2004
NCCAP PRESIDENT'S ANNUAL REPORT
By
Michael A. Bower, ACC
This
has been a busy year for NCCAP. The Executive Director
and Board of Directors have worked diligently to meet
the NCCAP's goals.
The
introduction of the re-engineered Modular Education
Program for Activity Professionals, Part 1 and Part
2 is at hand. It has been exciting to be a part of the
NCCAP as we have continued the dream of a quality, professional
training program for Activity Professionals started
so many years ago by the NAAP & the NCCAP. As good
as this product is, I know that we Activity Professionals
will continue to nurture and improve the MEPAP courses
as the industry demands and our profession grows.
When
the Board of Directors voted to require that all candidates
for certification at the ADC and ACC levels take the
MEPAP 1, we knew that there would be controversy! We
also firmly believed that our acceptance of a broad
range of degrees demanded that we require candidates
to take the MEPAP 1, our Body of Knowledge, if our certification
is to have any credibility with regulatory bodies. As
the CLEP test conducted by the Executive Director confirmed,
even those with related degrees i.e. recreation therapists,
struggled with the test.
The
Board of Directors decided last year to actively pursue
board membership in areas of the country that are under-represented.
We have met and will continue that goal, and to that
end, I encourage Activity Professionals to step forward,
to work on NCCAP Committees and to run for Board positions.
The
NCCAP website has steadily improved. By making the standards,
application, and renewal forms "downloadable",
we have been able to reduce the costs of printing and
mailing, while making the materials more accessible.
The bulletin board is an active forum for Activity Professionals
seeking to share information, while the chat room offers
more spontaneous conversation as well as CE opportunities.
At
this time I want to acknowledge the great amount of
work our Executive Director, Cindy Bradshaw, has done
on your behalf this year. From sending a massive mailing
to Health Care Associations promoting NCCAP certification,
to representing the NCCAP at CMS, to keeping us financially
sound, to working unendingly on the MEPAP re-engineering
project, to successfully preparing the NCCAP office
for a major hurricane, Cindy remains a versatile and
dynamic force for the NCCAP.
I
also wish to thank the members of the Board of Directors.
Each has an active professional life, yet finds the
time to do the work of the Board. As we welcome two
new members and say farewell to two current members,
I am confident that the NCCAP will be well served. We
welcome your input and support as we move into 2004-2005!
NN
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