Since TCA Past President Barbara Guinn’s decision to appoint an NBCC Compliance Chair in September 2005, vast improvements have been made by TCA and her chapters and divisions in “protecting” the use of the NBCC continuing education provider number. As reported in 2006, we were assured that in some topic areas of sponsored events, a presenter/instructor without graduate education could meet compliance requirements under some of the CACREP core topic areas. And in July 2007, the Chair reported that improvements needed to be made with consistency with compliance issues. It was recommended that chapters and divisions submit copies of their event program, certificate attendance, evaluation summary, and roster/attendance sign-in sheet to the NBCC Compliance Chair following each event (as well as retain these documents in their own archives).

Everyone has made great efforts and now it is time for all of us to “merge” in consistency of standards and requirements established by NBCC—let’s call it our final phase! The following two changes will not take away the autonomy of chapters and divisions ability to develop and coordinate their own events and programs. In fact it will ensure that when the TCA continuing education number is used, compliance regarding use of ACEP numbers will be met on the “front end” as opposed to following an event (when a compliance issue may have been overlooked). These items have been “on the NBCC books” for awhile and we were implementing them with flexibility. However, I have been advised by NBCC officials to adhere to these as mandatory, NOT recommended policies and procedures.

REVIEW: The Tennessee Counseling Association (TCA) is an NBCC approved continuing education provider (ACEP). This continuing education provider status is important for a number of reasons, particularly because compliance with NBCC continuing education policies and procedures provides guidelines and standards to ensure that counseling professionals (and other “related” professionals) are receiving relevant and appropriate professional development opportunities. Also NBCC accepts NBCC approved continuing education credit for purposes of re-certification. TCA is authorized to award NBCC approved continuing education clock hours for programs that meet NBCC Continuing Education Program criteria. TCA ACEP status falls under the provider category of ACA, its Divisions and State Branches. ACEPs in this category have approval numbers between 1000 and 2999, and are not required to pay a fee. The TCA continuing education provider number is 2043. TCA has approval to offer NBCC approved live programs or training.

ATTENTION TCA CHAPTERS AND DIVISIONS: CHANGES REGARDING THE USE OF THE TCA NBCC ACEP NUMBER (Per NBCC requirements):

§ Chapters and Divisions Must Receive Written Approval from the NBCC Compliance Chair/ACEP Representative to Use the TCA ACEP Number. See number 1 below.

§ Any TCA chapter or division using the TCA ACEP number, must submit certain documents to the NBCC Compliance Chair following an event/program. See number 2 below.

1. The TCA number may be “borrowed” by TCA chapters and divisions, ONLY by written request AND subsequent written permission from the TCA ACEP Representative. (NBCC, Use of NBCC ACEP Numbers, p. 10). (Please note that the TCA provider number may NOT be used outside the TCA structure, unless TCA meets NBCC guidelines regarding co-sponsorship). The chapter or division designee submitting the written request to use the TCA NBCC continuing education provider number, must include the following:

ü Information regarding the content of the program, and ** “at least one identifiable objective of the content must be focused on how mental health professionals may use the knowledge presented to aid clients in a professional mental health setting” (NBCC, NBCC Continuing Education Program Content Approval Criteria section, para. C, D, E). What qualifications does the instructor/presenter have relative to the content?

(**Use caution with “language—if criteria are met, this refers more specifically to Professional Counselors who face mental health issues in various work settings).

ü The program schedule (reminder: a break over 10 minutes will lead to a deduction of NBCC approved clock/contact hours).

ü Resume or biographical sketch for each presenter. Include level of education.

ü Identification of the topic/content area, under which the program content falls—one of the eight CACREP core (i.e., Social and Cultural Foundations) or the ninth area, Multiple Sessions/Conferences, and the appropriate Instructor level (1 or 2).

ü Retain the original document NBCC Permission to Use the NBCC ACEP Number form, which you receive AFTER your request to use the number is approved, for at least five (5) years. (Please consider keeping this document as part of your chapter or division archives.

2. Following an event/program, any TCA chapter or division using the TCA ACEP number, must submit an appropriate roster of attendees (sign-in AND sign-out is suggested), evaluation summary of each program/presentation, a copy of the program(s), a copy of the certificate of attendance (may use a verification form/letter for multiple sessions with multiple presenters/instructors). For examples of documentation, please contact the NBCC Compliance Chair.

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Upcoming Goals of the NBCC Compliance Chair/ACEP Representative

Submit (e-mail as Microsoft word attachment) a thorough summary of guidelines for use of the TCA ACEP number to Executive Council and all TCA chapter and division Presidents and President-elects, no later than April 26^th. They will be advised to share this information with any NBCC Compliance designee. A condensed version of the document (a checklist) will also be submitted.

Be available to all regarding NBCC compliance issues and appropriate use of the TCA NBCC ACEP number. On-going.

Review written requests by chapters and divisions to use the TCA ACEP number in a timely fashion (as stated in the 2008 handbook outlining the TCA NBCC Compliance Chair/ACEP Representative’s Responsibilities) effective immediately.

Follow-up with organizations who have received approval to use the TCA continuing education provider number for an event but have neglected to turn in required items. In the past, some chapters and divisions chose to maintain these themselves. It is correct that all documentation should be maintained in chapter and division archives. However certain items MUST be submitted to the NBCC Chair/ACEP Representative following every event where NBCC continuing education credit with the TCA number is being offered (per NBCC requirements), effective immediately.

Collect (and maintain) required documentation for the five-year period per NBCC ACEP policies and procedure.

Sources:

Personal communication telephone call to Mrs. Anne Garland at NBCC 336-547-0607, February & March 2008, for clarification and confirmation issues.

NBCC, National Board for Certified Counselors. (2006, December). National Board for Certified

Counselors: NBCC continuing education provider policies and procedures. National Board for Certified Counselors: Greensboro, NC.

NBCC, National Board for Certified Counselors Website. (2006, December). National Board for Certified Counselors NBCC

continuing education provider policies and procedures. Retrieved December 29, 2007, from http://www.nbcc.org/continuing_ed_providers