Clarification from the Art Therapy Credentials Board
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.
/maintaining-your-credentials
//credential-holders/ - 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.