NCCA is the National Commission for Certifying Agencies. NCCA is an accreditation body that accredits national certification programs and is a subsidiary of ICE, the Institute for Credentialing Excellence, formerly NOCA. The NCCA accreditation standards address the areas of a certification organizations structure; examination development and administration; test validity and reliability; recertification program; public protection and information; responsibilities to candidates, certificants, employers and the public. A certification organization may apply for accreditation after two administrations of its national examination and after a self-evaluation determines that the organization is ready to be reviewed for adherence to standards. The Commission itself is composed of eight members elected by ICE, formerly NOCA. Its members represent a cross-section of certification organizations, both accredited and non-accredited, and always includes psycho-metricians for expert input in the area of test development and public members to oversee consumer and public protection issues. Organizations that achieve accreditation are reevaluated every five years. Accreditation may be renewed at that time if the organization has remained in compliance with all standards.

The CBMTs involvement with NOCA and NCCA began in 1980 when the National Association for Music Therapy (NAMT) joined as an affiliate member. At the time, NAMT's Certification Committee explored the establishment of a certification program for the profession of music therapy. It was recognized that NOCA/NCCA was the leading authority on certification in the country with the only objective standards for national certification organizations. (In 1980, NCCA was called the National Commission for Health Certifying Agencies (NCHCA). The health was dropped in 1987 as it became clear that the accreditation standards applied to all professions and occupations, not just those that are health-related. ICE, formerly NOCA has members whose groups are in all kinds of professions and occupations.)

When the CBMT was created in 1983 to be the independent credentialing body for Music Therapists, CBMT became a member organization of NOCA. CBMT was accredited in 1986 upon its initial application to the Commission. The CBMTs accreditation is renewed every five years, most recently in 2006. Among ICE members, formerly NOCA members, the CBMT is recognized as having a quality certification program that is a leader in the field, particularly among professions with fewer than 5000 practitioners.

CBMT continues to be involved with ICE and NCCA for a number of important reasons. First, NCCA accreditation is recognition that the CBMT meets the highest standards for national certification programs. Accreditation demonstrates to certificants, employers, government agencies, payors, courts, and professional organizations that an impartial, objective commission has reviewed the CBMT. This impartial, objective review is particularly important for organizations like the CBMT that are structured to be independent from professional associations and have protection of the public as part of its mission. Accreditation and adherence to NCCA standards are an important check and balance for the CBMT Board of Directors to assure that the CBMT programs reflect the most current principles in the field of credentialing. Accreditation also shows licensure boards that the CBMT programs meet or exceed the same standards to which licensing boards adhere in test development and administration.

Second, membership in ICE, formerly NOCA affords the CBMT access to experts in the credentialing field and the most up-to-date information and state-of-the-art techniques available. The CBMT Board of Directors and staff use this network of experts for informal and formal consultation on a variety of issues. For example, when the recertification program was developed in 1987, the CBMT canvassed NOCA members for information about their recertification programs, thereby drawing on the experience of our colleagues in other professions and not re-inventing the wheel. The CBMT has used this kind of networking and information gathering many times over the years. When CBMT Board members have had the opportunity to attend an ICE, formerly NOCA, educational conference or workshop, they have unanimously returned with new skills and ideas, a broader understanding of issues in certification, and enthusiasm for the importance of work of the CBMT.