ACTA will workwith Alberta Health tocomplete the draft policy work to support regulation for the new College. Alberta Health will consult with stakeholders on the draft policy work in the future. Stakeholders may include practitioner associations, educational institutions, other colleges within the Health Professions Act, other government departments, insurance providersand employers. S

takeholders will beprovided with the draft policywork, as well as the proposedStandards of Practiceand Code of Ethics,and asked for feedback. AlbertaHealth will work with ACTA to make anynecessary changes to these documents based onthe feedback received.

The policy and regulation will need Cabinet approval. The timelinesfor these processes are uncertainand will need to be determined at a future date.Cabinet willset a Proclamation date inconsultation with ACTA for the opening of CCTA. The openingdate of the College is uncertain, but likely to occur sometime between fall 2019 and fall 2020.

There are three registration routes: Expedited, Intermediate, and Regular. Expedited and Intermediate routes fall under a process commonly referred to as "grandfathering." These routes will facilitate registration of practitioners already in the field. Expedited will occur before the college opens, and Intermediate will occur for a two year period after proclamation of the new college. The Regular route is the ongoing process of registration for individuals new to the field.

Expedited Route

• Qualified practitioners will posses an approved certification. They will also have a minimum of 750 currency hours in the 3 years prior to applying, and 450 direct client hours over their career.
• ACTA has assessed the current certifications of FACT-Alberta organizations and addictions counsellors in the province, to determine which ones meet the requirements for entry-to-practice competencies. Associations will have an opportunity to review this information and provide feedback to ACTA before the opening of the Expedited Route.
• Associations will notify members who have the approved certifications that they may apply for Expedited Grandparenting. This information will also be posted on the ACTA and FACT-Alberta websites. Those who also have the required currency and direct client hours will qualify to apply for Expedited Route.
• These practitioners, who include Counselling Therapists, Addictions Counsellors and Child and Youth Care Counsellors with recognized certifications, will apply to the Association of Counselling Therapy of Alberta (ACTA) and upon proclamation, will become the first regulated members of the College of Counselling Therapy of Alberta (CCTA).

  
  

  It is anticipated that ACTA will open the Expedited Route window in Spring 2019. The window will close prior to the proclamation of the college. As the proclamation date is uncertain, and we are unsure how far in advance we will be aware of this date, we advise professionals who wish to pursue this route to apply as soon as possible after the application process begins.

Intermediate Route

• The Intermediate Route will be available to all practitioners currently working in the field who did not apply through the Expedited Route. It may also include some practitioners who have one of the recognized certifications, but did not receive them prior to the closing of the Expedited Route window.
• It is important to remember that continuity in the workforce is considered a priority for both the government and the profession. It is essential that the public does not lose access to qualified mental health professionals, and that qualified competent practitioners in the field have a process by which to enter the College.
• Applications for the Intermediate Route may be made to the College of Counselling Therapy of Alberta within the first two years after the College is proclaimed.
• The specific educational, training, supervision and examination requirements for this route have been recommended by ACTA and will be finalized when the regulation is passed.
• The full criteria for Intermediate Route will be made available prior to the College opening, so that individuals have time to prepare their applications to demonstrate that they meet the entry-to-practice competencies. The College will consider any education, training, and experience that supports a practitioner’s application.
• To qualify for the Intermediate Route, practitioners will have a minimum of 750 currency hours in the 3 years prior to applying, and 450 direct client hours over their career.
• Applicants must pass a jurisprudence exam.

Regular Route

• The specific educational, training, supervision and examination requirements for this route have been recommended by ACTA and will be finalized when the regulation is passed.

You may be wondering what will happen to FACT-Alberta now that itsSteering Committee members are working as part of the new association,ACTA. It is important to remember that ACTA will nolonger exist as soon as the Collegeis proclaimed - ACTA will become the CCTA.