Canadian Athletic Therapists Association

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Canadian Athletic Therapists Association

• Form Follows Function

Dexter Nelson, MSc, CAT(C) Canadian Athletic
Therapists Association International Relations
Committee Liaison to the NATA www.athletictherapy.
org
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Background of the CATA

• History
• Canadian Athletic Trainers Association -1965
• Canadian Athletic Therapists Association -1976

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Background of the CATA

• Governance
• Board of Directors
• (Pres, Pres-Elect, 4 Regional Members, Member(s)
  at Large and Ex-Officio)
• Executive Director and National Office
  Administration Staff (2)
• 6 Regional Associations

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Background of the CATA

• Governance
• Committees
• Certification
• Examination Review
• Marketing, Sponsorship Insurance
• Education
• Membership Services

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Background of the CATA

• Governance
• Committees
• Presidents
• International Relations
• Ethics
• National Conference Operations Committee
• Program Accreditation Committee
• Ombudsperson.

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What is an Athletic Therapist?

• The Canadian Athletic Therapists Association is
  an organization devoted to the health care of the
  physically active individual.
• The Scope of Practice of a Certified Athletic
  Therapist includes the assessment, prevention,
  immediate care, and reconditioning of
  musculoskeletal injuries.
• Our Slogan is Rapid Return to Work or Play

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Work Settings

• Professional Teams/Leagues
• University/College
• Clinical Settings
• Secondary Schools
• Industrial
• Military

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Sport Organizations Requesting Sport Medicine
Services

• Olympic Games (Summer-Winter)
• Para-Olympic Games
• Pan American Games
• World University Games
• Commonwealth Games
• Canada Summer and Winter Games

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Objectives of the CATA

• 1       The advancement, encouragement and
  improvement of the Athletic Therapy profession in
  all of its phases.  And the promotion of a better
  working relationship among those persons
  interested and involved in the profession.

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Objectives of the CATA

• 2       To develop further the ability of each of
  its members to achieve certification and their
  ongoing professional development.
• 3       To better serve the common interest of
  its members by providing a means for a free
  exchange of ideas within the profession.

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Objectives of the CATA

• 4       To provide the best possible injury
  prevention and care for all athletes and sports
  participants.
• 5       To require members to conduct themselves
  as recommended by the Code of Ethics of the
  Association.

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Objectives of the CATA

• 6       To identify and encourage professional
  certification as a fundamental goal of the
  Canadian Athletic Therapists Association.  The
  achievement of certification is outlined in the
  document "Procedures for Certification".

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Roles of CATA

• Promotion of profession and Members
• Protection of Public
• Profession (Protect Credential)

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Certification -CAT(C)

• 1975 first certification exams
• 1975 to Dec 1998
• Written (300multiple choice), 5-50 min stations
  Practical
• Assessment, Rehabilitation, Taping, Modalities,
  Emergency Care
• Currently 1998 to 2009
• Written (250 multiple choice), 1-75 minute Field
  Station and 1-90 min Clinical Station
• Field - Urgent, Non-Urgent, Sideline/Return To
  Play, Support Techniques
• Clinic- Assessment, 2 Rehabilitation both
  include Modalities and one has emphasis on third
  stage rehabilitation

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Certification Exam Eligibility

• Membership (CPR, Standard First Aid)
• Accredited Program Graduate
• HCP CPR/AED
• (Sports) First Responder or Emergency Medical
  Responder or Industrial First Aid
• 1200 practical hours (600 -Field/Clinic)
• A letter of support from at least one CAT(C)

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Accreditation

• Sept 98 first Institution accredited
• Sept 99 all new members must have an
  undergraduate degree (BKin, BPE etc) and must
  graduate from an accredited program in order to
  be eligible for the certification exam
• currently 7 programs 2 Manitoba, 2 Ontario, 1
  Québec, 1 Alberta, 1 British Columbia

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Licensure/Regulation

• Health care is a provincial jurisdiction
• Alberta example
• Health Professions Act

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Mutual Recognition Arrangement with the Board of
Certification

• Review of Standards of each association
• Practice Analysis
• Negotiation of Agreement
• July 22, 2005

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Mutual Recognition Arrangement with the Board of
Certification

• We have Canadian members working in the United
  States who need to meet state licensure
  requirements but were not previously eligible to
  write the American exams (Glen Bergeron)
• We are very pleased to see this Mutual
  Recognition Arrangement come into effect. This
  will go a long way to fostering collaborative
  efforts in many other areas of our professional
  activities. (Joe Piccininni)
• This is a historic moment and presents a
  template for similar agreements with other like
  minded organizations around the world. (Joe
  Piccininni)

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Mutual Recognition Arrangement with the Board of
Certification

• Temporary International Candidate
• First Responder
• One year to attempt the exam
• No legal status as per eligibility to work in
  Canada
• Fulfill the maintenance requirements of the CATA

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Future of the CATA

• Where are we going from here?
• The CATA will focus on supporting the
  professional membership through education and
  services
• The CCAT will protect the public by housing the
  Certification, Examination Review, Ethics, etc
  into an arms length organization

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Thank you
Calgary Stampede Calgary, Alberta, Canada