Continuing Education Units
To demonstrate that CMPs are continuing to grow and stay current with advances and new knowledge in the profession of therapeutic musician, MHTP has a rigorous but flexible requirement for Continuing Education Units (CEUs).
The field of live therapeutic music continues to evolve. For example, a quick and effective adaptation of using virtual technology to bring live therapeutic music to patients and staff was created during the COVID-19 pandemic. Across all disciplines, CEUs are a sign of professional standards.
By maintaining your CEUs, you assure the public and employers that your work as a Certified Music Practitioner® includes the most recent understanding of being a compassionate presence, and that you use a science-based theory of the healing properties of music to help others. Thank you for helping to make your profession stronger by maintaining your CEUs.
As of January 1, 2015, all CMPs who graduated between 1996 and the end of 2014 are required to obtain 40 hours of approved CEUs every four years from their graduation year to be publicly recognized as Certified Music Practitioners by MHTP on the MHTP website and elsewhere. These CMPs will not lose their certification if they do not maintain CEUs. MHTP will reinstate the CMP to a “current” status on the website CMP listing when MHTP receives and approves the CEU submission. Submission date does not affect or change the next CEU due date. Example: If the CEU due date for a CMP was 12/31/14, but the CMP submits CEUs sometime in 2016, the CEU due date for the next submission will be 12/31/18, not 12/31/20.
All CMPs graduating after January 1, 2015 are required to obtain 40 hours of approved CEUs every four years from their graduation date to maintain their certification as a Certified Music Practitioner and to be listed on the MHTP website. Otherwise their certification will expire. As above, each subsequent CEU deadline will be based on graduation year.
MHTP Directors have developed a flexible CEU policy to support graduates in obtaining CEUs from many sources. See details in the MHTP CEU Policy and Form (PDF).
Types of CEUs accepted by MHTP
At least 20 CEUs per four-year period must be earned by attending group activities such as in-services, MHTP modules, workshops, and conferences. Included in this “group” category are MHTP Biennial Conference recordings. All 40 CEUs may be earned from group activities. MHTP will also award up to 20 CEUs per four-year period earned in an individual activity, such as book reports and music lessons. Appropriate non-MHTP training activities can be awarded up to 20 CEUs per four-year period. The MHTP CEU Policy and Form (PDF) clearly explain what types of activities are/are not eligible for CEUs. This is required reading before inquiring about the suitability of a particular activity for CEUs.
Options for acquiring CEUs
A CEU is earned based on a “learning seat hour.” A "learning seat hour" is the elapsed time of presentation of content as defined or assigned by the in-service, workshop, or conference organization offering the activity, and approved or assigned by MHTP.
CMPs can earn CEUs in several flexible and easily accessible ways, including:
Studying the MHTP 2023 Enrichment Day recordings.
Studying the MHTP 2024 Virtual Conference Recordings or the MHTP 2022 Virtual Conference recordings.
Attending a variety of MHTP CEU webinars and repertoire development workshops.
Reading/Watching approved books or videos (PDF) and providing a book report (PDF) or a video report (PDF).
Listening to an approved podcast, then writing a report discussing three things you learned from the podcasts that directly applies to your work as a CMP. Email the report to mhtp@mhtp.org. Each podcast and report is worth 1.5 CEUs.
Attending approved non-MHTP-sponsored training/in-services. It is necessary to fill out the Non-MHTP approval request form (word doc) or the Non-MHTP approval request form (pdf) in order to get approval at least two weeks before the workshop/class.
Adding an instrument (PDF) to a CMP certification (this is a new form as of 2024)
Details and forms for CEUs
Additional details and forms needed to receive CEUs are given in the following documents:
Request for Addition of New Instrument to Certification (PDF) (This is a new 2024 form)
Submitting completed CEUs
Earned CEUs are submitted to MHTP as a unit once every four years when all 40 hours are completed. Complete documentation includes the Earned CEU Policy and Form (PDF), all documents or certificates supporting the 40 CEU hours, and a $75 CEU filing fee. Submit your CEU documentation and filing fee online. Partial documentation (for less than the total required 40 hours) will not be accepted or kept on file. Do not mail certificates.
Acknowledgement of CEU completion
When MHTP receives your complete CEU submission (all completed forms and supporting documentation for 40 CEUs), plus $75 CEU filing fee, and approves the CEUs, MHTP will send you a CEU Completion Certificate for that four-year period and will maintain your CEU status as "current" on the CMP Directory.