ATSA Membership Benefits & Requirements
The Association for the Treatment of Sexual Abusers (ATSA) is a non-profit, interdisciplinary organization incorporated in 1984 to foster research, develop guidelines for practice, facilitate information exchange, further professional education and provide for the advancement of professional standards and practices in the field of sexual offender evaluation and treatment. The organization currently has over twenty-seven hundred members from all fifty states, and eighteen other countries.
As a voluntary membership organization, ATSA does not credential its members or certify any individual's fitness to provide services. ATSA recommends that questions about a member's credentials be directed to the appropriate professional licensing department or agency in the member's state or region.
Benefits of ATSA membership include:
- Affiliation with an international association which strives to improve techniques for the evaluation and treatment of sex offenders.
- Complimentary set of the ATSA Standards and Guidelines and Professional Code of Ethics.
- Increased opportunity to access and exchange ideas with other treatment specialists and allied professionals.
- Opportunity to participate in the ATSA chapter in your state/region/province.
- Participation in ATSA’s standing and/or ad hoc committees.*
- Involvement in clinical discussions, case consults and networking on the “Members Only” list-serv.*
- Subscription to ATSA’s official journal, Sexual Abuse: A Journal of Research and Treatment.*
- Access to the full twenty-three year archive of Sexual Abuse: A Journal of Research and Treatment.*
- Access to SAGE’s online criminology journal collection.*
- Subscription to the quarterly newsletter, The Forum.
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Registration discounts for ATSA’s Annual Research and Treatment Conference, as well as ATSA sponsored regional conferences.
*Membership benefit not available to Affiliate Members
ATSA Membership Requirements and Application Procedure
Clinical Membership Requirements
Persons with a Masters Degree or above, in the Behavioral or Social Sciences, who have engaged in a minimum of 2000 hours providing direct clinical services (assessment, individual and/or group treatment) to individuals who have engaged in sexual offending behavior.
Research Membership Requirements
Persons with a Masters Degree or above, in the Behavioral or Social Sciences, who have engaged in a minimum of 2000 hours of conducting research specific to investigating issues related to sexual offending behavior.
Research and Clinical Membership Requirements
Persons with a Masters Degree or above, in the Behavioral or Social Sciences, who have engaged in a minimum of 2000 hours of conducting research specific to investigating issues related to sexual offending behavior and 2000 hours providing direct clinical services to individuals who have engaged in sexual offending behavior.
Professional Membership Requirements
Persons who have engaged in a minimum of 2000 hours of work specifically related to sexual abuse prevention or to the management of individuals who have engaged in sexual offending behavior. (No degree requirements.)
Clinical Associate Membership Requirements
- Persons with a Masters Degree or above, in the Behavioral or Social Sciences, who have engaged for less than 2000 hours in direct behavioral research of sexual offending behavior and/or has provided direct clinical services to individuals who have engaged in sexual offending behavior; or
- Persons with a Bachelors Degree or equivalent, in the Behavioral or Social Sciences, who have engaged in direct research of and/or provided direct clinical services to individuals who have engaged in sexual offending behavior; or
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Persons who are employed on a full time basis of at least 40 hours per week in a position that provides direct clinical services to individuals who have engaged in sexual offending behavior.
Research Associate Membership Requirements
Persons who have engaged in research on sexual offending behavior, but have done so for less then 2000 hours.
Application Procedure for above categories:
- Completed application form.
- Non-refundable application processing fee of $35.00
- (required at time of application).
- Annual dues $180.00.
- One Letter of Reference from a supervisor or colleague who is familiar with your work is required. If you are not licensed or certified then you must submit two Letters of Reference.
- If you are licensed or certified a letter from your licensing/certification board(s) is required. If online verification from your board(s) is available, written verification is not required.
Affiliate Membership Requirements
Persons who are currently working on a full-time basis for at least 40 hours per week either in a related area (such as the treatment of sexually abused children, adult victim/survivors of sexual abuse, or non-offending spouses) or in a non-clinical capacity such as the criminal justice system. Individuals involved in clinical practice, providing assessment and treatment services, and/or those individuals involved in conducting research related to sexually offending behavior, who qualify for a higher membership category, are noteligible for membership in the affiliate category.
Application Procedure for Affiliate Membership:
- Completed application form.
- Non-refundable application processing fee of $35.00 (required at time of application).
- Annual dues $35.00.
- One Letter of Reference from a supervisor or colleague who is familiar with your work is required. If you are not licensed or certified then you must submit two Letters of Reference.
- If you are licensed or certified a letter from your licensing/certification board(s) is required. If online verification from your board(s) is available, written verification is not required.
Student Membership Requirements
Persons who are currently registered as at least a half-time student in an accredited college or university in pursuit of a career related to the study or treatment of sexually offending behavior. Verification of student status is required when submitting application.
Application Procedure for Student Membership:
- Completed application form.
- Non-refundable application processing fee of $35.00 (required at time of application).
- Copy of academic transcript for highest degree obtained and verification of current student status, if not reflected on transcript.
- One Letter of Recommendation from your academic supervisor.