Summer 2023 Message from the President

Jun 28, 2023 | Latest News

Message from the President 

 Welcome, all credential holders, new and renewed! On behalf of the Board, I am proud to present the Summer 2023 Newsletter. This is an exciting newsletter to share, and I hope it helps inform of the changes underway at the Art Therapy Credentials Board. Inside you will find an update on the new examination provider and procedure(s), information on ways to connect with the ATCB, and opportunities to volunteer with the ATCB. We are committed to improving accessibility for credential holders to manage and maintain their credentials and upholding our mission to protect the public through the rigorous credentialing process.

 Reminder: the ATCB credential and certification year ends June 30, 2023[X1] . The new credential year will begin on July 1, 2023. To complete your annual credential renewal, log into your MyATCB portal before June 30, 2023. Remember, renewal and recertification are separate processes with separate applications. If you are Board Certified, complete your renewal application as well as your five-year recertification application (if your five-year cycle ends on July 1, 2023).

 For the past three years, the ATCB has been working to modernize operations and implement upgrades to ensure our board certification program complies with the National Commission of Certifying Agencies (NCCA). As of April 1, 2023, the ATCB established a new national office under its own management. We have worked to minimize the impacts of this transition. We look forward to having dedicated ATCB staff, and we look forward to our partnership with Prometric, ATCB’s testing provider, which includes an expanded range of services and exam program enhancements. The content outline for the exam that will take effect in 2025 reflects the results of the most recent job analysis administered in 2022. The survey was completed by over 1,000 credentialed art therapists who provided data on current art therapy practice, including work behaviors and tasks, client populations, media/materials, diagnostic categories, ethical issues, and work settings. Thank you to all who participated in the job analysis! 

 The Board of Directors continues identifying structural areas of the ATCB requiring review. One area we are working on are the registration standards for the Registered Art Therapist credential (ATR). These standards were to undergo an audit in 2022. Because of the disruptive nature of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Board opted to pause the audit of the registration standards. This work will resume with the new credential year beginning July 1, 2023. The Board has created an Ad Hoc committee of art therapists to help review the current registration standards and identify gaps and/or areas needing revision. While this review is being conducted, the ATCB will continue to allow 1:1 group supervision hours.

 Finally, volunteers are the fuel that powers the Art Therapy Credential Board. The ATCB offers a variety of ways to get involved, from short-term volunteer projects to committee, panel, and board service. With every new volunteer, The ATCB grows more energized, more diverse and inclusive, and better equipped to reach our common goal to ensure the highest caliber of our practice and the oversight of credential holders’ competent and ethical practice of art therapy. To meet the needs of our credential holders, applicants, and examinees, I hope you will consider volunteering with the ATCB! Please contact LeeAnn Mandrillo, leeann@atcb if interested!

Sincerely,

Ruth Xilomen Rios, LMFT, ATR-BC, ATCS
President

ATCB New Home:
Art Therapy Credentials Board, Inc.
2941 Battleground Ave
PO Box 38726
Greensboro, NC 27438

2022 Updates and Reminders

Dec 22, 2021 | Latest News

Dear Credential Holders,

In preparation for the anticipated changes in the NCCA accreditation standards and the upcoming job analysis, the Art Therapy Credentials Board of Directors has updated policies and practices. Below are changes that will affect those applying for ATR, ATR-P, ATCS, and all credential holders collecting continuing education credits to maintain their board certification (BC).

1. The registration standards for the registered art therapist credential (ATR) will undergo assessment in 2022. Beginning July 1, 2022, all ATR-P and ATR applications will undergo an education review for six months as part of this review process.
2. The Art Therapy Credentials Board will be conducting a job analysis. Part of the process of creating a professional exam requires that a “job analysis” be performed by surveying currently practicing professionals about the knowledge and skills they use in real-world practice. According to psychometric best practices, the ATCB conducts a job analysis every five years. This study provides a basis for the ongoing revision of the ATCBE and ensures currency and relevance in the examination content. To learn more about the ATCBE, click here.
3. All registered art therapists with board certification (ATR-BC) must include six continuing education credits in supervision to recertify. In addition, six continuing education credits in ethics continue to be required. As a significant number of ATR-BC’s report supervising individuals who seek the ATR, the Art Therapy Credentials Board ruled it necessary that all ATR-BC’s have the knowledge and skills to supervise competently. This affects all credential holders who will need to recertify by June 30, 2023, and after. Anyone recertifying in 2022 should refer to the standards in their MyATCB portal. 

*Please note that additional changes may be likely when the updated NCCA standards are released. The Art Therapy Credentials Board will communicate further changes.

Also important reminders:

• If you have called and left a voicemail, please respond to this email with the information or the inquiry you left in your voicemail. Unfortunately, the National Office cannot reply to voice messages that have no identifiable information or are inaudible.
• REMINDER: For any potential ATCS applicant wishing to utilize the previous application standards, the grandfathering period will end on December 31, 2021. To use these standards, all interested applicants must submit their applications by December 31, 2021. Beginning January 2022, all ATCS applicants must apply under the current standards. Additional information about the ATCS can be found here.

Please be sure you regularly visit the Art Therapy Credentials Board website, credential handbooks, recertification standards, and MyATCB portal- including the credential files and the communications tab. The Art Therapy Credentials Board has minimized “e-blasts” for your electronic protection and does not send paper notices.

Application inquires: applications@atcb.org

Board inquiries: president@atcb.org

Ethics inquiries: ethics@atcb.org

Examination inquiries: exams@atcb.org

All other inquires can be sent to: atcbinfo@atcb.org

*The NCCA’s Standards for the Accreditation of Certification Programs were the first standards developed by the credentialing industry for professional certification programs. The NCCA Standards were developed to help ensure the health, welfare, and safety of the public. They highlight the essential elements of a high-quality program.

Retrieved from: https://www.credentialingexcellence.org/Accreditation/Earn-Accreditation/NCCA

Clarification from the Art Therapy Credentials Board

Nov 12, 2021 | Latest News

This statement is intended to provide clarification regarding our renewal and recertification processes.

The Art Therapy Credentials Board renewal and recertification season and function have not changed. The credential year has always been and continues to be July through June. However, some confusion appears to remain about the difference between a renewal and recertification.

Every year, all Art Therapy Credentials Board credentials the ATR, ATR-P, and ATCS require renewal. The primary function of renewals is the completion of the annual ethics attestation.

Every five years, anyone who is an ATR-BC must also complete recertification requirements.  An ATR-BC is a Registered Art Therapist (ATR) who has Board Certification. Board Certification needs to be recertified every five years by completing 100 CE’s or retaking the ATCB exam. Therefore, maintenance of ATR-BC requires two separate processes:  the ATR annual renewal and the Board Certification five-year recertification.

The COVID pandemic led to changes and processing delays in 2020 and this year. As a result, the ATCB extended some timeframes.  However, the COVID extensions cannot be indefinite.  Credentials holders still need to complete the annual renewal process.  And, those with Board Certification still need to complete recertification.

The MyATCB portals are a safe way to ensure shared and available information. Although the ATCB reaches every credential holder due for renewal and recertification, there are natural limits on the frequency of these efforts due to administrative costs, data protection regulations, and the lack of up-to-date information from credential holders. The ATCB asks credential holders to remember to do the following:

• Please be sure to update your email address in your MyATCB portal.
• Please check your email SPAM folder, quarantine filters, or promotional tabs.  If an email from ATCB was diverted, then please mark the sender as safe.
• Please visit the MyATCB portals and the website from time to time for updates and other information.
• Please mark your calendars with renewal and recertification reminders.  As of 2018, ATCB discontinued individual reminders by mail (as have many licensure boards and other credentialing organizations). In addition, ATCB minimally uses mass emails due to privacy and security concerns and the lack of current email addresses.

Any credential that is not renewed is automatically placed in inactive status.  Please note that “inactive” does not equal “expired” or “revoked.”  Inactive status is granted as a grace period for those who did not renew on time.  A credential may be returned to active status by completing the reinstatement process.  Payment of a reinstatement fee is required to cover the associated costs.  If the reinstatement fee may be a financial hardship, the credential holder may request a fee waiver.

If a credential holder continues to have questions or difficulties, then please do the following:

• The answers to many questions may be found in ATCB publications.  Our policies and procedures are explained in the credential handbooks, the certification and recertification standards, and on the website.  Detailed instructions on completing renewals, recertifications, reinstatement, and changing passwords are also located on the ATCB website.
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• If a credential holder cannot find an answer or resolve a problem on their own, then the National Office is available to assist.  The National Office has conducted numerous tutorial and assistance Zoom sessions for those who reached out.
• Please get in touch with the ATCB directly with questions and concerns. The ATCB generally will not discuss individual situations with outside parties.
• Please report processing problems directly to the ATCB. Requests for exceptions due to processing problems will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.  Additional extensions of time may be granted but are not guaranteed.

If a credential holder believes that an error has been made in how the ATCB rules were applied to their credential status, then the credential holder may submit an appeal to the ATCB Board of Appeals. Please review the ATCB Appeals policy to ensure all appeals are submitted accordingly. Information on appeals can be found here .

Procedurally, the Board of Appeals meets twice a year, once in the Fall and once in the Spring. Appeals are considered in the order received. The Board of Appeals will add additional meetings before the next scheduled meeting this Spring.

ATCB updates and exciting changes

Apr 11, 2021 | Latest News

Dear Credential Holders,

The last year and a half have been a tumultuous time for the ATCB, the country, and the world. Few things have not been disrupted, and most things have changed in many ways. We apologize for any inconveniences you may have experienced and thank you for your patience as the ATCB Board of Directors and the National Office navigate the challenging and confusing times.

Here are some important ATCB updates and exciting changes:

• At the end of 2019, we hired a new Executive Director, LeeAnn Mandrillo. Though LeeAnn hit the ground running, there was still a learning curve to understand the history and operations of the ATCB. One of the first things she discovered was that the ATCB needed to comply with data and identity protection regulations, notably General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), and various state mandates that require regulatory boards that govern confidentiality and communications with credential holders. This meant that we could no longer continue with social media or the blog since this was provided by a contracted vendor outside the National Office. Coming into compliance also highlighted the need for a new database platform and website to serve credential holders. Detailed information about the new system will be forthcoming in the next few weeks.
• Like many organizations, the ATCB had to make substantial changes to in-office operations to work remotely. Some of these changes included:
  • Modifying the application process from US postal mail to email. The email process requires the National Office to collect pieces of application materials and create the application packet on their behalf. Only after application packets are complete can the application review process begin. Checking MyATCB accounts is the best way to quickly find updates on missing materials and reach out to supervisors/references, etc., to remind them.
  • As the National Office, with a staff of only three people, was managing these new application procedures, they also had recertification and renewals to attend to as they figured out how to do business in a pandemic. Despite the difficulty, the ATCB offered credential holders extensions for renewals and recertifications three times.
  • The National Office has had to extend this to accommodate the increase in credential holders’ calls and emails and while we work to update our operating systems.
• The ATCB Exam windows were modified from four limited windows a year to six-month windows. Because the exam is national, our testing provider Pearson Vue is bound by local pandemic mandates outside of the ATCB’s control; thus, we have extended exam windows when requested.
• The standards for credentials are reviewed and updated annually; there are updates to the ATR registration standards. Please be sure to check our website and application handbooks to stay abreast of these updates.
• The National Office has created an upgraded user-friendly database, and website-all records and files are being digitalized. We grew the Board of Directors and will be adding additional staff. Based on your feedback from the media survey, we will reinstate the newsletter.

Important to note, due to the confidentiality and privacy mandates, the ATCB cannot and will not provide any applicant or credential holder information to anyone other than the applicant or credential holder. We will also decrease the number of mass emails.

Please see important updates for information about upgrades to MYATCB, applications, renewals, recertification, and more!

As 2021 continues, we anticipate more positive changes and look forward to working with you to continue improving our credentialing systems and certification in our mission to serve art therapists and protect the public.

Thank you,

Charlotte Boston
President