Continuing Education Opportunities

ABCT Annual Convention Continuing Education Credit Information

 

At the ABCT Annual Convention, there are Ticketed events (meaning you usually have to buy a ticket for one of these beyond the general registration fee) and General sessions (meaning you can usually get in by paying the general registration fee), the vast majority of which qualify for CE credit. See the end of this document for a list of organizations that have approved ABCT as a CE sponsor. Note that we do not offer CMEs. Attendance at each continuing education session in its entirety is required to receive CE credit. No partial credit is awarded; late arrival or early departure will preclude awarding of CE credit.

For those who have met all requirements according to the organizations which have approved ABCT as a CE sponsor, certificates will be available to download from the Cadmium system.

TICKETED EVENTS Eligible for CE

All Ticketed events offer CE in addition to educational opportunities to enhance knowledge and skills. These events are targeted for attendees with a particular level of expertise (e.g., basic, moderate, and/or advanced). Ticketed sessions require an additional payment beyond the general registration fee. For ticketed events, attendees are encouraged to complete an individual evaluation form and take the post session quiz.

Clinical Intervention Training

One- and two-day events emphasizing the “how-to” of clinical interventions. The extended length allows for exceptional interaction. Participants attending a full-day session can earn 7 continuing education credits, and 14 continuing education credits for the two-day session.

Institutes

Leaders and topics for Institutes are selected from previous ABCT workshop presentations. Institutes are offered as a 5- or 7-hour session on Thursday, and are generally limited to 40 attendees. Participants in the full-day Institute can earn 7 continuing education credits, and in the half-day Institutes can earn 5 continuing education credits.

Workshops

Covering concerns of the practitioner/educator/researcher, these remain an anchor of the Convention. Workshops are offered on Friday and Saturday, are 3 hours long, and are generally limited to 60 attendees. Participants in these Workshops can earn 3 continuing education credits per workshop.

Master Clinician Seminars (MCS)

The most skilled clinicians explain their methods and show videos of sessions. These 2-hour sessions are offered throughout the Convention and are generally limited to 40 to 45 attendees. Participants in these seminars can earn 2 continuing education credits per seminar.

Advanced Methodology and Statistics Seminars (AMASS)

Designed to enhance researchers’ abilities, there are generally two seminars offered on Thursday or during the course of the Convention. They are 4 hours long and limited to 40 attendees. Participants in these courses can earn 4 continuing education credits per seminar.

GENERAL SESSIONS Eligible for CE

There are more than 200 general sessions each year competing for your attention. All general sessions are included with the registration fee. Most of the sessions are eligible for CE, with the exception of the poster sessions, Membership Panel Discussions, the Special Interest Group Meetings (SIG), and a few other sessions. You are eligible to earn 1 CE credit per hour of attendance.

Continuing Education is offered for all those who select the licensed professional rate. All attendees will be sent an access code to the Cadmium Survey Magnet where they can complete their sessions’ evaluations, and keep track of continuing education credits. The magnet also includes a certificate listing all your sessions that can be saved and/or printed. Ticketed sessions require an additional payment beyond the general registration fee. For ticketed events, attendees must complete an individual evaluation. Attendees must remain in the session for the entire period in order to receive CE credit.

General session types that are eligible for CE include the following:

Clinical Grand Rounds

Experienced clinicians give simulated live demonstrations of therapy. Clients may be portrayed by graduate students working with the presenter or specializing in the problem area to be treated.

Invited Panels and Addresses

Speakers well-established in their field, or who hold positions of particular importance, share their unique insights and knowledge on a broad topic of interest.

Mini-Workshops

Designed to address direct clinical care or training at a broad introductory level and are 90 minutes long. Mini-workshops are offered on Friday and Saturday and are generally limited to 80 attendees. Participants can earn 1.5 continuing education credits.

Panel Discussion

Discussions (or debates) by a range of informed individuals (e.g., researchers, clinicians, community stakeholders, consumers) on a current important topic that is conceptual in nature, rather than pertaining directly to clinical care. Examples of topics for panel discussions include (but are not limited to): supervision/training issues, ethical considerations in treatment or training, the use of technology in treatment, cultural considerations in the application of CBTs, among others.

Some topics may be appropriate for either Clinical Round Tables or Panel Discussions, and authors are invited to use their judgement in making this decision. These are organized by a moderator and include between three and five panelists with a range of experiences and attitudes. The total number of speakers may not exceed 7.

Clinical Round Tables

Discussions (or debates) by a range of informed individuals (e.g., researchers, clinicians, community stakeholders, consumers, persons with lived experience of mental illness) on an important topic directly related to patient care, treatment, and/or the application/implementation of a treatment. Examples of topics for Clinical Round Tables include (but are not limited to): challenges/suggestions for treating a certain disorder or group of patients, application of a treatment protocol or type of treatment to a novel population, considerations in applying CBTs to marginalized communities and/or minority groups, discussions about the implementation/application of research findings into clinical/community settings.

Some topics may be appropriate for either Clinical Round Tables or Panel Discussions, and authors are invited to use their judgement in making this decision. Clinical Round Tables are organized by a moderator and include between three and six panelists with a range of experiences and attitudes. The total number of speakers may not exceed 7.

Spotlight Research Presentations

This format provides a forum to debut new findings considered to be groundbreaking or innovative for the field. A limited number of extended-format sessions consisting of a 45-minute research presentation and a 15-minute question-and-answer period allows for more in-depth presentation than is permitted by symposia or other formats.

Symposia

Symposia consist of a group of empirical research presentations on etiology, mechanisms of change, prevention, treatment efficacy, treatment effectiveness, dissemination and implementation, among other topics. Symposia are either 60 or 90 minutes in length. They have one or two chairs, one discussant, and between three and five talks. The total number of speakers may not exceed 8.

**Symposia are strongly encouraged to include a full range of career levels and expertise. This policy is not intended to discourage junior researchers/faculty and graduate students to present, but rather to encourage the presence of senior researchers/faculty first-author presentations in conjunction with junior researchers/faculty and graduate student presentations.

GENERAL SESSIONS NOT Eligible for CE

Membership Panel Discussion

Organized by representatives of the Membership Committee and Student Membership Committees, these events generally emphasize training or career development.

Poster Sessions

One-on-one discussions between presenters, who display graphic representations of the results of their studies, and interested attendees. Because of the variety of interests and research areas of the ABCT attendees, between 1,200 and 1,400 posters are presented each year.

Special Interest Group (SIG) Meetings

More than 39 SIGs meet each year to accomplish business (such as electing officers), renew relationships, and often offer presentations. SIG talks are not peer-reviewed by the Association.

Special Sessions

These events are designed to provide useful information regarding professional rather than scientific issues. For more than 20 years the Internship and Postdoctoral Overviews have helped attendees find their educational path. Other special sessions often include expert panels on getting into graduate school, career development, information on grant applications, and a meeting of the Directors of Clinical Training. These sessions are not eligible for continuing education credit.

Other Sessions

Other sessions not eligible for CE are noted as such on the itinerary planner and in the program book.

CE Grievance Policy

Although ABCT goes to great lengths to assure fair treatment for all participants and attempts to anticipate problems, there will be occasional issues which come to the attention of the convention staff which require intervention and/or action on the part of the convention staff or an officer of ABCT. This procedural description serves as a guideline for handling such grievances.

All grievances must be filed in writing to ensure a clear explanation of the problem.

If the grievance concerns satisfaction with a CE session the Convention Manager shall determine whether a full or partial refund (either in money or credit for a future CE event) is warranted. If the complainant is not satisfied, their materials will be forwarded to the Coordinator of Convention and Continuing Education Issues for a final decision.
If the grievance concerns a speaker and particular materials presented, the Convention Manager shall bring the issue to the Coordinator of Convention and Continuing Education Issues who may consult with the members of the continuing education issues committees. The Coordinator will formulate a response to the complaint and recommend action if necessary, which will be conveyed directly to the complainant. For example, a grievance concerning a speaker may be conveyed to that speaker and also to those planning future educational programs.
Records of all grievances, the process of resolving the grievance and the outcome will be kept in the files of the Convention Manager.

A copy of this Grievance Procedure will be available upon request.

If you have a complaint, please contact Stephen R. Crane, Convention Manager, at [email protected] or (212) 646-1890 for assistance.