Update on Proclamation:
Government Stalls CCTA Regulation
As you are all aware, earlier this year the Government of Alberta advised ACTA to be prepared for proclamation of the CCTA regulation as early as summer 2021. The Government, at the direction of the Minister of Health, brought the CCTA regulation up to the finish line of proclamation after a significant amount of coordinated efforts between the Government and ACTA. However, based on recent communication from the former Minister of Health and a meeting with the Deputy Minister of Health, we now understand that the Government has changed its direction. The Government has advised ACTA that proclamation of the CCTA regulation is no longer a priority and it has been stalled.
ACTA has worked tirelessly to ensure the Government is aware of the numerous reasons why regulation of the professions is critical and urgent. The Government needs to be held accountable to its commitments to prioritize mental health and addictions in Alberta. Proclaiming the CCTA regulation would uphold this commitment by taking a simple, no cost to Government, step to increasing access to mental and addiction services and protecting vulnerable Albertans accessing these services. The Government has further made commitments to support Albertans through the COVID-19 crisis, and there has never been a more critical time to proclaim the CCTA, stabilize the mental health and addictions workforce and increase capacity to provide mental health services. The Government needs to be held accountable for the work that has been done by the Ministry and ACTA, based on its commitments.
Despite the Government's reversal of direction, the ACTA Board remains committed to advocating for the proclamation of the CCTA regulation in the best interests of the public. This requires your continued support and we ask that you remain committed to regulation as well, regardless of this disappointing turn of events.
We believe protection of the public through regulation of the professions in Alberta is critical. It is untenable to think that Alberta will continue to remain an unregulated environment for the delivery of counselling services to the public when almost all of North America protects the public through regulation. The Government is ultimately responsible for proclamation and ACTA is not able to promise if and when proclamation will occur. The Government’s recent change in position has needlessly set Alberta back in ensuring Albertans receive safe and competent mental health and addiction services. ACTA will continue to advocate to the Government that it be accountable to its commitment to regulate the professions of counselling therapy, addiction counselling and child and youth care counselling.
What you can do:
Stay connected for updated information and advocacy efforts you can participate in. Register for the ACTA Town Hall Meetings on November 24 and 25 to find out more about what you can do.
Remain steadfast in your resolve to support and advocate for regulation with ACTA.
Now is an important time to encourage others to register with ACTA in support of regulation. Although ACTA cannot promise if or when proclamation will occur, membership numbers express the magnitude of the professions’ support and represents the readiness of this workforce to provide accountable care to Albertans.
Next steps:
The ACTA Board’s Commitment: we will honour ACTA’s mandate to pursue regulation of the professions of counselling therapy, addiction counselling, and child and youth care counselling in Alberta.
ACTA will continue to put forward its maximum efforts to get the CCTA regulation back on this Government's priority list. ACTA expects to meet with the Associate Minister of Mental Health and Addictions in November. We commit to updating you following these efforts.
The ACTA Board will continue strategic planning of advocacy efforts and sustainability of the organization.
ACTA Membership Town Hall Meetings:
November 24, 2021, noon - 1pm
November 25, 2021, 7pm - 8pm
Our strength is in our numbers, our unity and our steadfast support of regulation. Your membership in ACTA is a testament to your support for regulation. It has provided ACTA with the resources and support needed to develop the College, and it continues to send a strong signal to the Government that the professions support regulation in the best interests of Albertans.