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What is the certification maintenance requirement?
The Certification Maintenance Standards require that all certificate holders must accumulate 30 hours of professional development during each 3-year certification maintenance interval in order to maintain their ASHA Certificate of Clinical Competence (CCC).
What is the definition of professional development for certification maintenance?
The ASHA Clinical Certification Standards define professional development as an instructional activity:
- where the certificate holder is the learner;
- that is related to the science or contemporary practice of speech-language pathology, audiology, and/or the speech/language/hearing sciences;
- that results in the acquisition of new knowledge and skills or the enhancement of current knowledge and skills necessary for independent practice in any practice setting and area of practice;
- where the certificate holder is responsible for determining that the professional development activity is appropriate, relevant, and meaningful to any practice setting and area of practice;
- in which the certificate holder's participation can be documented by a third party such as an employer, educational institution, or sponsoring organization.
In preparation, accrual, and submission of the professional development activities during the certification maintenance interval, certificate holders will be guided by adherence to the ASHA Code of Ethics. You may not use any activities that do not meet all of the above conditions.
Do I have to earn ASHA CEUs to maintain my ASHA certification?
No. ASHA CEUs are just one way that you can meet the professional development requirement for certification maintenance. You may also use activities that are not registered for ASHA CEUs, such as:
- employer-sponsored in-service training programs
- other professional organizations' continuing education activities
- college or university course work from an institution that holds regional accreditation or its equivalent
- courses offered by any provider authorized by the International Association for Continuing Education and Training (IACET)
What form do I use to notify ASHA that I have accumulated all 30 required hours?
The Certification Maintenance Compliance form [PDF] should be submitted as soon as you have accumulated the required 30 certification maintenance hours.
We encourage you to send in your compliance form as soon as possible to avoid delays that occur at the end of each 3-year interval due to the large volume of certificate holders who are maintaining their certification. The compliance form must be submitted to ASHA no later than April 1 of the year following the end of the 3-year maintenance interval. For example, if your 3-year maintenance interval ends on December 31, 2007, you must complete all 30 Certification Maintenance Hours by that date. You must submit the Compliance form no later than April 1, 2008. Don't wait! Send in your Compliance form as soon as you have accumulated 30 hours.
When should I send in the certificates of participation I receive?
After you submit your Certification Maintenance Compliance form, ASHA will determine if you are in the audit and you will be notified within 90 days of receipt. At that time you will be asked to provide documentation of participation. Please do not send documentation to ASHA prior to sending in your compliance form—we cannot keep track of your certification maintenance hours and they will be discarded.
Why does everyone have to complete a compliance form?
The compliance form provides the mechanism for all certificate holders to affirm every three years that they have complied with the certification maintenance requirements; whether or not they choose to meet the requirement by earning ASHA CEUs or by accumulating certification maintenance hours and whether or not they are selected for an audit.
The Compliance form captures all aspects of the certification maintenance requirements, not only the requirement to participate in professional development. The requirements for maintaining certification include payment of the annual fee and adherence to the Code of Ethics as well.
What are the reporting deadlines?
Certificate holders have until December 31 of each certification maintenance interval to accumulate the required 30 Certification Maintenance Hours. Compliance forms should be submitted as soon as you have accumulated the required 30 Certification Maintenance Hours.
You have until April 1 of the year following the end of each 3-year maintenance interval to submit your compliance form. For example, if your 3-year maintenance interval ends on December 31, 2008, you should have completed all 30 certification maintenance hours by that date and you must submit your Compliance form no later than April 1, 2009.
What's the benefit of using ASHA CEUs to meet the certification maintenance requirement?
The benefit of using ASHA CEUs to maintain your CCC is that you will not have to keep records of your activities. If you are randomly selected for audit, you will not be required to report your activities or to submit verification of participation for your activities. Your ASHA CE Registry Transcript will be your verification of participation. Many state regulatory agencies and boards of education recognize ASHA CE Providers and accept ASHA CEUs for the renewal of state licenses or board of education recertification. You can find contact information for your state regulatory agency by going to the State Advocacy Education Leaders page on ASHA's Web site. If you earn ASHA CEUs, you'll need 3.0 CEUs every three years. If you plan to earn ASHA CEUs, you will need to use the ASHA CE Registry, which has a fee of $24 per year. For more information on earning ASHA CEUs visit Continuing Education on the ASHA Web site.
Can I combine ASHA CEUs with employer-sponsored in-service hours?
Yes. You may combine ASHA CEUs, academic credit, and employer-sponsored or other certification maintenance hours to meet the requirement. Use the following formulas:
- 3.0 CEU = 30 Certification Maintenance Hours
- 1.0 CEU = 10 Certification Maintenance Hours
- 0.1 CEU = 1 Certification Maintenance Hour
- 1 quarter hour of academic course work = 10 Certification Maintenance Hours
- 1 semester hour of academic course work = 15 Certification Maintenance Hours
You may accumulate all 30 of your required Certification Maintenance Hours through participation in non-ASHA CEU activities. Remember, however, that non-ASHA CEU activities are not documented on the ASHA CE Registry. You will need to keep your own records for these activities.
What's a Certification Maintenance Hour?
The Certification Maintenance Hour (CMH) is 60 minutes that you spend in a professional development activity as a learner or participant. CMHs are accumulated through participation in activities that are offered by other organizations, or by ASHA-approved CE Providers for the purpose of maintaining your ASHA Certificate of Clinical Competence. If you choose to use CMHs, you will be responsible for obtaining and keeping documentation of participation. CMHs are not considered to be ASHA-approved professional development activities and they are not meant to be considered for any purpose other than meeting the professional development requirement for maintaining ASHA certification. CMHs cannot be maintained on the CE Registry.
Certification Maintenance Hours will be acceptable as long as: 1) they occur during the assigned 3-year maintenance interval, and 2) the certificate holder has determined that they meet the definition of professional development (they are related to the science or contemporary practice of audiology, speech-language pathology, or the speech/language/hearing sciences, and that they will enhance or lead to the acquisition of the knowledge, skills, and competencies necessary to practice independently in your professional practice setting.
Certificate holders do not need to obtain prior approval from ASHA if they choose to participate in non-ASHA professional development activities. When choosing non-ASHA activities, certificate holders should ask themselves two questions: 1) Will the provider of the activity provide me with the documentation of participation I need? and 2) Will my clients, my peers, my allied health professional colleagues, my employer, and my professional Code of Ethics recognize this activity as appropriate professional development that will add to or enhance the knowledge and skills needed to practice in a particular practice setting in a specific area of practice? If the answer to either question is no, then certificate holders should not consider using the activity for ASHA certification maintenance.
Certificate holders may accumulate CMHs by attending activities that are not registered for ASHA CEUs. ASHA-approved CEUs will be offered by ASHA-approved CE Providers and must be maintained on the ASHA CE Registry Transcript. CMHs and academic course work hours cannot be converted into ASHA CEUs.
Certificate holders may accumulate all of the required 30 CMHs through participation in employer-sponsored in-service activities, other professional organizations' continuing education activities, college credit, or International Association for Continuing Education and Training (IACET) CEUs; however, they will not earn ASHA CEUs or be able to maintain a record of activities for which they earned CMHs on the ASHA CE Registry to document participation.
What is an ASHA CEU?
ASHA Continuing Education Units (CEUs) are awarded by ASHA's Continuing Education Board upon completion of activities registered with ASHA by approved continuing education (CE) providers. ASHA CEUs are documented through the ASHA CE Registry. If an activity is registered for ASHA CEUs, participants may be assured that it has been developed in accordance with rigorous standards, is offered by an approved provider, and includes content related to the science or professional practice of speech-language pathology or audiology.
The CEU is a nationally recognized standard unit of measurement for participation in CE activities that are not offered for academic credit. One CEU is defined as ten contact hours of participation in an organized CE experience offered "under responsible sponsorship, capable direction, and qualified instruction" (International Association for Continuing Education and Training [IACET]). A contact hour is 60 minutes of interaction between a learner and instructor or between learner and materials that have been prepared to facilitate learning. Many organizations offer CEU programming.
Can I use ASHA-approved CE activities to meet my maintenance requirement even though I'm not a member of the ASHA CE Registry?
Yes. As long as the ASHA-approved CE provider will give you a Certificate of Completion which verifies the number of contact hours you accumulated, the contact hours you accumulate while attending an ASHA-approved CE activity will be accepted as CMH. These contact hours are not considered to be ASHA-approved professional development activities and they are not meant to be considered for any purpose other than meeting the professional development requirement for maintaining ASHA certification. Even if you are not planning on joining the ASHA CE Registry and earning ASHA CEUs, you must complete the attendance sheet and turn it in to the ASHA-approved CE provider. By doing so you will be able to receive a certification of completion (if that provider gives certificates), which you can use as your documentation of participation in the activity.
What is meant by professional development and continuing education? Aren't they the same thing?
Professional development and continuing education are terms that describe organized educational experiences completed by a person who has already been trained and educated in a profession. In professions with a rapidly changing knowledge base, participation in professional development is necessary to keep practitioners current and to assure the public of the professional's commitment to life-long learning.
ASHA Professional Development (APD) is the ASHA-approved CE provider within ASHA itself. It is one of the leading providers of continuing education in communication sciences and disorders, offering a wide range of courses in a variety of delivery media. APD courses are registered for ASHA CEUs.
How can I be sure the non-ASHA activities I want to use for Certification Maintenance Hours will be acceptable?
Certificate holders do not need to obtain prior approval from ASHA if they choose to participate in non-ASHA professional development activities. When choosing non-ASHA activities, certificate holders should ask themselves two questions: 1) Will the provider of the activity provide me with the documentation of participation I need? and 2) Will my clients, my peers, my allied health professional colleagues, my employer, and my professional Code of Ethics recognize this activity as appropriate professional development that will add to or enhance the knowledge and skills needed to practice in a particular practice setting in a specific area of practice? If the answer to either question is no, then certificate holders should not consider using the activity for ASHA certification maintenance.
If you are using the Verification of Attendance template, you will need to have an authorized person from the activity's sponsor sign the form. For employer-sponsored in-service activities, you will need to have your supervisor, professional development coordinator, or principal sign the form.
What are some examples of acceptable activities?
Following are examples of generally accepted activities:
- Teacher-oriented content that is not related to the professions but enhances your ability to better serve your clients.
- Business and management content that will help you manage your practice more effectively.
- Supervisory and leadership content for individuals employed in supervisory or management positions.
- Employer-sponsored in-service activities such as grand rounds, special education workshops dealing with Americans with Disabilities Act requirements, formal training sessions sponsored by manufacturers of equipment used in the evaluation or treatment of your clients, or courses addressing professional ethics, diversity issues, reimbursement, etc.
- Other continuing education activities such as state association workshops, other professional associations' workshops offered for continuing medical education (CME) units, university scientific symposia, or formal on-line, non-credit courses offered through a university. Subject areas may include, for example, autism, literacy, neurological disorders, genetics, and ethics.
- College or university courses offered by regionally accredited programs. Courses can be at any level—undergraduate (associate or bachelor's level), graduate, or doctoral. Course content can be in any area that meets the definition of professional development. Courses can be offered via distance learning.
Even though you say I don't need prior approval for non-ASHA activities, how do I know that you won't tell me after my interval is over that my activities weren't acceptable after all?
As long as your activity occurred during your 3-year maintenance interval and you have determined that the activity's content meets the certification maintenance standard's definition of professional development, which includes obtaining acceptable documentation, your activity will be accepted. You must keep records of all of your certification maintenance hours. If you are using the Verification of Attendance template, it must include the signature of the authorized person from the sponsor of the activity.
What documentation do I need to verify that I participated in professional development activities?
Please keep the following documentation, if applicable, on every activity in which you participate:
- certificate of completion/attendance that verifies the above information for each activity
- college transcript
Note: If the sponsor of the activity does not provide a certificate of attendance, please use the Verification of Attendance template, which must be signed by the authorized individual of the activity's sponsor.
What information should be included on the documentation for each activity?
Your documentation must include the following information on every activity in which you participate:
- your name
- title of the course/activity
- name of the sponsoring organization or college/university
- date(s) of attendance/completion
- number of professional development contact hours, PDUs, CMEs, or CEUs earned
- authorized signature if using Verification of Attendance form
What are some examples of activities that are generally not accepted for maintaining certification?
Examples of activities that generally are not accepted as certification maintenance hours:
- activities that do not meet the definition of professional development
- activities that are not completed during the three-year maintenance interval
- activities for which you are not able to obtain documentation of your attendance verified by a third party
- attending meetings, serving on leadership committees, or engaging in other volunteer activities
- routine work experiences such as supervising clinical fellows, developing curriculum, publishing articles or making presentations that are part of your job responsibilities and are not planned and supervised educational experiences*
- committee/board meetings
- association membership and leadership activities
- business meetings
- work experience
- entertainment and recreation
- travel
- unsupervised or self-directed study*
- supervising student practicum**
- supervising a clinical fellow**
- curriculum development**
- research activities**
- teaching courses**
- presenting workshops and seminars**
- authoring books, chapters, or articles**
*For unsupervised study or self-directed study, you may be able to earn ASHA CEUs through the Learn and Earn or Independent Study programs.
**Generally, unsupervised or self-directed study is not accepted as certification maintenance hours because there may not be a third party that can verify the number of hours the certificate holder spent as a learner. However, if third party documentation is provided, it should verify the number of hours the certificate holder spent as a learner throughout the activity. For example, a certificate holder may be asked to provide clinical l supervision for a clinical fellow or for student practicum through an employer or educational institution. If that employer or educational institution is not able to provide appropriate documentation, the certificate holder will not be able to use the clinical supervision activity as hours for maintaining certification.
How will I know if I'm audited?
Individuals are randomly selected for the audit. If you are selected, you will be notified within 90 days of receipt of your Certification Maintenance Compliance form.
How does the audit process work?
After receipt of your compliance form, if your CE Registry Transcript indicates that you have earned 3.0 ASHA CEUs during the three-year maintenance interval, you will not be required to submit any additional forms or documentation.
If you use certification maintenance hours, you will be required to also submit a Certification Maintenance Record Keeping form [PDF] that summarizes all the activities you completed as well as the documentation that verifies your participation at each activity listed.
If you have both ASHA CEU and CMH activities, you will be required to submit a Certification Maintenance Record Keeping form [PDF] and documentation verifying participation for CMH activities only. You will not be required to report or document any activities that appear on your CE Registry transcript.
Whom can I talk to about certification maintenance?
If you have questions about the status of your certification maintenance review process, please call the National Office at 301-296-5700 or 800-498-2071 and provide the extension number for your certification case manager, or contact ASHA's Certification Maintenance Program Manager, Carol Williams, at 301-296-5700, ext. 5770.
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If your last name
begins with: |
Your case manager is: |
| N, W, X |
Arlene Gottschalk, ext. 5779 (M, W, F) |
| A,S |
Barbara Schuetz, ext. 5767 |
| B, D |
Shante Pinckney, ext. 5716 |
| H, J |
Marilyn Burns, ext. 5789 (M, Tu, Th, F) |
| C, F, O, Z |
Marva Thompson, ext. 5765 |
| L, Q, V |
Rosemary Okafor, ext. 5778 |
| E, K, P, U |
Barry Dorsey, ext. 5783 |
| G, I, R, Y |
Jenese Jackson, ext. 5774 |
| M, T |
Rayned Wiles, ext. 5772 |
Send e-mail inquiries to certification@asha.org.
Is there any training available that explains certification maintenance?
Please Note: This training is temporarily unavailable (April 2008). We expect the program to resume later this year.
Schedule an Orientation to Certification Maintenance at no cost to you. National office staff will call in to your staff meeting and present the orientation in less than one hour. The presentation includes a PowerPoint presentation, participant handouts, and time for your questions. By the end of the session, participants will be able to
- Identify the key requirements of the new certification standards, including effective dates, number and types of acceptable activities, record keeping requirements and reporting responsibilities.
- Identify the options for accumulating CMHs hours.
- Convert CMHs, college credit, and continuing education units.
- Select continuing education activities that meet the definition of professional development.
- Differentiate between ASHA CE and ASHA Certification units' roles and requirements.
- Identify ASHA resources supporting certification maintenance.
Do dual certificate holders have to earn 60 Certification Maintenance Hours every 3 years?
No. Dual certificate holders may meet the requirement to accumulate 30 certification maintenance hours for each certificate they hold by using some of the same activities for both areas of certification. When deciding whether a single activity is appropriate for both audiology and speech-language pathology, you should refer to the certification maintenance standards' definition of professional development as well as the ASHA Code of Ethics.
Principle of Ethics II requires individuals to honor their responsibility to achieve and maintain the highest level of professional competence and states that individuals shall engage in only those aspects of the professions that are within the scope of their competence, considering their level of education, training, and experience.
Principle of Ethics III provides that individuals shall not misrepresent their credentials, competence, education, training, and that individuals' statements to the public-advertising, announcing, and marketing their professional services-shall adhere to prevailing professional standards and shall not contain misrepresentations.
Can I change my 3-year maintenance interval?
Yes. Certificate holders can request that their 3-year maintenance intervals be changed so that CMH, ASHA CEUs, and/or academic credit earned outside of the initially assigned maintenance intervals can be used towards meeting the professional development requirement for maintaining the CCC-A and CCC-SLP. Intervals will be reassigned to start earlier, intervals cannot be postponed. To request a change, mail the Change Interval form [PDF] to:
American Speech-Language-Hearing Association
2200 Research Boulevard #313
Rockville, MD 20850
You can also fax your form to 301-296-8569, or e-mail your request to certification@asha.org including all of the following:
- your name
- your ASHA ID number
- your current maintenance interval
- the new interval you are requesting
Are there any exemptions to the professional development requirements?
Yes, there are exemptions if you are retired from practice, are deployed on active military duty, are disabled and unable to work, or have an extenuating circumstance. The exemption waives the requirement to demonstrate participation in 30 hours of professional development. The exemption requires that the certificate holder does not provide or supervise the provision of clinical services during the time of the exemption. Clinical services are defined as evaluation and treatment of persons with speech-language and/or hearing impairments, whether such services are provided in elementary or secondary schools, in private practice, or in free-standing community clinics, rehabilitation centers, hospitals, nursing homes, or other facilities.
What is the exemption for retirement?
Individuals who are retired from practice, that is, not providing or supervising the provision of clinical services, will not be required to meet the certification maintenance professional development standards. The exemption recognizes certificate holders who are retired from the professions, who have held the CCCs for 25 consecutive years, and who are 65 years of age or older. The retired exemption is irrevocable, and retired certificate holders will be required to sign an affidavit confirming that they are not providing or supervising the provision of clinical services. Retired certificate holders are eligible for a reduction in their annual certification fees.
What is the exemption for disability?
Individuals with disabilities (either short- or long-term) that prevent them from working in the professions will not be required to meet the certification maintenance professional development standards, and their membership dues and certification fees will be waived during the time of disability. Individuals with disabilities must provide evidence that documents the inability to work in the professions, such as a letter from a doctor or a Social Security Administration determination letter. Individuals with disabilities will be required to sign an affidavit confirming that they are not providing or supervising the provision of clinical services. In addition, they will be required to affirm every three years that they continue to be classified as disabled.
What is the exemption for active military deployment?
Individuals deployed on active military duty will not be required to meet the certification maintenance professional development standards, and their certification fees will be waived during the time of deployment. Individuals on deployed military duty will be required to provide a copy of their orders and a signed affidavit stating they will not practice during their deployment. They will be assigned a new 3-year maintenance interval that will start on January 1 of the year following their return. If a certificate holder is deployed for the purpose of providing clinical services or supervising the provision of clinical services, a waiver will be considered on a case-by-case basis.
What is the exemption for extenuating circumstances?
Individuals who are unable to meet the professional development requirements due to extenuating circumstances may apply for the exemption to the certification maintenance professional development standard. These individuals will be required to provide a signed affidavit confirming they are not providing or supervising the provision of clinical services. The inactive certification status is limited to one 3-year maintenance interval with no documentation of the extenuating circumstances, or until such time as the individual qualifies for retired certification. If the extenuating circumstances require that a certificate holder is unable to meet the professional development requirements for more than 3 years, the 3-year inactive period can be renewed with a written statement of the extenuating circumstances. During the inactive period, individuals are not permitted to provide clinical services or supervise the provision of clinical services.
Certificate holders may apply for inactive certification at any time throughout their professional careers, and there is no limit to the number of times they may apply. Inactive certificate holders will be required to pay their annual certification fees and follow reactivation policies when they return to practice in order to change their certification status to active. The reactivation policy requires proof of 10 hours of professional development for each 3-year period of inactive certification during the first year of reactivated certification. Individuals will be assigned a new 3-year maintenance interval to begin on January 1 of the calendar year following the reactivation of their certification status.
I'm an audiologist, when is my 3-year maintenance interval?
Audiology
|
If you were initially certified (or reinstated): |
You will accumulate professional
development hours between: |
Your next maintenance
interval* is: |
| Before January 1, 1980 |
January 1, 2003, and December 31, 2005 |
2006–2008 |
| Between January 1, 1980, and December 31, 1989 |
January 1, 2004, and December 31, 2006 |
2007–2009 |
| Between January 1, 1990, and December 31, 2002 |
January 1, 2005, and December 31, 2007 |
2008–2010 |
| In 2003 |
January 1, 2004, and December 31, 2006 |
2007–2009 |
| In 2004 |
January 1, 2005, and December 31, 2007 |
2008–2010 |
* Certification maintenance is an ongoing process; once you successfully complete your current maintenance interval, another will be assigned for you in which you'll repeat the same certification maintenance requirements until, for example, you retire and become inactive or no longer desire to remain certified. Your next maintenance interval is determined by several key factors: 1) timely completion of your professional development hours, 2) timely completion of your certification maintenance form, 3) keeping current on your dues every year, and 4) the possibility that you may request a one-time change of your maintenance interval (causing your next interval to begin sooner than previously scheduled). Please note: It is possible that if you fail to complete requirements 1 through 3 by their deadline, your certification could lapse and if you choose to reinstate your certification, a new interval would need to be determined. If you have any questions about your maintenance interval or the maintenance process, please contact the Action Center at 1-800-498-2071.
I'm a speech-language pathologist, when is my 3-year maintenance interval?
Speech-Language Pathology
| If you were initially certified (or reinstated): |
You will accumulate professional development hours between: |
| Before January 1, 1980 |
January 1, 2005 and December 31, 2007 |
Between January 1, 1980 and
December 31, 1989 |
January 1, 2006 and December 31, 2008 |
Between January 1, 1990 and
December 31, 1999 |
January 1, 2007 and December 31, 2009 |
Between January 1, 2000 and
December 31, 2004 |
January 1, 2008 and December 31, 2010 |
| After January 1, 2005 |
January 1 (of the year following your certification effective date) and
December 31 (three years from that date) |
|
Example:
Certified or reinstated anytime in 2005
Certified or reinstated anytime in 2007
|
Example:
First maintenance interval is between January 1, 2006 and
December 31, 2008
First maintenance interval is between January 1, 2008 and
December 31, 2010 |
Will you notify me of my 3-year maintenance interval?
Each year after you pay your annual dues and fees, you will receive your ASHA ID Card along with a letter that will indicate your current 3-year maintenance interval and give you contact information if you have any questions.
How can I get information about certification maintenance?
View or download the documents using the links provided below. Call the Action Center to order materials at 800-498-2071.
How can I get the required forms?
View or download the documents using the links provided below. Call the Action Center to order materials at 800-498-2071.
What's the definition of clinical services?
Certificate holders who do not provide or supervise clinical services may apply for exemptions to the Certification Maintenance Standards professional development requirement. Clinical services are defined as evaluation and treatment of persons with speech-language and/or hearing impairments, whether such services are provided in elementary or secondary schools, in private practice, or in free-standing community clinics, rehabilitation centers, hospitals, nursing homes, or other facilities.
What will happen if I don't notify ASHA that I've accumulated the required 30 hours?
If you do not send in a compliance form indicating that you accumulated 30 hours during your 3-year maintenance interval, your certification status will lapse. The ASHA Code of Ethics states that ASHA members who do not hold current certification are prohibited from providing or supervising the provision of clinical services. Once certification has lapsed, you will be required to submit an application for reinstatement (Audiology/SLP) and certification standards in effect at that time must be met.
What will happen if I don't accumulate 30 hours during my 3-year maintenance interval?
If you do not accumulate 30 hours during your 3-year maintenance interval, your certification status will lapse. The ASHA Code of Ethics states that ASHA members who do not hold current certification are prohibited from providing or supervising the provision of clinical services. Once certification has lapsed, you will be required to submit an application for reinstatement (Audiology/SLP) and certification standards in effect at that time must be met.
The CFCC will consider requests for further consideration which should be submitted in writing prior to the end of the 3-year maintenance interval. Call the Certification Maintenance Program Manager, Carol Williams, at 301-296-5700, ext. 5770, to discuss the extenuating circumstances which prevented the completion of the 30 required professional development hours.
Maintaining the Certificate of Clinical Competence will not affect the current process for paying dues and fees; however, in addition to demonstrating participation in professional development activities every three years, certificate holders will need to keep annual fees current, or certification will lapse.
Certificate holders will receive their annual membership cards upon payment of the annual invoice, and the cards will indicate that certification is valid through the end of that year. If certificate holders need verification of their certification status, they should send an e-mail to certification@asha.org or call the Action Center at 800-498-2071 and request a Verification Letter.
I live outside of the United States. How will I be able to meet this requirement?
Professional development activities offered through your employer and other professional associations and universities in your country of residence will be accepted as long as they meet all criteria in the definition of professional development. You will be responsible for obtaining and maintaining documentation of participation for each activity.
What if I can't afford the cost of continuing education?
If you want to earn ASHA CEUs, there are organizations that provide free or low cost on-line activities for which you can earn ASHA CEUs. ASHA CEUs are awarded through the ASHA CE Registry which will maintain a transcript of your activities for a fee of $24 per year. Attendance forms are sent to the Registry by the provider of the activity. If you are randomly selected for a certification maintenance audit by ASHA, you would not be required to provide documentation of attendance since we can electronically access your CE Registry Transcript.
If you decide not to join the CE Registry, you may use the certificate of completion that these organizations provide directly to you as documentation of Certification Maintenance Hours. If you are selected for a certification maintenance audit by ASHA, you would need to provide a copy of the documentation of participation that the activities' sponsors provide to you.
The following professional development activities are not endorsed by ASHA and are provided to illustrate the many options available for maintaining the ASHA Certificate of Clinical Competence:
Free ASHA CEUs
SpeechPathology.com
LinguiSystems
Lingraphica
Low Cost ASHA CEUs
ASHA Special Interest Divisions offer affordable options for earning ASHA CEUs by reading the Perspectives
Other Low Cost CEUs
The Clinician's View
Speech Dynamics Inc.
Pro Courses CEUs
California State University-Northridge (California online distance learning, non-credit courses cost $45)
The Stuttering Foundation
SpeechPathology.com
Free CEUs Concerning Ethics
Singular Mind.com
If I have more than 30 hours during my 3-year maintenance interval, can I carry them over into my next 3-year maintenance interval?
No. The 30 required professional development hours must be completed within each 3-year maintenance interval. The Council For Clinical Certification determined that 30 hours of professional development every 3 years is a minimum number of hours that would demonstrate a commitment to life-long learning and assure currency in the field. Most ASHA certificate holders are participating in more than 30 hours every 3 years.
How can I calculate the number of certification maintenance hours I have accumulated if I earned CEUs from other organizations or if I have college credit?
Use the following formulas:
- 3.0 CEU = 30 Certification Maintenance Hours
- 1.0 CEU = 10 Certification Maintenance Hours
- 0.1 CEU = 1 Certification Maintenance Hour
- 1 quarter hour of academic course work = 10 Certification Maintenance Hours
- 1 semester hour of academic course work = 15 Certification Maintenance Hours
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