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