CATAP Certification Program

Eligible CATAP members can apply online to start the process to obtain certification as a Threat Assessment Professional.

CATAP is the only professional association dedicated to the study and practice of Threat Assessment and Management (TAM) in Canada.

CATAP’s mission is to foster safer communities and workplaces by promoting best practices among multidisciplinary professionals dedicated to excellence in operational practice, teaching, and research in the field of TAM. It therefore is CATAP’s intent to establish a professional certification framework, and to recommend guidelines for professional certification in Canada.

Before Starting - Do You Qualify?

Must be an active Regular or International Affiliate CATAP member in good standing.
Willing to pay the non-refundable $250 application fee.
Must be deemed by the CATAP Board of Directors to meet minimum requirements for training, professional and practical experience.
Must pass a conduct and ethics review through verification with, at minimum but not necessarily limited to, the referees nominated by the applicant within the application.
Sufficient background in Threat Assessment and Management (TAM), as demonstrated by appropriate training and requisite professional and practical experiences.
Must have been and continue to be actively involved in the practice of TAM in the role of trainee, practitioner, supervisor, instructor, or administrator.
Have demonstrable knowledge of the scientific and professional literature regarding the various forms of violence with which they work or are likely to encounter. Such literature includes books, chapters, journal articles, and other documents relevant to the nature of, causes of, risk factors for, and management of various forms of violence.
Have demonstrable knowledge and sufficiently extensive training and qualification in the use of threat assessment tools that are available, specifically actuarial and structured professional judgment tools, and the ability to apply them in any given case.

An applicant must have:

Worked, individually or as part of a team, on 25 or more threat assessment and management files (as defined and determined by the CATAP Certification Committee); and
Been the lead or primary evaluator on 15 or more threat assessment and management files (as defined and determined by the CATAP Certification Committee); and
- Authored a written opinion or report on 10 or more threat assessment and management files (as defined and determined by the CATAP Certification Committee); and
- Completed a law enforcement based threat assessment understudy program or 12 full days of TAM specific training, and
- Attained the core competencies as outlined in CATAP materials.

Certification is a 4 step process.

1. Application

2. Written Examination

3. Written Reports

4. Oral Examination

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About the CATAP Certification and CTAP (C) Designation

The CATAP Certification Program is voluntary and only open to members of CATAP. It is not mandatory to acquire certification to practice as a threat assessment professional. Lack of certification does not imply a lack of expertise in TAM. The CATAP TAM certification designation is intended to attest that a professional has already achieved a high level of expertise in the practice of TAM prior to entering the program, including:

(a) general skills with respect to delivering TAM services to (potential) victims or perpetrators of violence; and
(b) specific skills with respect to TAM.