How To Complete The Mmaa Substantial Equivalency Process

Transcription

1 Substantial Equivalency Process March 2012

2 Table of Contents Introduction... 3 Background... 5 Development of the Substantial Equivalency Process... 8 Visual Representation of Process Principles of the Substantial Equivalency Process Regulation of the Profession in Alberta MTAA Membership Requirements Current Membership Requirements: Proposed Membership Eligibility Requirements: Conclusion References MTAA Substantial Equivalency Process Outline Page 2 of 16

3 Introduction Massage Therapist Association of Alberta (MTAA) Through the maintenance of rigorous entry to practice and professional standards, the MTAA ensures ethical, highquality care by its members. As part of its responsibility to the public, the MTAA sets minimum entrance to practice requirements consistent with those in the regulated jurisdictions of British Columbia, Ontario and Newfoundland/Labrador through the administration of a competency-based Entry to Practice Examination process. Additionally, the MTAA promotes continuous improvement of Massage Therapists knowledge, skills and abilities through its Professional Development program and promotes research and development of expertise in the Massage Therapy profession. The Scope of Practice for an MTAA Massage Therapist is the assessment, diagnosis and treatment of the soft tissues and joints of the body with the intent of producing a therapeutic outcome or providing preventative care; contribute to the development and improvement of primary and complimentary health policy; and teach, manage, and conduct research in the science, techniques and practice of Massage Therapy. An individual interested in applying for membership with the MTAA must be able to produce a Certificate or Diploma indicating successful completion of a Massage Therapy training program in addition to having completed First Aid and CPR training for both adults and children; submit a Criminal Records Check, including Vulnerable Persons, for the jurisdiction in which they are practicing or intending to practice; and complete the MTAA Entry to Practice Examination. In order to provide the association with the ability to evaluate existing practitioners who do not meet the criterion to challenge the Entry to Practice Examination for membership, the MTAA has developed the Substantial Equivalency Process. This Process will provide an objective review of an applicant s prior learning, clinical experience, self assessment, academic competency, clinical skills, and clinical judgment. Completion of the Substantial Equivalency Process will assist and support the MTAA Competence Committee in determining gaps in relation to the Interjurisdictional Entry to Practice Competency Profile for Massage Therapists and provide meaningful recommendations for specific areas in which additional education, training, experience or demonstration of competence is required for an individual to qualify to challenge the MTAA Entry to Practice Examination. This process of determining equivalence has been developed to ensure equitable access to opportunities in Alberta by practitioners educated either within Alberta, in other jurisdictions within Canada or internationally. The phrase substantially equivalent recognizes that the educational systems across Alberta, and within other jurisdictions, may be different while still achieving the same ultimate result. Massage Therapy training requires a breadth and depth of competence, knowledge, skills, attitudes and judgment in order to practice safely and professionally. It is the desire of the MTAA to treat all current practitioners, as well as international applicants, with transparency, objectivity, impartiality and fairness. The Alberta public benefits by recognizing the knowledge, skill, attitude and judgment of current practitioners who may have completed their education at a time prior to the introduction of standardized education as well as international applicants who have completed an educational program that is substantially similar in training content. The MTAA Substantial Equivalency Process has been created with the Alberta environment in mind, while ensuring consistency with the processes currently in place within the regulated environments of British Columbia, Ontario and Newfoundland/Labrador. This Process is vital for the MTAA to understand whether an applicant has the competence to successfully complete the MTAA Entry to Practice Examination, or if they require additional education and/or upgrading in order to meet the current competencies. MTAA Substantial Equivalency Process Outline Page 3 of 16

4 Competence refers to the integration and application of the competencies for safe and ethical performance in an individual s practice. All decisions regarding whether an individual practitioner meets the Massage Therapist competency requirements through the assessment process are based on specific criteria. Those individuals who demonstrate that they already possess the requisite knowledge, skills, attitudes and judgment will be eligible to take the MTAA Entry to Practice Examination at the next available opportunity. The outcome of the Substantial Equivalency Process will be to provide the MTAA and the applicant with a comprehensive picture of whether the knowledge, skills, attitudes and judgment required for initial membership with the MTAA are present. The Process is derived from the competencies and the standards to which MTAA members are accountable and are required to perform routinely in practice: the MTAA Scope of Practice, Code of Ethics, and Standards of Practice documents in conjunction with the Inter-jurisdictional Entry to Practice Competency Profile for Massage Therapists provide the standards, limits and conditions of practice as a member with the MTAA. The MTAA is adopting the processes as outlined by the Alberta Health Professions Act in order to provide a mechanism for practitioners to obtain membership as we prepare for the regulated environment within Alberta. The Alberta Health Professions Act sets out three basic routes of entry into a profession. The first is the most straightforward route: graduating from a recognized education program, passing any required entry exams and meeting practical experience requirements (if any). The second route is being registered in another jurisdiction that is recognized and accepted by Alberta. The third route is recognition of substantial equivalency (e.g. applicants from within or outside Alberta who must be assessed on an individual basis). MTAA Substantial Equivalency Process Outline Page 4 of 16

5 Background The proposed Substantial Equivalency Process is vitally important to improving access to the association for qualified applicants while continuing to protect public safety. This is a matter of fairness for all applicants, including people who received their training or expertise outside of Alberta. The foundation for the Substantial Equivalency Process is to ensure transparency, objectivity, impartiality and fairness. In doing so, the outlined process will assist the MTAA in reviewing current practices against emerging best practices in credential assessment. The content was designed using currently available documents describing both the technical requirements for valid and reliable credential assessments and supporting processes that need to be in place to demonstrate fairness, transparency and objectivity. For practitioners of massage who, despite formal credentials, find themselves caught in the structural shift occurring within the profession as it moves towards being legitimately self-regulated, understanding their experiential and learning attainments are immensely valuable in assisting them through the transition. For these individuals, the Substantial Equivalency Process is extremely beneficial as well as cost effective. Instead of spending time and money relearning what they already know, this process enables individual practitioners to build upon the learning that they have acquired experientially and formally to fill the specific competency gaps that need to be addressed to successfully demonstrate entry to practice level competence. The MTAA has, for many years, prided itself on the rigorous entry standards maintained for and by its members as a member-based association, the MTAA exclusively represents highly trained and very capable Massage Therapists within Alberta. While serving the purpose of maintaining access to accountable, quality Massage Therapy care for Albertans, this can also hinder the ability of professionals trained both inside and outside of our borders in becoming members. The challenge is to maintain the high standards established to protect the public best interest while recognizing the diversity of education options that have traditionally been available in the province and otherwise. Given the diversity of the education landscape for Massage Therapy in Alberta, it is important to develop a reliable and fair method of determining the nature of education that has actually been received by individuals. Review boards or tribunals dealing with the fairness or objectivity of registration for licensed professionals are still fairly new and thus, there are few guidelines as to how these processes might best be developed. During the development of the Substantial Equivalency Process, consideration was given to adopting the methods for fair registration review and audit established by the Ontario Fairness Commission, whose mandate is to establish a set of guidelines for the reporting of registration practices required of each Regulated Health College in the province. It is the position of the MTAA that the ability to provide a Substantial Equivalency Process for Alberta practitioners of massage is essential as the profession moves to operating within a regulated framework. Practitioners want to know that the education they worked hard to achieve will be recognized. A different program is just that, different. Within the Alberta environment, there is great variance among the 40+ licensed Massage Therapy education programs due to a non-standardized evaluation process required for licensing by Alberta Advanced Education and Technology. Different programs have different course offerings and each program essentially delivers unique curriculum with variable learning outcomes and assessment methods. This is also evident when comparing the education received from multiple campus locations of the same educational facility. Within every factor that is taken into consideration at the education level, the ability for the MTAA to effectively compare programs grows exponentially more difficult. The inconsistency of training standards within Alberta is evident when reviewing the statistics for successful completion of the MTAA Entry to Practice Examination where only 40% of individuals from 2,200 hour training programs successfully pass the examination. MTAA Substantial Equivalency Process Outline Page 5 of 16

6 Over the past 30 years, a wide array of innovative approaches have been developed to foster, recognize and utilize the full range of skills and learning that individuals have acquired through both life and work experience along with formal education and training. This cluster of approaches and methodologies is referred to as Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition (PLAR). The approaches are based on the premise that people learn important skills and knowledge through life and work experience as well as through their formal education and training, and given the current volatile times, it is essential that we as a society identify and understand how to draw upon the full range of people s achievements and capacities (PLA Centre, 2008). By definition, PLAR is a systematic process that enables individuals to demonstrate that they have the skills, knowledge or competencies to meet the requirements in an education or training program or for a professional certificate or license. Assessment is the method, process and procedure for evaluating informal learning to give value that has not previously been recognized. Recognition equates the assessment of learning to existing formal standards to determine its equivalence (Athabasca University, 2007). Assessment methods may have different purposes as well as a cross-section of processes that can be undertaken; however the common outcome is to demonstrate equivalency to a specific level of education or preparation to achieve certification in a profession. Prior learning assessments have been traditionally used to admit, place and/or grant credit to adults who have gained valuable skills and knowledge from their work, independent reading, non-credit courses and community activities. However, prior learning assessments are now used across Canada, not only by educational institutions, but also by employers, associations and regulatory bodies. Providing a means to identify, articulate and demonstrate this range of assets significantly increases people s confidence and motivation to identify and tackle learning gaps. The use of prior learning assessments in occupational licensing and registration processes has increased in recent years due in part to recent legislative initiatives requiring regulatory bodies to provide fair access to self-regulating professions. Licensing and certification bodies such as the College of Massage Therapists of Ontario (CMTO, 2012) and the College of Massage Therapists of British Columbia (CMTBC, 2012) use forms of prior learning assessment processes to evaluate the knowledge and skills of both internationally trained as well as applicants from different provinces for entry into their organizations. These processes are completed to assess whether an applicant has achieved specific entry-level competencies required to meet registration requirements. Professional bodies have traditionally been the slowest to relax their demands by accommodating alternative routes of entry into a profession. Ontario s 2006 Fair Access to Regulated Professions Act has set a precedent that requires its regulated professions to ensure clear, open and timely licensing processes. Instituting a prior learning assessment process increases access to professions by providing information to licensing and certification bodies about what applicants already know and can do. It can also help determine if applicants are eligible to write certification/registration exams or undertake placements. These processes can help to determine if individuals need additional training and reduce costs by pin-pointing training needs more accurately (CICIC, 2012). In terms of methodology, there is now a wide repertoire of processes that have been developed by practitioners to identify skills and knowledge. The most common approaches include reviews of records and documents while the more recent developments include standardized tests, assessments of formal course-based learning, challenge exams and practical demonstrations. The Canadian Council on Learning has outlined that the most successful assessment programs combine a number of these methodologies within an extended process of self-assessment and rigorous evidence-gathering. The use of any particular methodology is contingent upon the context within which they are used as well as the background and objectives of the process (PLA Centre, 2008). Quebec, Saskatchewan and Manitoba have established provincial policy frameworks for the development of prior learning services in education, employment and regulated occupations. The Alberta government released a draft policy in 2008 and a number of other provincial / territorial governments have intentions to include prior learning processes in future policy initiatives. A research study completed in 2005 has documented best practices among Alberta s post-secondary institutions regarding prior learning assessment. The recommendations presented were MTAA Substantial Equivalency Process Outline Page 6 of 16

7 broad based so that they could be applied to a variety of settings. Those recommendations form the foundation of developing and strengthening Prior Learning Assessment Recognition within Alberta (Alberta Learning, 2005) and are also the best practices upon which the MTAA s Substantial Equivalency Process is based. These best practices include, but are not limited to: Providing full and clear information on the Substantial Equivalency standards and requirements to prospective candidates; Implementing standards and requirements that are transparent and based on knowledge and skills needed to demonstrate that the candidate has achieved the required outcomes; Use of assessment tools that are based on criteria relevant to outcomes that are valid, reliable and fair; Ensuring that the content experts in the field of study conduct the assessment process; Ensuring that the guidelines for assessments are clear, consistent and evidence-based, but allow some flexibility to meet the specific needs of both the candidate and the association; Reducing the barriers that act as impediments to the fair assessment of candidates; Providing assessment processes that are accessible and realistic and do not impose an unrealistic financial burden on applicants; Providing clear reasons for unsuccessful assessments of prior learning and include a clear explanation as to how the individual s qualifications were assessed; Providing candidates with information on ways to bridge the gaps between the skills, knowledge and competencies they have and what is required. Several provinces are moving towards a more coherent, comprehensive and strategic approach in the area of prior learning. According to the Saskatchewan Government s policy framework, prior learning assessment is a broad umbrella concept that values all learning that people have gained in their lives. Recognition of learning can be used towards the requirements of education and training programs, occupational and professional certification and labour market entry. This learning could be: - Formal learning - Informal learning - Non-Formal learning - Experiential learning (PLA Centre, 2008). In most regulated professions, credential assessment is only one component of a qualification assessment. Canadian regulatory authorities may also evaluate an individual s practical training and work experience from another jurisdiction. A credential is the documented evidence of learning based on completion of a recognized program of study, training, work experience or prior learning assessment (Government of Saskatchewan, 2010). Regulators use the information from the assessment to make registration eligibility decisions; they need to ensure that the information obtained from an assessment is valid and reliable. There is also increasing pressure for regulators to ensure that their credential assessment practices and decision-making process are fair, transparent, objective and impartial. There has been a move, in many cases intrinsically tied to the Agreement on Internal Trade, towards a method for assessing the credentials of those wishing to become members of a professional association or regulatory college that is demonstrably competency-based. Testing in this manner can provide a clear, objective assessment of a candidate s qualifications. MTAA Substantial Equivalency Process Outline Page 7 of 16

8 Development of the Substantial Equivalency Process The Alberta Health Professions Act, RSA 2000 (HPA), Part 1.3(1), states in the role of regulator, a College: a) Must carry out its activities and govern its regulated members in a manner that protects and serves the public interest, b) Must provide direction to and regulate the practice of the regulated profession by its regulated members, c) Must establish, maintain and enforce standards for registration and of continuing competence and standards of practice of the regulated profession, d) Must establish, maintain and enforce a code of ethics, e) Carry on the activities of the college and perform other duties and functions by the exercise of the powers conferred by this Act, and f) May approve programs of study and education courses for the purposes of registration requirements. Part 2 of the HPA outlines the mechanisms for which an applicant may become a registrant of a self-regulating profession as follows: a) by fulfilling one or more of the following as required by the regulations: i. education requirements, that may include being enrolled in a program of studies, ii. experience requirements, iii. successful completion of examinations, or iv. holding certificates or diplomas, b) by being registered with a profession in another jurisdiction recognized by the regulations or the council as having substantially equivalent competence and practice requirements and meeting the requirements for persons to be registered with that profession in that jurisdiction, or c) by satisfying the registrar, the registration committee or competence committee, of having as determined in accordance with the regulations, a combination of education, experience, practice or other qualifications, that demonstrates the competence required for registration as a regulated member (Province of Alberta, 2012). The MTAA, as a provincial, profession specific self-regulating body, has established, maintained, and enforced competency based standards for membership and continuing competence, as well as an established Massage Therapy specific Scope of Practice, Standards of Practice, Professional Boundaries and Code of Ethics (MTAA, 2012). The MTAA Substantial Equivalency Process has been created by the Competence Committee, in conjunction with the Education and Examination Committees to provide the association with the ability to evaluate existing practitioners who do not meet the current criterion to challenge the Entry to Practice Examination required for membership. The Substantial Equivalency Process will be done by way of objective review of prior learning, clinical experience, self assessed competence, academic proficiency, clinical skills and clinical judgment. Completion of the Substantial Equivalency Process will assist and support the MTAA Competence Committee in identifying an individual practitioners gaps in relation to the Inter-jurisdictional Entry to Practice Competency Profile for Massage Therapists (Inter-jurisdictional, 2012) and providing meaningful recommendations for specific areas in which additional education, training, experience or demonstration of competence is required, prior to qualifying to challenge the MTAA Entry to Practice Examination. The end result of completing the MTAA Entry to Practice Examination provides an objective verification of an applicant s attainment of entry-to-practice competencies. MTAA Substantial Equivalency Process Outline Page 8 of 16

9 This process of determining equivalence has been developed to ensure equitable access to opportunities in Alberta by practitioners educated either within Alberta, in other jurisdictions in Canada or internationally. The phrase substantially equivalent recognizes that the education programs across Alberta and within other jurisdictions may be different, while still achieving the same ultimate result. Massage Therapy training requires a breadth and depth of knowledge, skills, attitudes and judgment in order to practice safely and professionally. The Health Professions Act requires the eventual college in Alberta treat all current practitioners, as well as international applicants, with transparency, objectivity, impartiality and fairness. The Alberta public benefits by recognizing the knowledge, skill and judgment of current practitioners as well as international applicants. The MTAA Substantial Equivalency Process has been created with the Alberta environment in mind, while ensuring consistency with the processes currently in place within the regulated environments of British Columbia, Ontario and Newfoundland/Labrador. There is a precedent established among provinces with a working Health Professions Act that a regulatory college establish a class of provisional registrants. This provisional status provides the registration committee with the ability to grant registration for a limited period of time, place restrictions or provisions on practice permits and or require that a registrant complete, within a specified period of time, any examinations or upgrading of knowledge, skills or abilities considered necessary for the profession. An applicant applying for provisional status must be able to provide evidence that they have the appropriate knowledge as well as the composite skills and abilities necessary to competently practice. A regulatory college instituting this registration category requires an applicant to provide evidence in part through proof of experience, education, additional training, a summary of professional experience and culminating with completing the profession specific Entry to Practice Examination (MTAA, 2012). The registration of a provisional registrant is not generally renewed for an applicant who fails to complete the requirements, without exceptional circumstances. It is the intention of the MTAA to provide Provisional Membership status to an individual who would be considered as an existing practitioner that is, one who is currently practicing the profession within Alberta but is not a member of the MTAA and who has met the majority of the requirements in the Substantial Equivalency Process. Specifically, an individual applying for membership via Substantial Equivalency would be required to: i. provide evidence of having completed Massage Therapy education which is subject to review via a Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition (PLAR) process; and ii. provide evidence of at least three years (a minimum of 1200 hours) of safe practice, which could include clinical responsibilities, supervision, mentoring and teaching; and iii. complete a competency based, self assessment; and iv. complete a competency based multiple choice question examination; and a psychometrically supervised practical evaluation. At the completion of Sections 1, 2 and 3 if the assessor has determined that the applicant meets equivalency, they are provided the opportunity to register for and challenge the next available Entry to Practice Examination as regularly scheduled without further action required. In the event that an applicant is deemed equivalent, yet awaiting the next available examination at this stage, they would also be eligible for Provisional Membership. At the completion of Sections 1, 2 and 3 if the assessor has determined that the applicant does not meet equivalency, they will be required to complete Section 4 and be provided the opportunity to challenge the next available Academic and Clinical Skills Judgment Evaluation as regularly scheduled. Applicants who are required to complete Section 4 of the process are not eligible for Provisional Membership until such time that they begin the remediation process. MTAA Substantial Equivalency Process Outline Page 9 of 16

10 Visual Representation of Process Self- Assessment Equivalent Eligible for Provisional Membership PLAR OR Entry to Practice Examination Clinical Experience Not Equivalent Academic and Clinical Evaluation Eligible for Provisional Membership The MTAA s decision to add a provisional membership status will present positive opportunities for practitioners to have the ability to earn income while they acquire the requisite competencies. This option presents benefits to the occupational community while ensuring that the individual practitioners are practicing within and are accountable to a specified and established Scope of Practice, set of Standards, Code of Ethics and bylaws while also providing for a transition period for the profession at large, within Alberta. Regardless of whether a practitioner is applying for membership via current criterion or by Substantial Equivalency, the end result is completion of the Entry to Practice Examination to ensure the combined knowledge, skills, abilities, attitudes and judgment are reflective of an entry to practice level Massage Therapist and are present in all MTAA members. Principles of the Substantial Equivalency Process The Substantial Equivalency process is transparent, equitable and administratively fair. The Substantial Equivalency process is based on valid and reliable assessments, thereby ensuring that the process is rigorous and fair. Fees charged by the MTAA to individual practitioners for their assessment are based on a cost-recovery model. Practitioner competencies are achieved through a combination of theoretical and experiential learning. Recognition is granted for those competencies for which the individual provides sufficient acceptable evidence of learning. Informal and formal learning is recognized assuming that sufficient and appropriate evidence of such is provided and that the actual learning meets the competency requirements. All documentation submitted by applicants as part of the Substantial Equivalency process is used for the MTAA process only, unless otherwise authorized by the individual practitioner. Individual practitioners who only partially meet the competency requirements are given a number of options to help address their specific learning needs. MTAA Substantial Equivalency Process Outline Page 10 of 16

11 Regulation of the Profession in Alberta Since 1919, when Ontario became the first province in Canada to regulate Massage Therapy, the profession has flourished in the country and Ontario emerged as a leader in the standards of practice, education, examination, regulation and delivery of Massage Therapy care. Public usage and acknowledgement of the benefits of Massage Therapy care has become main-stream and the profession continues to see growth in access and popularity. Today, in addition to Ontario, the provinces of British Columbia and Newfoundland / Labrador have regulated the profession of Massage Therapy. By the mid 1990 s, the number of individuals practicing Massage Therapy in Alberta was increasing as was the public s demand for manual therapy. As a result, the educational environment was reviewed and the MTAA advocated for an increase in Massage Therapy core education to a 2200-hour / 2-year program level consistent with that in the regulated jurisdictions of Ontario and Newfoundland/Labrador at that time. The MTAA s Entry to Practice Examination is founded in practice competencies, and was revised during the timeframe of 2002 to 2004 to ensure consistency with the College of Massage Therapists of Ontario (CMTO) competency profile. The re-vamped examination was implemented by the MTAA in 2005 once educational facilities started to produce graduates at the 2200-hour / 2-year program level. As a result of the slow implementation of two-year training programs as well as many educational institutions marketing their 1,000 hour / 1-year programs as condensed versions of a 2,200 hour / 2-year program of training and in absence of standardized educational requirements, the MTAA recognizes that there is a multitude of practitioners in Alberta, who not only have extensive experience but who also currently practice within the Scope of Practice, that could be considered as meeting some, or all, of the requirements for membership. Further on down the line, carrying out the activities of a regulated profession will require registration with the applicable regulating body, described in the HPA as mandatory registration. To date, the MTAA Entry to Practice Examination is the only provincial certification process that is formally and universally recognized among other unregulated jurisdictions in the country in addition to all insurance companies that are providing extended health care benefit programs. The MTAA and its entry to practice requirements are also informally accepted by the Federation of Massage Therapy Regulatory Authorities of Canada (FOMTRAC). With the finalization of the Inter-Jurisdictional Entry-to-Practice Competency Profile for Massage Therapists, the MTAA s Academic and Clinical Skills & Judgment Evaluations as well as the Entry to Practice Examination are being adjusted to ensure testing methods and criterion are in line with the established competencies for the profession. In 2004, the MTAA in cooperation with the Alberta Registered Massage Therapist Society (ARMTS) and Remedial Massage Therapists Association (RMTA) submitted a formal application (March, 2012) to Alberta Health and Wellness to begin the process of Massage Therapy becoming a self regulating profession, under the HPA. In 2008, the three organizations made a joint presentation to the Health Professions Advisory Board (HPAB). The presentation was based upon the application and made a case for the regulation of Massage Therapy in Alberta in addition to promoting a model for regulation similar to that which already exists in various jurisdictions within Canada. The hearing concluded with great success - all stakeholders in the matter were given the opportunity to contribute to the body of information needing to be considered when making such an encompassing recommendation. This ensured that any recommendation made by the HPAB and subsequent decision by the Minister of Health and Wellness was made from a well informed and widely consulted upon perspective. Early in 2009, the then Minister of Health and Wellness, Mr. Liepert, advised the MTAA, RMTA and the Natural Health Practitioners of Canada Association (NHPCA) that the Ministry would be recommending to Cabinet that the Health Professions Act be amended to include Massage Therapy as a regulated profession. Correspondence was issued that outlined that the Ministry recommends a model for Massage Therapy regulation in Alberta that is a single MTAA Substantial Equivalency Process Outline Page 11 of 16

12 category model based on the proposed 2009 national competency model, or its successor, and that all approved education programs be a minimum of 2,200 hours, inclusive of significant clinical contents (Alberta Health, 2012). The competency model mentioned in the Minister s correspondence has evolved significantly since It is now referred to as the Inter-Jurisdictional Entry-to-Practice Competency Profile for Massage Therapists (Inter- Jurisdictional, 2012) and is currently in use in all of the regulated and the majority of unregulated jurisdictions in Canada. Understanding what the Entry to Practice Competencies are assists with the understanding of where the profession is heading, in Alberta and across the country. MTAA Substantial Equivalency Process Outline Page 12 of 16

13 MTAA Membership Requirements A primary mandate for the MTAA Board of Directors has been to continually scan the education and practice environment within Alberta to ensure that the education programs and the examination process was meeting the basic requirements of competency, safety and ethics for the profession. Currently, in order to qualify for membership with the MTAA, at any level, a practitioner must be able to supply a Certificate or Diploma of training in Massage Therapy from an educational facility that is recognized by the MTAA as providing appropriate and legitimate Massage Therapy training. The lack of formal educational standards and requirements within the province is the driving force behind the MTAA s requirement for completion of an Entry to Practice Examination for membership. Regardless of the core education received-it is through this examination process that a verifiable and objectively measured level of competence demonstrated by practitioners entering into the MTAA membership can be actually determined. The examination of applicants for membership has been mandatory and a differentiating factor for the MTAA since the organization s inception. The MTAA Entry to Practice examination is the only examination for Massage Therapists in Alberta. Additionally, the MTAA is the only organization in the Province of Alberta that has established, published and implemented a profession specific Scope of Practice, Code of Ethics, Standards of Practice and Professional Boundaries documents, which are consistent with those in place within the regulated jurisdictions. Through the development and use of these documents, the MTAA continues to display its commitment to serving its members and promoting the provision of the highest possible quality of Massage Therapy care in a safe, competent and ethical manner. Current Membership Requirements: An Active Member is a Massage Therapist entitled to all the privileges and responsibilities of membership in this Association and: 1. Possesses a diploma or certificate from an acceptable course of study in Massage Therapy; 2. Has successfully completed a competency examination: i. Prepared and supervised by the Examinations Committee of the Massage Therapist Association of Alberta and/or the Alberta Registered Massage Therapists Society; or ii. Prepared and supervised by the College of Massage Therapy of a Province of Canada that regulates the profession of Massage Therapy. 3. Was an active member in good standing in a massage therapy association participating in the Mutual Recognition Agreement (MRA) between massage therapy associations located in provinces of Canada where massage therapy is unregulated at the time of application; 4. Possesses and maintains a current CPR and First Aid Certificate, both Adult and Child, from a recognized issuing authority; 5. Meets all financial obligations with respect of Association membership; and 6. Has submitted a Criminal Records Check, including Vulnerable Persons, for the jurisdiction in which they are currently, or are intending to, practice. MTAA Substantial Equivalency Process Outline Page 13 of 16

14 Responsibility of Membership: All Members shall be familiar with and comply with the Association s: Bylaws; Standards of Practice; Scope of Practice; Code of Ethics; Code of Conduct; and Other governing documents approved by the Board of Directors. Active and Inactive Members shall obtain Professional Development credits as required by the Association Education Committee. Proposed Membership Eligibility Requirements: An Active Member is a Massage Therapist entitled to all the privileges and responsibilities of membership in this Association and: 1. Possesses a diploma or certificate from an acceptable course of study in Massage Therapy; 2. Has provided evidence of competence in the practice of the profession by fulfilling one or more of the following: a) Having successfully completed a competency examination: i. Prepared and supervised by the Examinations Committee of the Massage Therapist Association of Alberta and/or the Alberta Registered Massage Therapists Society; or ii. Prepared and supervised by the College of Massage Therapy a Province of Canada that regulates the profession of Massage Therapy. b) By being an active member in good standing in a massage therapy association participating in the Mutual Recognition Agreement (MRA) between massage therapy associations located in provinces in Canada where massage therapy is unregulated at the time of application; or c) By successful completion of the MTAA Substantial Equivalency Process. 3. Possesses and maintains a current CPR and First Aid Certificate, both Adult and Child, from a recognized issuing authority in Canada; 4. Meets all financial obligations with respect of Association membership; and 5. Has submitted a Criminal Records Check, including Vulnerable Persons, for the jurisdiction in which they are currently, or are intending to, practice. MTAA Substantial Equivalency Process Outline Page 14 of 16

15 Conclusion The qualification of existing practitioners for the Entry to Practice Examination via the Substantial Equivalency Process is a process of assessing an applicant s existing levels of competency by reviewing their active professional membership, prior professional experience, core education and training in relation to a standard minimum level of competency. Upon completion of this process, the applicant is then provided with meaningful recommendation for action, if any, required to meet the minimum level of competency. Upon completion of these actions the applicant will then be able to challenge the Entry to Practice Examination. This is similar to the approach that has been used by other emerging regulated professions. All Massage Therapists should be able to demonstrate the competencies required to assess the needs of their patients, and, where appropriate, treat the concern or refer to another health care professional. This ensures that while the public still has the ability to choose their massage practitioner, they are reasonably assured that the MTAA practitioner will have the ability to maintain their safety through the use of proper assessment and treatment protocols. Entry to practice examinations conducted by the MTAA are psychometrically evaluated examination processes that determine the presence of the minimum level of competency required in order to minimize risk of harm to the public. This competency-based examination creates a level playing field and inspires confidence in the practitioner's knowledge, skills, abilities, attitudes and judgment. Hallmarks of any profession are educational standards, demonstration of competency within the practice of the profession, a commitment to life-long learning and a willingness to be held accountable for conduct. We believe that the MTAA has demonstrated commitment to protecting the public s best interest when seeking care provided by a Massage Therapist within our membership and certainly highlight the MTAA members support of, and belief in, Massage Therapy as a health profession. The MTAA s vision is to Build a culture of excellence through leadership and innovation - enabling the profession to promote the optimal health of the community by delivering quality care within a collaborative health care system. In acknowledging that the Alberta public regularly accesses Massage Therapy care as a form of personal health care and wellness maintenance, we continue to uphold membership criterion that ultimately serves to protect their best interest while promoting the professionalism of the art and science that is Massage Therapy. MTAA Substantial Equivalency Process Outline Page 15 of 16

16 References A Regulator s Guide to Improving Qualification Recognition Practices: Credential Assessment, User s Manual, Government of Saskatchewan, Immigration, Achieving our Potential: An Action Plan for Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition (PLAR) in Canada, PLA Centre, Halifax, 2008, pages 6 and 18. Achieving our Potential: An Action Plan for Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition (PLAR) in Canada, PLA Centre, Halifax, 2008, Executive Summary, page 4. Alberta Health and Wellness, Office of the Minister, online (March 8, 2012). Application for Regulation of Massage Therapy, online, (March 8, 2012). Best Practices in Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition (PLAR) Handbook A Documentation of Best Practices in Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition, Barrington Research Group and Alberta Council on Admissions and Transfer, Alberta Learning, CICIC: Canadian Information Centre for International Credentials, online, Information on Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition in Canada Fact Sheet No 6, (March 7, 2012). CMTBC, Application for Credential and Prior Learning Assessment (CPLA), online, (March 8, 2012). CMTO, Credential and Prior Learning Assessment (CPLA), 2012 Candidate Handbook, online, (March 8, 2012). Health Professions Review Board, online, Best Practices Pilot Study on Health Professions Registration, April (March 8, 2012). Inter-Jurisdictional Entry-to-Practice Competency Profile for Massage Therapists, online, (March 8, 2012). MTAA Entry to Practice Exam Handbook, online, (March 8, 2012). MTAA Governing Documents, online, (March 8, 2012). Producing Results in Prior Learning A Report from the Gateways Project, Athabasca University, Athabasca, 2007, page 4. Province of Alberta, Health Professions Act, Part 2, 28(2), online, (March 8, 2012). MTAA Substantial Equivalency Process Outline Page 16 of 16

17 Substantial Equivalency Process for Assessing Massage Therapists Applicant Guide March 2012

18 Table of Contents Introduction... 3 Overview of the Substantial Equivalency Process... 5 Appeals and Privacy Policies... 7 Declaration... 7 Principles of the Substantial Equivalency Process... 7 Section 1: Primary and Associated Areas of Competence... 8 Section 2: Knowledge and Skills Specifications Ensuring Safety of the Patient and Therapist Information Gathering Information Processing Implementation of Treatment Plan Post-Therapeutic Management Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) Substantial Equivalency Application Substantial Equivalency Self-Assessment Required Documents for Reference MTAA Substantial Equivalency Process for Assessing Massage Therapists Page 2 of 30

19 Introduction Through the maintenance of rigorous entry to practice and professional standards, the MTAA ensures ethical, high-quality care by its members. As part of its responsibility to the public, the MTAA sets minimum entrance to practice requirements consistent with those in the regulated jurisdictions of British Columbia, Ontario and Newfoundland/Labrador through the administration of a competency-based Entry to Practice Examination process. Additionally, the MTAA promotes continuous improvement of Massage Therapists knowledge, skills and abilities through its Professional Development program and promotes research and development of expertise in the Massage Therapy profession. The Scope of Practice for an MTAA Massage Therapist is the assessment, diagnosis and treatment of the soft tissues and joints of the body with the intent of producing a therapeutic outcome or providing preventative care; contribute to the development and improvement of primary and complimentary health policy; and teach, manage, and conduct research in the science, techniques and practice of Massage Therapy. An individual interested in applying for membership with the MTAA must be able to produce a Certificate or Diploma indicating successful completion of a Massage Therapy training program in addition to having completed First Aid and CPR training for both adults and children; submit a Criminal Records Check, including Vulnerable Persons, for the jurisdiction in which they are practicing or intending to practice; and complete the MTAA Entry to Practice Examination. In order to provide the association with the ability to evaluate existing practitioners who do not meet the current criterion to challenge the Entry to Practice Examination for membership, the MTAA has developed the Substantial Equivalency Process (the Process) to provide an objective review of prior learning (PLA), clinical experience, self assessment, academic competency, clinical skills, and clinical judgment. Completion of the Substantial Equivalency Process will assist and support the MTAA Competence Committee in determining gaps in relation to the Inter-jurisdictional Entry to Practice Competency Profile for Massage Therapists and provide meaningful recommendations for specific areas in which additional education, training, experience or demonstration of competence is required for an individual to qualify to challenge the MTAA Entry to Practice Examination. This process of determining equivalence has been developed to ensure equitable access to opportunities in Alberta by practitioners educated either within Alberta, in other jurisdictions within Canada or educated internationally. The phrase substantially equivalent recognizes that the educational systems across Alberta, and within other jurisdictions, may be different while still achieving the same ultimate result. Massage Therapy training requires a breadth and depth of competence, knowledge, skills, attitudes and judgment in order to practice safely and professionally. It is the desire of the MTAA to treat all current practitioners, as well as international applicants, with transparency, objectivity, impartiality and fairness. The Alberta public benefits by recognizing the knowledge, skill, attitude and judgment of current practitioners who may have completed their education at a time prior to the introduction of standardized education as well as international applicants who have completed an educational program that is substantially similar in training content. The MTAA Substantial Equivalency Process has been created with the Alberta environment in mind, while ensuring consistency with the processes currently in place within the regulated environments of British Columbia, Ontario and Newfoundland/Labrador. This Process is vital for the MTAA to understand whether an applicant has the competence to successfully complete the MTAA Entry to Practice Examination, or if they require additional education and/or upgrading in order to meet the current competencies. MTAA Substantial Equivalency Process for Assessing Massage Therapists Page 3 of 30

20 Competence refers to the integration and application of the competencies for safe and ethical performance in an individual s practice. All decisions regarding whether an individual practitioner meets the Massage Therapist competency requirements through the assessment process are based on specific criteria. Those individuals who demonstrate that they already possess the requisite knowledge, skills, attitudes and judgment will be eligible to take the MTAA Entry to Practice Examination at the next available opportunity. The outcome of the Substantial Equivalency Process will be to provide the MTAA and the applicant with a comprehensive picture of whether the knowledge, skills, attitudes and judgment required for initial membership with the MTAA are present. The Process is derived from the competencies and the standards to which MTAA members are accountable and are required to perform routinely in practice: the MTAA Scope of Practice, Code of Ethics, and Standards of Practice documents in conjunction with the Inter-jurisdictional Entry to Practice Competency Profile for Massage Therapists provide the standards, limits and conditions of practice as a member with the MTAA. MTAA Substantial Equivalency Process for Assessing Massage Therapists Page 4 of 30