Tai_Chi_Qi_Gong_Credentialing_Guidelines_for_Clinical_and_Non-clinical_Staff_11-28-17.pdf

IHCC – GUIDELINES FOR SELECTING TAI CHI/QIGONG PRACTICE LEADERS/INSTRUCTORS WITHIN VA FACILITIES 11/18/2017

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IHCC – Guidelines for Selecting Tai Chi/Qi Gong (TC/QG) Practice Leaders/Instructors within VA facilities

Clinical VA Staff

Eligibility Training Professional experience Certification and Other Requirements

• Basic knowledge of TC/QG movements, philosophy and practices

• Awareness and understanding of the connection between TC/QG

• Enthusiasm for learning about and teaching TC/QG

• Leadership qualities

• Teaching and problem-solving skills

• Ability to empathize and connect with participants

• Ability to tailor programs for specific populations and limitations

Practice Leader (PL): Staff trained via short courses must have a minimum of 3 training events with at least 36 total hours of in-person training¹ taught by a qualified instructor. ² These 36 minimum hours should include curriculum on how to teach TC/QG. Although clinical staff may be allowed to initially teach with minimum qualifying training, they must continue training until reaching at least qualifications for ATCQGA³ Tai Chi Practitioner (150 hours).

Instructor: must be ATCQGA-certified as Tai Chi Instructor Level I (Appendix 2) or meet requirements for certification.

Note: PRACTICE LEADERS (PL) differ from INSTRUCTORS in their number of training and practice hours.

See Appendix 1 for examples of qualified professional in-person trainings.

General experience teaching health-related materials and/or movement-based modalities to Veterans within a health care environment.

Must meet certification and re-certification requirements established by the training program attended and the level of training reached according to ATCQGA (see Appendix 2).

Staff trained via short courses must continue training until reaching at least ATCQGA Practitioner (150 training hours) level within 3 years to be eligible for continuing teaching.

Requirement may be met by participating in ongoing classes locally or attending workshops.

Letter of recommendation from their TC/QG instructor and/or provision of demonstration class to local facility provider with TC/QG expertise.

To qualify for continuing teaching at the VA, providers must document:

- Maintaining ongoing personal practice.

Appropriate documentation: letter from their instructor/s or other documentation acceptable by their facility.

- Maintaining teaching practice at VA or outside VA (at least 32 hours/year). Appropriate documentation: at least one mentor/supervisor letter and 2 students’ letters.

¹ Traditionally, TC/QG instructors were trained for an undetermined number of years before a student was considered prepared to teach. The adoption of TC/QG by western medical environments has promoted the development of various short trainings that could adapt to the needs of these medical environments. To maintain efficacy and fidelity, it is important that trainees maintain an ongoing practice and mentoring.

² A Qualified Instructor is defined as an instructor who is certified to train practice leaders or instructors. A TC/QG workshop for personal learning where participants learn practice but do not learn how to teach, would not qualify.

³ATCQGA-American Tai Chi and Qigong Association

IHCC – GUIDELINES FOR SELECTING TAI CHI/QIGONG PRACTICE LEADERS/INSTRUCTORS WITHIN VA FACILITIES 11/18/2017

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Non-Clinical VA Staff, WOC and Volunteers

Eligibility Training Professional experience Certification and Other Requirements

• Basic knowledge of TC/QG movements, philosophy and practices

• Awareness and understanding of the connection between TC/QG

• Enthusiasm for learning about and teaching TC/QG

• Leadership qualities

• Teaching and problem-solving skills

• Ability to empathize and connect with participants

• Ability to tailor programs for specific populations and limitations

Practice leader: Must be ATCQGA¹- certified Tai Chi Practitioner or equivalent (150 training hours), with minimum of 36 hours of training on how to teach TC/QG taught by a qualified instructor. ²

Instructor: Must be ATCQGA-certified Tai Chi Instructor Level I or meet requirements for certification.

Note: PRACTICE LEADERS (PL) differ from INSTRUCTORS in their number of training and practice hours.

See Appendix 1 for examples of qualified professional in-person trainings.

Minimum of 100 hours of documented Tai Chi teaching experience (within VA or outside VA).

Teaching hours may be accomplished under supervision of experienced tai chi provider within VA facility.

Must meet certification and re-certification requirements established by the training program attended and the level of training reached according to ATCQGA (see Appendix 2).

Letter of recommendation from their TC/QG instructor and/or provision of demonstration class to local facility provider with TC/QG expertise.

To qualify for continuing teaching at the VA, providers must document:

- Maintaining ongoing personal practice.

Appropriate documentation: letter from their instructor/s or other documentation acceptable by their facility.

- Maintaining teaching practice at VA or outside VA (at least 32 hours/year). Appropriate documentation: at least one mentor/supervisor letter and 2 students’ letters.

¹ ATCQGA-American Tai Chi and Qigong Association ² A Qualified Instructor is defined as an instructor who is certified to train practice leaders or instructors. A TC/QG workshop for personal learning where participants learn practice but do not learn how to teach, would not qualify.

IHCC – GUIDELINES FOR SELECTING TAI CHI/QIGONG PRACTICE LEADERS/INSTRUCTORS WITHIN VA FACILITIES 11/18/2017

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APPENDIX 1

Appropriate trainings include (but are not limited to):

• Tai Chi Fundamentals® Programs through Tai Chi Health

• Tai Chi for Arthritis Programs through Tai Chi for Health

• Taijiquan: Moving for Better Balance

• Evidenced Based Qigong through Center for Taiji Studies

• Evidenced Based Taiji through Center for Taiji Studies

• Tree of Life Tai Chi Teacher Training

• Tai Chi Easy® through Integral Institute of Qigong and Tai Chi

• Tai Chi Instructor training through Integral Institute of Qigong and Tai Chi

• Qigong/ Tai Chi teacher trainings through Energy Arts

• Taijiquan/ Qigong trainings through International Yang Family Tai Chi Association

• Other trainings recognized by ATCQGA or CDC as acceptable to qualify for documented formal TC/QG training.

Note: This list does not represent any program endorsement.

IHCC – GUIDELINES FOR SELECTING TAI CHI/QIGONG PRACTICE LEADERS/INSTRUCTORS WITHIN VA FACILITIES 11/18/2017

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APPENDIX 2

Requirements for ATCQGA Certification Tai Chi Practitioner - http://www.americantaichi.org/applicationRenewal.asp

1. At least 150 documented hours in formal in-person Tai Chi training

2. Two or more reference letters.

Certification Renewal: Receive continuing education (in the form of self-study, workshops, seminars and/or classes) in Tai Chi for at least 10 hours a year.

Requirements for ATCQGA Certification Tai Chi Instructor Level I - http://www.americantaichi.org/applicationRenewal.asp

1. At least 150 documented hours in formal Tai Chi training

2. At least 500 hours of experience in teaching Tai Chi

3. Three reference letters from other Tai Chi instructors, students, your trainers, etc. At least one of them should come from Tai Chi instructors (your trainers and/or peers).

Certification Renewal: Receive continuing education (in the form of self-study, workshops, seminars and/or classes) in Tai Chi for at least 10 hours a year and maintain at least 100 hours in teaching Tai Chi every year.

http://www.americantaichi.org/applicationRenewal.asp http://www.americantaichi.org/applicationRenewal.asp

IHCC – GUIDELINES FOR SELECTING TAI CHI/QIGONG PRACTICE LEADERS/INSTRUCTORS WITHIN VA FACILITIES 11/18/2017

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References

1. National Tai Chi and Qigong Expert Meeting Consensus Report, November 2005 http://www.agingblueprint.org/pdfs/consensusdoc.pdf

2. Integrative Health and Wellness Service Provider Package Madison, WI, https://vaww.visn12.portal.va.gov/mad/cos/wellness/Complementary%20Therapies%20for%20Veterans%20and%20Family/Integrative%20Health%20and%2 0Wellness%20Service%20Provider%20Validation%20Package%20Madison%20VA%20April%202016.docx

3. Integrative Health and Wellness Service Provider Package V2 Washington DC, https://www.washingtondc.va.gov/Wellness/IHW_Wellness_Validation_Master_Policy_Package_v2.pdf

4. American Tai Chi and Qigong Association http://www.americantaichi.org/taichiCertification.asp

5. National Qigong Association http://www.nqa.org

6. IHCC Credentialing Guidelines https://vaww.infoshare.va.gov/sites/OPCC/sitePages/IHCC-home.aspx http://www.agingblueprint.org/pdfs/consensusdoc.pdf https://vaww.visn12.portal.va.gov/mad/cos/wellness/Complementary%20Therapies%20for%20Veterans%20and%20Family/Integrative%20Health%20and%20Wellness%20Service%20Provider%20Validation%20Package%20Madison%20VA%20April%202016.docx https://vaww.visn12.portal.va.gov/mad/cos/wellness/Complementary%20Therapies%20for%20Veterans%20and%20Family/Integrative%20Health%20and%20Wellness%20Service%20Provider%20Validation%20Package%20Madison%20VA%20April%202016.docx https://www.washingtondc.va.gov/Wellness/IHW_Wellness_Validation_Master_Policy_Package_v2.pdf http://www.americantaichi.org/taichiCertification.asp https://vaww.infoshare.va.gov/sites/OPCC/sitePages/IHCC-home.aspx