International Critical Incident Stress Foundation, Inc.
International Critical Incident Stress Foundation, Inc.
ICISF has received approval from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC), Dept. of Emergency Health Services, Professional and Continuing Education (PACE) to award GENERAL Non-Profession Specific CEU’s (continuing education unit’s) for ALL courses taught by ICISF Approved Instructors. These CEU’s are awarded on the ICISF Certificate of Completion only. UMBC awards General CE’s based on a formula of 1 Continuing Education Unit for every 10 contact/classroom hours.
To receive General (non-profession specific) CEU’s, participants must receive an ICISF Certificate of Completion. UMBC does not offer transcripts.
The sort answer is that depends. Each licensing board in each state may have different requirements for approval of CEU’s. Some require the licensing board itself to pre-approve a program in order for it to be counted toward someone’s license. Other licensing boards may recognize CEU’s from any institution of higher learning at their discretion. It is up to the participant, the instructor or the sponsoring agency to determine if the UMBC CEU’s will be accepted by his or her licensing board.
Offering profession-specific CEUs is a customer service that is in high demand. More and more participant attending training sessions need CEUs to maintain their licenses. Instructors who offer profession specific CEUs for their registered courses will, more than likely, see an increase in registration numbers. Unfortunately, ICISF cannot provide-specific for our instructors outside of an ICISF regional training. We recommend that instructors offer profession-specific CEUs whenever possible.
Each instructor may choose (and is strongly encouraged) to seek approval from various agencies that grant CEUs for his/her training program. For example, if you wanted to offer Social Work CEU’s for you’re the course you are teaching, you could request the necessary application forms from the appropriate agency (there usually is a Board of SW Examiners or equivalent in each state). You or the sponsoring agency would be responsible for completing the application forms and paying any applications fees, as well as for following any reporting or other requirements (once approved) as outlined by that particular agency. You the approved instructor or the sponsoring agency would be the applicant seeking approval (ICISF MUST NOT be listed as the applicant). ICISF will assist and instructor, upon request, by supplying him/her with program documentation forms that we have on file for the course(s) being submitted. The instructor could then modify the information in the ICISF-supplied documentation to reflect his/her personal teaching style; and to fulfill the specific format requirements of the agency to which he/she is applying. When requesting workshop documentation from ICISF; please give us a minimum of 30 days prior to your application deadline date to get that material to you.
Though this process may seem daunting at first glance, it need not be. If you teach regularly in the same states, and you have a good idea of the professions represented by your attendees, you should be able to narrow your focus to a few professions in a few states. Most agencies that grant approval to offer CEUs require the same type of information for their applications, so once you have completed one application, the rest will be simple to complete. Most organizations should have a process for granting approval for multiple events (of the same workshop) during one year. Regardless of the number of times you teach it during that time. You should be able to recoup any expenses you incur associated with the application/approval process for profession-specific CEU’s-probably thru a small increase in the registration fee you charge to each participant.
See the information provided in number 6. For some organizations’ web sites that may serve as a starting point in your effort to other profession-specific CEU’s to our participants.
Most organizations or entities that grant approval to offer continuing education do so based on the merits of the application and the applicant, including the process in place for meeting that organization’s ongoing reporting requirements. Once a provider of continuing education is approved, there are usually certain responsibilities and requirements to which the approved provider must comply. Many organizations require the approved provider to “maintain control of the program.” This may include the quality of the facility where the program is held, the method used for verifying attendance, the workshop materials, the quality of the instructor, etc. Although you have received approval from ICISF to teach ICISF’s curriculum, you are the individual ultimately responsible for the quality of the program that you teach. Because you schedule each of your workshops independently and ICISF staff is not present, there is no way for ICISF to maintain control over the program (facility, attendance verification, etc.).
Members of Psychology, Social Work, Counseling and EAP professions are those from which we receive the most requests. Places to contact regarding approval to offer continuing education to these professions would be Universities in your area, State Licensing Boards and State or Regional Chapters of professional societies for each profession.
In addition, Universities with Schools of Social Work, Psychology and Nursing often have approval as CE providers and may have been granted the privilege of being a co-provider with another organization. The same may be true of a state or regional chapter of a professional society. Each profession is different; each state is different; and each organization is different.
Courses with profession specific CEU’s often have a marketing advantage. If you have profession-specific CEUs available, your registration numbers may jump up!!-promote it!! On the flip side, if you do not offer profession specific CEUs, it is extremely important that you make it known, from the onset (in any marketing materials you produce/distribute), that profession-specific CEUs are NOT available for your courses Nothing is worse than having a participant who has already paid for and attended your course (an perhaps has even spent money on travel and lodging) who then discovers that they can’t get any CEUs for the time and money they’ve just spent! This reflects poorly on you as the instructor, as well as ICISF.
If you have not offered profession-specific CEUs but a participant is hoping to make a case with their licensing board to give them credit anyway, that participant who is willing to attend your course and go to extra the effort to receive CEUs on their own. As the instructor it is your responsibility to assist them with this request.
In this memo you have the answers to many of the questions you may receive from participants. You should now understand that profession-specific CEUs are only available for the courses you conduct if you apply for approval to offer them. Please do not suggest that your participants contact ICISF with their CEU questions. Unfortunately, we will have to redirect participants back to the instructor.
Please feel free to contact Kelly Hall ([email protected]) with additional questions. We will be happy to assist you.
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International Critical Incident Stress Foundation, Inc is a 501(c)3 Non Profit