The
Difference Between Receiving a Certificate of Completion
and Being CERTIFIED
By
Laurie Kloepper, ADC
After
having assisted with and in attending many different
activity conferences, it has become apparent that people
get confused between receiving a certificate of completion
and being certified. Frequently people think because
they have attended a seminar or a class that they are
now certified when in fact they have simply received
a Certificate of Attendance, Certificate of Participation,
or a Certificate of Completion. What they have received
is just that - a certificate stating they attended,
participated, or completed the course. Receiving a Certificate
of Completion by attending a state approved class for
activities does not make one a certified activity director.
It means one has attended or completed that particular
class.
The
definition of certified is "to guarantee as meeting
a standard". Each and every certifying body, whether
it is the National Certification Council for Activity
Professionals (NCCAP) or the American Therapeutic Recreation
Association (ATRA), has set standards that one must
meet before receiving certification. In the case of
NCCAP, educational topics must fall into the Body of
Knowledge. Generally in order to maintain certification
one must continue to obtain continuing education. Please
remember that each credentialing body has their own
set of requirements and when attending a class make
sure that it meets the criteria for your particular
certification. Providers may choose to pre-approve their
sessions with certifying bodies such as NCCAP or ATRA.
Pre-approval will ensure that the sessions will meet
all the requirements for that particular certifying
organization.
As
Certified Activity Assistants, Directors, and Consultants
we need to be aware of these differences and of what
we need to do to maintain our certification. If you
have any questions as to whether or not a seminar may
or may not meet certification criteria for NCCAP, you
may choose to use the website www.nccap.org and look
up the Body of Knowledge. If you have further questions,
please contact the NCCAP office. NN
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