Continued Competency Program

Context

Currently, in the absence of mandatory regulation in the Health Professions Act, the ACTA Board supports public protection through Members’ voluntary registration and oversight of their professional practice, preparing the profession for regulation. ACTA recognizes and asserts that counselling services are best regulated in Alberta’s Health Professions Act to ensure public protection under the legislated authority of a regulatory college. ACTA is committed to collaborating with the Government and the College of Alberta Psychologists to implement the path forward to regulation.  

Preamble

The Association of Counselling Therapy of Alberta (ACTA) recognizes that the professions of Counselling Therapy, Addiction Counselling, and Child and Youth Care Counselling require specific, complex competency development and maintenance to reduce client risks and enhance client’s beneficial outcomes. (See Competency Frameworks: CT, AC, CYCC.)  “Competency”  is the ability (knowledge, skills, behaviours, and attitudes) to perform a practice task with a specified level of proficiency. 


Entry-to-practice Competency profiles have been established for each profession (Counselling Therapists, Addiction Counsellors, and Child and Youth Care Counsellors). These profiles identify the competencies expected at entry into the profession and provide a foundation for ongoing development. It is essential to ensure that a practitioner’s knowledge and skills remain current and develop throughout a career through continued experience, supervision, education, and reflective practice.


Step 1: Demonstration of Competency at Application - MANDATORY

ACTA Members demonstrate competency through a portfolio of evidence during the application processes, which assesses their education, supervision, and professional practice. 


Step 2: Attestation and Agreement to Practice and Maintain Competencies - MANDATORY

Members further attest to having acquired the profession's competencies and agree to comply with ACTA’s Standards of Practice, Code of Ethics, Professional Conduct Program, Continued Competency, and all other Board Bylaws, Policies and requirements established by the Board in its sole discretion.


Step 3: Maintenance and Development of New Competencies - MANDATORY YEARLY

A. Yearly Renewal - Currency Hours 

ACTA recognizes that competency erosion can occur over time without an individual's continued practice, application, education, supervision, and intentional efforts to maintain and enhance the competencies of the counselling profession. 

 During renewal each year, Members must declare their currency hours within the last three (3) years, with a minimum requirement of 750 hours/3 years. 

Currency Hours refers to the required hours working and/or acquiring knowledge within the practice of the profession. 

Currency Hours

Currency hours include a broad range of professional activities directly related to the practice of the profession of CT, such as:

  • direct client work;

  • record-keeping and preparation in relation to direct client work;

  • professional development in counselling;

  • engaging in clinical supervision as a supervisee;

  • conducting research or writing in the field of CT;

  • teaching (must be a course directly related to CT;

  • educational hours directly related to CT;

  • managing those in the field of CT;

  • consulting; and

  • other professional activities that impact the practice of counselling (note: personal psychotherapy hours may be counted as they relate to the profession and increase a self-reflective practice, other self care; however, personal or spiritual practices may not be counted).


B. Within the First Year of Registration - MANDATORY  

Members must complete and upload the Certificate Completion: Protecting Patients from Sexual Abuse and Misconduct before their first renewal. This is a free online course that takes approximately 45 min to complete. You must SAVE YOUR CERTIFICATE to upload during the renewal process.

C.  Complete 24 hrs of Continued Education every 2 years - MANDATORY 

Members of ACTA must ensure they regularly participate in continuing education, a minimum of 24 hours every two years, that is recognized as common theoretical and/or scientific practice related to the profession. 

  • Members attest to hours of CE during renewal. ACTA has the ability to audit. 


Additional Continued Competency Requirements 

The Board, at its sole discretion, can implement additional requirements for Members to ensure and enforce the maintenance of professional competencies and public protection. These additional requirements may include required hours of training or education and/or participation in professional development activities and reflective practices.