COAP-NC
Challenged the County
By
Kathy Wright Moore, ACC
The
Coalition of Activity Professionals (COAP) is an infant
compared to many other state associations, just three
years young (Chartered in July of 2004).
When
NCCAP announced the limited "window of opportunity
for ADC Track 5, COAP immediately set a plan in motion
for professionals in North Carolina. At our NAP Week
conference in January of 2005, we had NCCAP Executive
Director, Cindy Bradshaw on hand to review certification
packets.
During
our membership luncheon, COAP established a goal to
get 500 certified in North Carolina before Track 5 expired.
Considering, we only had 100 certified in the state
at that time; we had a long way to go to reach that
goal. We set a goal and gave it our all to achieve that
number. The COAP Board developed a plan to begin what
we called the "documentation road show". We
submitted a 6-hour documentation-training workshop to
NCCAP for pre-approval and launched workshops around
the state. Between April of 2005 and March of 2006,
we sponsored a total of 6 documentation-training workshops.
Our
board members made phone calls to every licensed Nursing
Home (392 of them) to spread the word and uncover potential
ADC Track 5 candidates. We pushed and pushed and pushed.
At three of our conferences (July 2005, September 2005
and January 2006), Cindy Bradshaw was on hand to review
certification packets and many got certified "on
the spot". (James Jordan was the 2nd to receive
the ADC Track 5 in the country).NCCAP buttons were awarded
with lots of cheers and singing to those newly certified.
COAP-NC
then began to realize that the criteria was changing
for other ADC tracks. On January 1 2007, professionals
would be required to take the MEPAP 2nd Edition, not
just MEPAP Part 1. We worked long and hard with NCCAP
to create the "Bridge the Gap" course. In
January 2006, 31 professionals stepped up to the plate
to take the Bridge the Gap course. By March of 2006,
many Bridge the Gapers received their certification.
Much
to our surprise and joy, NCCAP extended ADC Track 5
until June 30, 2007. True the competition was ending
on December 31, 2006, but our certification push was
no longer about winning a competition. Our mission became
totally focused on improving professional recognition
for each and every Activity Professional. We offered
more documentation sessions in early 2007 and completed
the final documentation workshop on June 16, 2007, three
professionals that procrastinated as long as they could,
attended and submitted their certification packets to
NCCAP by the June 30, 2007 deadline.
Did
we reach our goal of 500 certified professionals? No
we did not, but we doubled our numbers and woke up the
country. We accomplished our goal to get professionals
thinking and taking action. COAP was awarded a financial
gift from NCCAP, and recognized at the 2007 NAAP Conference.
For
more information about Coalition of Activity Professionals
(COAP), go to www.coap-nc.org. NN
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