Our goal for a 30% increase in over-all NBCC compliance regarding continuing education provider policies and procedures was not met during this past trimester. Please note however, that particular chapters and divisions should be recognized for conscientious efforts toward consistent adherence to NBCC requirements. They are MTCA, TMHCA, WCA, and WTCA.

TCA is at risk of losing status as an approved continuing education provider. Several chapters and divisions have made great efforts to strive for better consistency and accountability regarding use of the TCA NBCC provider number. However, we must strive for 100% compliance, which has yet to be reached. All chapters and divisions who want to use the TCA NBCC provider number MUST OBTAIN PRIOR APPROVAL for each event/program per NBCC requirements. Secondly, any chapter or division receiving written permission to use the provider number must submit certain documents to the TCA NBCC Compliance Chair/ACEP. This compliance requirement will not diminish 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). As stated in the LDC report, these items have been “on the NBCC books” for a while 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. The following is a review of the aforementioned NBCC Compliance requirements.

FOR 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 and title 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 including clock hours to be offered (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, but printed names with signatures for sign in IS REQUIRED), evaluation summary of each program/presentation (must include a numerical/quantitative component), 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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Primary Goal for this Trimester

Methods

Provide specific information regarding procedures, samples of documents to all chapters and divisions.

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).

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).

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

Personal communication telephone call to Mrs. Anne Garland at NBCC 336-547-0607.

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