PATH INTERNATIONAL
Why was the Standards Manual reorganized?
What process was used in the reorganization of the manual?
Is the manual reorganization complete?
Are there new standards in the manual?
Why are some of the standards duplicated?
Where are the specialty standards?
Why is therapeutic riding not covered in the core standards?
Which Standards Manual should I use for my upcoming accreditation visit?
How do I know the standards to which we need to comply?
Why was the Standards Manual reorganized?
With the growth of the equine-assisted activities and therapies industry the Standards Reorganization Task Force reviewed the current layout of the PATH Intl. Standards for Certification and Accreditation (Standards Manual) with the following concepts:
- • Repetitive standards within different sections
- • Same requirements (credentialing, training, conditioning) are repeated in multiple specialties
- • Limited to present concepts
- • The historical layout was unwieldy as standards for new activities and services were incorporated
- • Expansion within equine-assisted activities and therapies industry to encompass new activities, goals and benefits such as equine-facilitated learning, mental health, hippotherapy and other potential medical models
- • Downplays professionalism of therapeutic riding, not “specialized”
What process was used in the reorganization of the manual?
- • The Standards Reorganization Task Force kicked off with a meeting at the PATH Intl. office in Denver and spent a weekend categorizing the standards one-by-one and identifying like (duplicate) standards.
- • The task force met weekly via conference call. The initial document was reviewed over several months and changes were made.
- • During the review process any questions were sent to the appropriate committee for review.
- • Review and work on like (duplicate) standards started with the goal of eliminating repetitive requirements.
- • The combination of standards that lead to no intent change were vetted through all of the appropriate committees with final review and approval by the Programs and Standards Oversight Committee.
- • The combination of standards that had intent changes where vetted through the appropriate committees. Program and Standards Oversight Committee reviewed and recommended for field test to the Strategic Initiative Review Committee (SIRC). Field test standards were approved by SIRC according to the Standards Development Policy (1/2012).
- • A mock draft of the core, activity and services standards was submitted for review to the Program and Standards Oversight Committee and to volunteers representing various member groups.
- • Program and Standards approved the final organization of the standards.
Is the manual reorganization complete?
The 2012 Standards Manual is the first phase of a multi-year project. The Standards Task Force is tasked with continuing review of like (duplicate) standards, as they relate to international compliance, technology and areas of growth. The task force will also review feedback received regarding the work completed thus far.
Are there new standards in the manual?
No. The standards were reorganized into the new sections, corrected for grammar, like (duplicate) standards were reviewed and the process of combining like standards into a single standard when there was no intent change was started.
Why are some of the standards duplicated?
The reorganization of the standards highlighted standards that were duplicated or similar but in different sections of the old manuals. As this is a multi-year project, these duplicated or similar standards will be reviewed by the Standards Task Force and further simplified. Any changes in intent as a result of combing standards will require field testing.
Where are the specialty standards?
The specialty standards are now covered in the activity and service standards. Driving and interactive vaulting are in the activity standards. Hippotherapy and equine-facilitated psychotherapy are in the service standards.
Why is therapeutic riding not covered in the core standards?
Reorganizing these standards into the activity and service sections sets therapeutic riding as an activity and service outside of the core standards and underscores the growing professionalism and the unique needs in the area of therapeutic riding.
Which Standards Manual should I use for my upcoming accreditation visit?
Centers that have submitted their application for accreditation prior to June 30, 2012, will use the 2011 edition of the PATH Intl. Standards for Certification and Accreditation for their visits. Any requests to accredit using the 2012 edition of the Standards Manual must be made in writing to the PATH Intl. office prior to the scheduling of site visitors.
Centers that apply after July 1, 2012, and have their site visit prior to December 31, 2012, will have the choice to accredit using the 2011 or 2012 edition of the Standards Manual. All site visits that take place after January 1, 2013, will accredit using the 2012 edition of the Standards Manual.
Site visitors will be notified as to which manual they will be scoring during this grace period during the scheduling process.
How do I know the standards to which we need to comply?
All centers and individuals must comply with all applicable core standards regardless of the activities and services being provided. In the activity standards section, centers and individuals comply with all applicable standards as dictated by their programming, e.g. mounted (riding), driving, interactive vaulting and/or ground activities. In the service standards section, centers and individuals comply with all applicable standards as dictated by the goals of their programming, e.g. equestrian skills (therapeutic riding, driving, interactive vaulting or ground), hippotherapy and/or equine-facilitated psychotherapy. For example, a center that offers mounted equine-facilitate psychotherapy must meet the applicable core standards, mounted standards and medical/mental health standards. A center that offers therapeutic riding and driving must meet the applicable core standards, mounted standards, driving standards and equestrian skills standards.