April 1 – June 30.

Grace Period: A complimentary 30-day grace period (July 1 – July 30) is provided for those who did not complete renewal or recertification by June 30. Any credential not renewed by this time will become inactive. Any board certification not recertified will no longer be valid.

 

Inactive Credentials

Reinstatement

If a credential has become inactive, it can be reinstated. The following credentials are eligible for reinstatement:

  • Provisional Registered Art Therapist (ATR-P®)
  • Registered Art Therapist (ATR℠)
  • Art Therapy Credentialed Supervisor℠ (ATCS)

Click HERE to review the reinstatement process

 

 

Loss of Board Certification

Board certification is a certification, not a credential. The only way to maintain certification is through the recertification process at the end of a five-year certification cycle or by retaking the Art Therapy Credentials Board Exam (ATCBE®) every five years.

If the five-year certification cycle has ended and a recertification application was not submitted, the BC distinction will no longer be valid. If recertification was not completed, you have the following options:

  • Appeal to the Board of Appeals to reopen the recertification application. Appeal information is outlined here.
  • Retake the ATCBE®. The application for this is located in MyATCB℠ portals. If the exam fee creates a financial hardship, contact the ATCB℠ Headquarters for consideration by the Board of Directors.