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MEMBERSHIP RENEWAL

FOR TORONTO REFLEXOLOGISTS

CONTINUING EDUCATION PROGRAM & RCRT FAQS

Continuing Professional Development Program (CEU) & Registered Canadian Reflexology Therapist (RCRT) Designation

Since launching the CEU and RCRT Program January 1, 2008 registration for the RCRT program is growing steadily and RAC has received many letters and emails with both concerns and praise for the programs. Our thanks to those who have contacted RAC. Many of the concerns brought forward seemed to come from a misinterpretation of the facts and we hope that the following question and answer format will help to dispel any fears regarding the new programs and the role you have in them.

At the outset, it is important to stress to you all that the decision to take the path we have chosen was based entirely on what RAC members had told us they wanted at two separate AGM’s the first in 2003 and the second in 2007. Every RAC member has the right to attend the AGM and, for those for whom this is not possible, we ensure that each and every member receives details of the motions to be discussed and the appropriate forms for them to cast a proxy vote. I believe that this is important to underline as it is clear that members at large do want the programme’s such as we have now instituted.

CEU or Continuing Education Units/Credits is most commonly defined as - a range of learning activities through which health professionals maintain and develop throughout their career to ensure that they retain their capacity to practice safely, effectively and legally within their evolving scope of practice.

CEU is the mark of a true professional and anyone who wants to be taken seriously by the orthodox medical profession should realize that CEU is evidence of professionalism. Others will look for this as it is the norm for other professionals within the health care system.

The RCRT designation is for RAC Members only and for the purpose of identifying and notifying the health professional and the public that the therapists have achieved, a minimum standard and and will adhere to a Code of Ethics and Conduct for the profession as set forth by RAC.

CEU is normally calculated on an annual basis and credits come from a variety of different sources. The requirement is for 30 credits, (1 credit = 2 hours)over three years i.e. 10 credits per year, which represents 20 hours per year (23 minutes a week!) and is not out of line with a whole range of professional associations (national and international) and their CEU requirements. For each category, we have capped the credits at 5 in order for the member to have the opportunity to gain credits from each category. We have also created a programme in which it is not hard to participate and yet is challenging enough to have value and credibility. The range of credit earning opportunities is very wide (and we ask members to let us know of other possible credit earning options they might like to have included) and we do not believe it is an unreasonable expectation.

No. We are asking for no credits to be proved for the initial 3 year period. Individuals who have been members for as far back as 2003 may grandfather credits earned in the period from then until current. RAC believes that it could not be any fairer than that.

Yes. If you do more than the required amount of credits these may be carried forward.

RAC believes that this category is the basis of RAC development and for building RAC into a strong and sustainable Association. Having said this, RAC also recognizes that members have significant training and involvement in other areas outside of RAC so it has included 50% of CEU credits from Category I, and 50% of CEU credits from Category I & II combined.

The areas specified will continue to be a major part of RAC activity as will everything else we have been doing successfully for so long. We believe that we have clearly demonstrated that we are, indeed, inclusive and it is only because of the continued dissemination of misinformation that anyone would think otherwise. We are cognizant of the need to help practitioners who live out of the many urban hubs and, as members would know, have made Chapter membership a part of the membership fee and are encouraging new Chapter formation with both personal groups and through teleconferencing. Many of the existing Chapters already offer seminars in more than one centre and we have had a number of seminars with leading reflexologists being held in more than one Province. Most of what you propose is already part of the RAC philosophy or is being developed to become a part.

What we might recommend or not is, ultimately, irrelevant if the insurance companies do not accept it. We have been in lengthy consultation with the insurance companies and they have told us what they need and require. Certification is an excellent starting place for any practitioner but it does not guarantee more than that, at a certain time, that practitioner was competent and able to pass the exams. The need for staying current, for continuing to learn and for personal development is not covered and the insurance companies will simply not be happy with what would, at best, be a static statement of the individual’s competency.

CEU credits can be gained from a wide variety of sources including non-RAC programs as outlined further in the RAC CEU Program description document. There are 3 categories to choose from and a wide range of activities that cost very little or nothing to complete. Many members are already engaged in many of the activities. Some examples include:

Category I

Out of 13 categories, 9 require no monetary expense at all.

Membership in and attendance at chapter meetings. Starting a Chapter. Volunteer work in RAC (there are many opportunities here). Promotion of RAC in the community in local health organization and community centers (this includes introductory sessions in reflexology, talks about reflexology, writing articles in publications etc.), Documenting research, writing a review on something you have read or attended on reflexology, and having it published in our RAC Journal. Assisting a Teacher in delivery of a course (an excellent way to refresh ones skills. Personal Development and Study Group Activities which include, treatment exchanges, mentoring, Reading books on reflexology, joining with other RAC reflexologists for a specific activity relating to reflexology etc.

Category II

This category covers all activities that are within the standard and scope of practice of reflexology. For the most part they are offered though other reflexology associations, schools and organizations. These associations, schools or organizations must be approved or have made separate application for course accreditation with RAC. Activities offered are approved and registered with RAC. Volunteer Work may be done through your local hospital, other organization or project and may include treatments or work to promote the profession. General publication of a book, article, review or research document in reflexology need only be submitted for RAC approval.

Category III

RAC recognizes that many Members are skilfully trained and qualified in other areas of health care. We also recognize that many of the skills learned are interchangeable between professions on many different levels and have therefore provided a category to recognize this as part of the CEU program. This category acknowledges Membership, certified practice, formal training, the delivery of or attendance at workshops and seminars necessary to upgrade or maintain Membership within other Health professions and organizations, or the contribution of any publication of a book, article, review or research project done for another health profession.

RAC is not accrediting schools and organizations, only foundation programs, workshops and seminars offered by those organizations. Accreditation is for students entering reflexology programs where they can be assured that they will be eligible for membership with RAC once their course is completed and they have been certified. This also allows students and members in the many provinces throughout Canada that do not have access to Group Professional Liability plans to access reduced insurance rates through RAC.
~Organizations who wish to have their professional reflexology foundation courses recognized for the RAC Professional Membership Category.
~Organizations that wish to offer the RAC reflexology foundation programs in addition to their other programs.
~Organizations and individual educators who wish to have workshops and seminars accredited through the RAC CEU Professional Development Program.

We did not believe when the programme was being formulated and nor do we believe now that this is a duplication of designation/registration. RAC is a national association whereas organizations such as RRCO are largely confined to Ontario and are governed by other provincial constraints in spite of their efforts to become national. Many of our members across Canada do not belong to another provincial organization nor do they have a desire or need to at the present time due to the fact that there is no regulation of the profession at present. The RCRT designation allows them to have a designation that is recognized nationally and provincially thus meeting their needs as a RAC member. Further, this course of action is very much geared to the raising of standards and increased professionalism, and we have been talking with Provincial governments and insurance companies across Canada and the new designation is something that is required if they are to give nationwide coverage for reflexology treatments.

Reflexology is not regulated anywhere in Canada except for certain municipalities that require business licenses. There are many organizations and schools of Reflexology Canada wide, some of which are accredited to some degree or another and none of which are a Regulating Body. There are Federal Titles (initialing) that are Registered Certification Marks which identify and notify to the profession and the public that you have achieved and adhere to Minimum Standards and a Code of Ethics for your profession. This does not mean you are Registered with a Regulatory Board. There are many ways to become a regulatory body, either nationally or provincially. A National Association could for instance set up provincial chapters which could be autonomous in status but an arm of the National RAC. As the profession is not regulated at this point in time, registration cannot be compulsory except if an Association decides to make this so for its members.

The Reflexology Association of Canada is just that, an Association that represents all certified reflexologist across Canada and grants equal access to membership. Any college or school may apply to RAC to have their program accredited and approval for this depends on there being an equivalency or better with the RAC standards. Once the establishment has been approved, students graduating from that school or college will be accepted as Professional Members without any further exams of any kind. This membership opportunity has been in place since 2004. Provincial Associations are most welcome to make an application with us so that their approved schools programs could be automatically accredited by RAC and, were they to do so and there was an equivalency in requirements to those of RAC, then there would be no reason why RAC would not then approve students from those schools. Of course we have standards to maintain and we do not approve all schools as, were we to do so, we would be compromising not only the Association but also the profession. If students from such schools wish to become members of RAC then, indeed, they WOULD be offered the option of taking the challenge exam. Hardly any different, we would venture to suggest, from any proper professional association.

An organization that would wish to become the official registrar for Canada would need to be in close dialogue with all those that represent reflexology across Canada particularly if they are already representing a specific province. There are many questions that are posed with this idea such as can East and West cultural, professional and provincial differences in operation truly be represented by one province?

With regards to RRCO, this is an interesting suggestion but is not based on the reality of the situation. For starters, they are a Provincial organization but there are other considerations also. Over a considerable number of years, RAC has worked to try and create national unity through discussion and a ‘coming together’. Our efforts with RRCO have resulted in absolutely nothing positive and, indeed, on more than one occasion, key officers of RRCO have seen fit to publish questionable articles about RAC and to take every possible opportunity to make derogatory, damaging and sometimes even libelous statements about RAC. Following the ICR conference in Cairns, Australia last year, RAC had occasion to write to one key Director of RRCO who is actually an honorary member of RAC warning him against uttering any further defamatory statements about RAC as he had done in Cairns. In the most recent past, RAC have had correspondence with RRCO and even suggested some kind of working relationship. Not only was the suggestion not pursued but RAC did not even have the courtesy of an acknowledgement. Long dead issues from the past continue to become irrelevancies of the present and there will be no progress towards any kind of unity if RRCO and its Board cannot draw a line in the sand and be prepared to move forward. RAC would be more than happy to sit down, face-to-face with an RRCO senior representative (and others from across Canada if thought worthwhile) and discuss how we could work towards unity and full co-operation for the good of reflexology across the country. RAC’s only condition would be that the past would be left firmly where it should be and that we talk only about the present and the future. These are hardly, impossible terms unless the whole concept of bi-lateral discussion is somehow an anathema to RRCO. Whether anyone likes it or not, the fact is that RAC has a wide membership from across Canada whilst the RRCO activities seem largely confined to Ontario. RAC acknowledges the work done by RRCO of which RAC was a founding member but the attitude which has prevailed from them has been antagonistic and anything but conciliatory. The whole saga of the Municipalities licensing is a classic case of RAC and its membership being shortchanged by RRCO and losing members as a result of an agreement between the two parties being unilaterally scrapped. With all the fuss that is being generated over RAC and its designation, it is important to note that when RRCO created its RRPr it did so with no consultation with RAC about how it was to be used. This is a subject on which the RAC Board could talk for a long time but, in the end, the offer is simply repeated to talk and explore.

The reasons for this requirement do not only relate to the individual reflexologist but also to the Association AND to the requirements that health insurers have if they are to provide coverage under health plans – this is something on which we are actively working and expect to have some positive results to announce very shortly. It is not unknown for an aggrieved party to seek recompense from a professional association where individual members are not covered by liability insurance and successful claims of that sort can cost many thousands - and sometimes millions – of dollars. Being a professional requires a certain degree of responsibility and accountability to the safety and well-being of the public, and credibility of the profession. The fact that the majority of health care professional associations and municipalities etc. require insurance surely tells us something about the importance put on this aspect of business.

Charging a nominal fee for application to the CEU program is intended to cover the cost of administering the program over 3 years, the provision of the RCRT designation pin and the folders and documentation required for record keeping. The ‘demands’ of the program are, in fact, very reasonable and a total of 30 hours over a period of 3 years can hardly be called prohibitive either financially or in time terms. Many of the credit earning opportunities do not require the expenditure of money and the RCRT designation is awarded immediately to those applying and the credit requirements for the next 3 year cycles can be worked on for the ensuing 3 years AND credits gained since 2003 can also be included. All in all, this is considered, by most active and committed members, to be a very reasonable and worthwhile process leading, as it will, to improved standards and greater acceptance by health insurance companies, governments and the general public which can only lead to more business for those members willing to put in the effort.

RAC's goals are to provide an opportunity to dialogue or establish a 'forum' within its membership - including organizations that have accredited their programs with us - to discuss the future of reflexology, standards of practice and where the profession needs to go with regards to regulation of the profession and by whom.. We would invite all those organizations and individual reflexologists who are interested in pursuing that goal to join us in that endeavour.

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Canadian Journal of Reflexology—September 2009 issue

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