Hey, New York!! Let’s Talk About Continuing Ed!

HEY, NEW YORK!!! DID YOU KNOW???

In an effort to help keep NYS music therapists informed regarding the Licensed Creative Arts Therapist (LCAT) law and regulations, we are pleased to offer this little column of regulatory tidbits!

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This Issue’s Feature:

CONTINUING EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS – CONTINUING!

As most everyone knows, effective January 1, 2017, Section 8412 of Article 163, the Mental Health Practitioner’s law, requires LCATs to earn 36 hours of approved continuing education (CE) for every 3-year registration period. All CE must be taken from a state-approved provider, and any CE completed prior to January 1, 2017 will not be accepted.

In this column, we are highlighting the process of accruing the required CE hours and maintaining adequate documentation in case of audit. As an LCAT, you are responsible for maintaining records of all completed continuing education, which includes:

  • title of the course if a course,

  • type of educational activity if an educational activity,

  • subject of the continuing education,

  • number of hours of continuing education completed,

  • provider’s name and identifying number,

  • attendance verification if a course, participation verification if another educational activity,

  • a copy of any article or book for which continuing education credit is claimed with proof of publication,

  • the program for a juried show or performance, and

  • the date and location of the continuing education.

For all courses, you should receive a certificate of completion which must include the following information:

  • your name, your licensed profession, and your license number,

  • title of the course or program, subject area, and any identification number assigned to it by the provider,

  • the educational method used (e.g., live in-person, live online, and/or self-study),

  • number of contact hours completed,

  • the approved provider’s name and identifying number,

  • verification by the provider of the licensee’s attendance or participation,

  • the date and location (city/state) of the course or activity, and

  • a statement indicating that the organization is recognized by the New York State Education Department’s State Board for Mental Health Practitioners as a Department-approved provider of licensed creative arts therapist continuing education.

You must also maintain documentation for other educational activities, such as:

  • course descriptions, handouts and brochures that may document your first-time preparation and teaching a course offered by a NYSED-approved provider of continuing education to licensed creative arts therapists,
  • an article published for the first time in a peer-reviewed journal, or a chapter in a book in the practice of creative arts therapy,
  • a program for a juried show or performance, including the date,
  • syllabi, power point slides, and examinations that are part of a course that was prepared and taught for the first time in a higher education institution or psychotherapy institute.

You must maintain these records for at least six years from the date of completion of the continuing education, and make them available for review by the department in case of audit. Because of this, it is recommended that you create a filing system (whether it’s a folder, a binder, etc.) in which you can maintain paper copies of required documentation, and back it up with electronic files.

As of April 6, there were 25 state-approved providers for CE for LCATs. 3 of these are music therapy providers:

Mid-Atlantic Region/AMTA (Course Type: Live In-Person)

Molloy College (Course Type: Live In-Person and Live Online)

SUNY New Paltz (Course Type: Live In-Person and Live Online)

You can find a current list of approved providers here:

http://www.op.nysed.gov/prof/mhp/catceproviderlisting.htm

If you have specific questions or areas of law or regulations that you would like us to address in future issues, please notify us at nystf@aol.com