Member Board Outreach

NCARB holds regular forums and meetings to engage with each jurisdiction. Connecting and communicating keeps us up-to-date on the latest local issues, deregulatory efforts, and legislation, and helps NCARB seek out new ways to support our architectural licensing boards as they carry out their important work to protect the public.

• During FY18, CEO Michael Armstrong conducted visits to eight Member Boards to meet jurisdictional leadership and discuss board priorities. These visits will continue in FY19, with plans to travel to at least 18 boards.
• NCARB sought out additional feedback from Member Boards through conference calls, virtual meetings, and the new online Member Board Community. This open communication allowed for more dialogue among jurisdictions regarding FY18 resolutions and other important topics.

Education and Advocacy

Over the course of the year, NCARB continued supporting efforts to advocate for reasonable regulation, providing technical and legal support, and conducting regular calls with our counterpart organizations around the country to monitor legislation that could affect our Member Boards.

To help combat any threat to licensing boards’ ability to protect the public health, safety, and welfare, NCARB collaborated with other national regulatory organizations representing professions such as pharmacy, psychology, and accounting to draw a clear distinction between professions that already have pathways to mobility, and occupations that may not have such tools or that are sometimes seen as over-regulated.

By focusing on educating stakeholders regarding proven mobility pathways, recent program updates that streamline the path to licensure and remove barriers, and efforts to align with modern practice, NCARB and our partners were successful in defeating several deregulatory attempts. These include South Dakota’s attempt to create an interstate licensure compact, and Arizona’s temporary licensure compact bill.

Throughout FY19, we will continue providing regular updates to our Member Boards and working with coalition partners to manage deregulatory efforts. We are hopeful that a strategic focus on the future will provide reinforcement to the concept of reasonable regulation as a necessary public protection role for government.

New Member Board Services

With input and guidance from NCARB’s members, we worked to implement several new board services in FY18, with more underway for FY19:

• Disciplinary Database Outreach: The disciplinary database is a great resource for Member Boards, designed to assist boards in the process of evaluating candidates for initial and reciprocal licensure. Beginning in September 2017, NCARB staff began a dedicated outreach plan to help update the database on behalf of boards that do not have the bandwidth to do so themselves. This added service has increased participation in the database, minimizing inconsistencies and improving decision-making for all boards.
• Transmittal Feedback Tool: A new feature allowing board members and staff to immediately provide feedback on NCARB Record transmittals was also launched in September 2017, following several rounds of feedback with the Member Board Executive Community. This new tool increases efficiency and minimizes issues with Records that delay the work of your boards.
• Member Board Community: In January 2018, NCARB launched a new online community for Member Board Members. This space allows board members to share ideas, ask questions, and access important resources and documents. It also features the new StateNet legislative tracking tool, which helps board members follow important legislation that could impact their board.
• Electronic Form 155: Throughout FY18, NCARB worked to develop an electronic version of Form 155, an important step in verifying licensure requirements for architects seeking reciprocal licensure. Designed to help streamline and simplify the transmittal process, this tool will be available for board members and staff in early FY19.

FY18 Committee Reports

fy18 Regional Reports