Applications for Registration: Re-Opening April 30, 2024
The Government announced on March 1, 2024, that it has decided to move forward with regulating “counsellors” in an existing college, the College of Alberta Psychologists (CAP), and will repeal the legislation to proclaim the College of Counselling Therapy of Alberta.
CAP has clarified they have only agreed to regulate counselling therapists.
There is no current path forward to regulate Child and Youth Care Counsellors or Addiction Counsellors
Therefore, the ACTA Board decided, ACTA will no longer accept applications for Child and Youth Care Counsellors or Addiction Counsellors.
Counselling Therapist’s scope of practice includes counselling for all ages and addiction issues as reflected in individual acquired competencies.
*Please note all new attestations on the forms when applying.
Have Questions?
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Overview of Application Requirements for Intermediate Route
It is acknowledged that the Intermediate Route application will appear daunting; however, the online application will take you through the process step by step and will have ‘?’ icons to click on for additional instructions and help. There will also be a video tutorial to help you through (see below).
The online application has a scoring mechanism. You will be able to see if your education, experience and supervision may meet the requirements for those categories. This will help you to decide whether to submit your application or obtain the needed education, experience or supervision before submitting. ACTA will need to verify your submissions to ensure your competencies meet the entrance criteria.
The following is the list of documentation and hours you will need to enter into your application for the Intermediate Route:
copies of diplomas and degrees transcripts (official transcripts are not required)
copies of professional certifications acquired
proof of professional liability insurance for minimum $2 million coverage
two professional good character references - PLEASE USE THIS FORM (signed and dated within 1 year of application)
if you belong to another counselling college in Canada, you will need to provide the registration certificate
if you belong to another professional college (eg: nursing or occupational therapy), you will need to provide the registration certificate
if any of your documentation lists a different name, you will also have to provide proof of name change (eg. marriage certificate)
name and contact information for your current employer (or your professional corporation or sole proprietorship)
Please keep a portfolio of evidence of all the entries you have made on your application. The ACTA does not ask for proof of all entries during the application process, although we will be randomly auditing applicants. Those chosen for auditing will have a limited time to supply their portfolio of evidence. Please keep your portfolio in a safe and accessible place.
International Applicants
Complete the application process detailed throughout this document and application form with the following accommodations.
Educated outside of Canada and the United States: you must have your certificates, diplomas, and/or degrees assessed against Canadian education standards through a recognized credential assessment service such as WES (World Education Services), IQAS (International qualifications Assessment Service), ICAS (International Credential Assessment Service of Canada), or ICES (International Credential Evaluation Service). This will enable you to provide proof that your foreign credentials are comparable to Canadian Standards.
Applicants Living Outside of Canada: To satisfy the Vulnerable Vector Record Check, applicants who do not live in Canada must provide (dated within one year of the application date):
A Vulnerable Sector Check from the country they are currently residing; AND
Canadian Criminal Record Check, which they can complete online https://mybackcheck.com/Public/Login.aspx
Education
The application will ask you to list the diplomas and degrees obtained that are relevant (to the development of the competencies) of the professions of Counselling Therapy (CT). You will be required to upload images of the degrees and diplomas.
If you have taken individual courses that are relevant (to competency development) of the professions of CT whether as electives toward a non related degree or otherwise, you may list those courses under the category of “Individual Courses.”
All other professional development education, such as conferences and workshops, that are relevant (to competency development) of the professions of CT can be listed in the category of “Other Courses and Education.”
The application will ask you to declare how many hours of education you received from your programs or courses. There will be a ‘?’ icon with additional instructions in the application to help you if you are unsure.
Supervision
The application will ask you to tell us how many clinical supervision and other allowable forms of supervision hours you have received. These must be hours that you have been supervised within the scope of practice of a CT. You will be asked to provide the name and contact information of your supervisor so the College can contact your supervisor if needed. We recognize that this may not be possible in all cases and in those circumstances please choose a reason from the drop-down list why it is not possible to provide you supervisor’s contact information.
Clinical supervision can be individual, dyadic or group (maximum group size 8); supervision does not need to be face to face. Structured peer group supervision qualifies as group clinical supervision if it is a formal and structured process and includes one group member who meets the definition of Clinical Supervisor. Peer consultation does not qualify.
Clinical supervisor: Clinical supervision is characterized by a formal relationship between the supervisor and supervisee(s). Clinical supervision is usually distinct from general (or managerial) supervision by a supervisor or manager in the workplace, and distinct from supervision requirements in education programs. However, within a workplace setting or education program clinical supervision may be provided by an employer/manager/work-place supervisor/ instructor or educator as long as it meets the definition, characteristics, and agreements of clinical supervision as defined in this Supervision Guidelines and does not pose a conflict of interest.
Currency and Direct client Contact Hours
On the application you will be asked to provide totals of currency and direct client contact hours to establish you meet the minimum requirements.
Currency Hours (see notes and definition below):
Counselling Therapists: At least 750 currency hours directly related to counselling therapy in the three years prior to application.
Direct Client Contact (DCC) hours for Counselling Therapists and Addiction Counsellors (see notes below):
Counselling Therapists: At least 450 hours of direct client contact (over entire career).
More Information About Currency Hours and Direct Client Contact (DCC) Hours
You may use the tracking tools provided to ensure you have the required currency and DCC hours within the required timeframes; however, on the form itself you will only have to verify that you have the required DCC and currency hours. YOU WILL NOT HAVE TO ITEMIZE THESE HOURS. You will also not have to provide any proof - but you will be asked to attest to the truth and accuracy of all the information provided. You will also provide consent for ACTA to contact any person or organization listed on your application and verify any information provided.
How accurate do you need to be with your calculations?
The goal is to ensure that everyone in ACTA meets the requirements for currency hours and direct client contact hours. The purpose of providing these numbers is to verify you have met these requirements. We understand that it may not 100% reflect the accuracy of your hours over and above these requirements.
Confused about the timelines for the currency and DCC hours?
Currency hours are those accumulated in the 3 years (36 months) prior to applying. DCC hours can be accumulated over the life of your career, including during practicum. Some practitioners will have enough DCC hours as part of their currency hours, others will have to reach further back in their career to find the remainder of their DCC hours.
The intent for currency hours is to ensure that those applying are current - meaning they have been sufficiently engaged in the profession in practice or learning over the past 3 years. This does not necessarily mean that they have been accumulating DCC in this time (for example, some people may have been involved in teaching, research, supervision, consulting, studying, and other activities more recently), but they still have to have accumulated at least 450 hours of DCC over their entire career.
How will it look on the application?
If a person applied on April 16, 2021, this is how these sections would look on the application. Note that the years are not calendar years, but the 3 years prior to the application date. Also note that it is not itemized and only totals are requested. As long as the three fields for currency hours equal 750 the currency requirements will be met. (although some will report more than 750 hours). You only need to input a single number for your DCC hours.
What are currency hours for Counselling Therapists?
Currency hours include a broad range of professional activities directly related to the practise 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).
Other Professional Activities
The application will ask you to list other professional activities such as consulting, providing supervision, teaching, lecturing, managing a team, volunteer work, etc. These activities must be related to the profession you are applying for Counselling Therapy.
Good Character and Criminal Record with Vulnerable Sector Check
Two professional good character references are required. PLEASE USE THIS FORM. These are not to be sent directly to ACTA from the reference; applicants should collect them and submit with their other documentation when they apply. These references may be other counsellors, or other professionals with whom the applicant has closely worked. They should not be personal acquaintances or the applicant’s therapist. The letters need to be signed and dated within 1 year of the application.
You must also submit a criminal record with vulnerable sector check that is no older than one year from the date of submission of your application. This is a legislated requirement.
Insurance Requirements
Applicants must provide proof of professional liability insurance for minimum $2 million coverage. Applicants should submit a copy of the original insurance certificate, if possible. Those who are covered by their employer’s insurance should request a letter from their employer stating that they are covered under the employer’s liability insurance and submit this letter instead.
If you are currently a member of ACTA applying for an additional title in the Intermediate Route
You will NOT need to resubmit a new criminal record with a vulnerable sector check. You will be required to attest that nothing has changed in this regard.
You will be required to submit all other information, including good character references for the additional profession as well as proof of insurance that covers you for $2 million for the additional profession. If it is the same insurance that is covering you for the additional profession, you still must submit it in your application for the additional profession.
Attestation & Random Auditing
You will be asked to attest that all information you have provided is accurate and true. Please keep a portfolio of evidence of all the entries you have made on your application. The ACTA may be randomly auditing applicants, and members will have a limited time to supply their portfolio of evidence.
Please keep your portfolio in a safe and accessible place.
Intermediate Route
Fees
Application Fees
Application fee: $200 plus GST (non-refundable)
Application fee for current ACTA members applying for another title: $50 plus GST (non-refundable)
Membership fees
$432.00/year (non-refundable)
Late fees
$50 - If membership fees are not paid within 2 weeks following approval of application
$50 - If renewal process and membership fees are not completed by April 12, 2024.
Failure to pay all fees and complete renewal processes will result in
the application file being closed or membership being expelled.
Annual Membership Renewals - MARCH (Approx 5 min)
To ensure your membership remains in good standing you will need to uphold your good character, confidence of the profession, complete the brief membership renewal process each March and pay fees when due.
Membership fees (non-refundable):
$432 yearly or $43.20 per month (April-January; non-refundable)