ACBIS Group Administrator Guidelines

Welcome ACBIS Group Administrator! As a Group Administrator, you are responsible for facilitating the certification process for a group of 5 or more CBIS candidates. You may function in this capacity either for your brain injury facility or for your BIAA state affiliate. If you represent your facility or organization, you will coordinate the certification process for your fellow employees. If you represent your BIAA state affiliate, you will represent paraprofessionals and professionals who work at brain injury facilities throughout your state.

As a Group Administrator, you represent your group throughout the certification process and act as the liaison between ACBIS and group members. As such, you have several important responsibilities, such as (a) coordinating group member applications and fees; (b) maintaining records of applications, payments, and test answer sheets; (c) coordinating training; (d) monitoring the testing process; and (e) contacting ACBIS staff with any questions or concerns. Each of these responsibilities is explained in detail in the sections that follow.

The ACBIS Group Administrator Guidelines are provided to all administrators. The purpose of the guidelines is to clarify the group administrator's role, summarize the certification process, provide specific instructions for submitting applications and coordinating training, and offer suggestions for implementing a facility-wide or regional certification program. These guidelines are not intended to describe the details of the certification process. This information can be found on the other pages of this ACBIS website.

Please note: The information provided reflects the current process and is subject to change. ACBIS will make every effort to communicate these changes in a timely manner. However, before each training session, administrators should check the ACBIS website for new developments or changes.

Application Requirements

Please Note:  Group Administrators are urged to confirm that each of their group members meets the eligibility requirements posted below; application fees are non-refundable.

CBIS

CBIS applicants must submit the following:

1. Applicants must have worked or have had direct contact with one or more individuals with a brain injury, 10 hours per week (25% of a 40 hour work week) for a minimum of 12 months. Part-time employment must accomplish the same amount of required contact time within a two-year period.

2. Experience can be employment and/or academic internship.
3. The qualifying experience must have included formal supervision or have been conducted while the applicant operated under a professional license.  Volunteer work does not qualify.
4. The qualifying experience must have been obtained within the three years prior to the application.
5. Education:  Applicants must have a high school diploma or equivalent.

Step 1: Determine the applicants in the group and complete the Group Administrator contact information form. Contact the ACBIS coordinator at 703-761-0750 to receive a group number. This form asks for information about each group member, the name and mailing address of the proctor, and the scheduled examination date.  Please note that there should be a minimum of three weeks' time between the arrival of the complete applications of all group members (including payment) in the ACBIS office and the scheduled examination date.

Step 2: Direct the applicants to complete the online application form and supply to each of them the group number received from the ACBIS coordinator. The data entered in the online form is submitted directly to each applicant's record in the ACBIS database, so care should be taken to enter the data correctly. The application form ends with payment options. Please instruct the group members to complete their online applications during a given one-week period of your determination so that the group's applications are submitted in close proximity.  

Step 3: Payment Options:

• The applicant is paying as an individual by credit card:  The applicant should choose "pay by credit card" and he/she will be directed to the Brain Injury Association of America Marketplace for credit card payment on a secure site. In the "Special Instructions" field of the payment form, the applicant should enter the group number.
• The applicant is paying as an individual by check: The applicant should choose "pay by check"; he/she will be directed to a statement for printing.  The statement and payment should be submitted to you.
• The applicant's fee will be paid by the group's organization, by credit card:  The applicant should submit the statement to you and you may access the Brain Injury Association of America Marketplace here and pay the group rate for each applicant, depending on group size. In the "Special Instructions" field of the payment form, enter the group number and the names of each applicant for whom you are paying. Please fax, at the same time, a copy of the Group Administrator contact information form to the ACBIS coordinator at 703-761-0755, so that payment can be correctly attributed.
• The applicant's fee will be paid by the group's organization, by check:  The applicant should submit the statement to you and you may use the group's accumulated statements to generate payment.

Step 4: Collect from each applicant a resume or CV, a completed and signed employment verification form, and a copy of the payment receipt from the BIAA Marketplace (if the applicant paid by credit card) or a copy of the statement generated if the applicant chose to pay by check or other payment. Once payment is confirmed, as in Step 3, send all collected information to the ACBIS coordinator (address at end of page). Please submit all supporting documentation (and group payment if applicable) within one week of the online application period (as determined in step 1). Keep copies of all candidate information for your files until the group has completed the application process.

Please note, as stated above: Test packets will not be sent without prior payment and there should be at least three weeks' time between the arrival of the complete applications of all group members (including payment) in the ACBIS office and the scheduled examination date.

If at any time you have questions about this process, please contact the ACBIS coordinator at 703-761-0750, or email acbis@biausa.org.

Important: Administrators do not make judgments as to acceptable qualifications. These decisions must be made by the ACBIS Board. Any questionable applications or issues should be discussed with ACBIS office staff.

ACBIS respects each trainee's right to confidentiality. Therefore, individual applications will not be shared with group administrators unless the trainee is part of that group.

 

Training

Candidates may either attend a didactic training or engage in self-study. Didactic training is highly recommended to facilitate learning. As such, the training should be considered a learning opportunity rather just a way to study for the exam. This training can take from 8 -12 hours depending on the nature of the training. Training that includes discussions and group activities will take longer than training that involves mostly lecture. However, interactive training sessions will enhance the candidates' learning and, hopefully, positively impact their clinical work. An ACBIS Trainers' Manual with supplementary training materials has been developed to assist trainers in this effort.

Only CBISTs or other approved trainers should conduct the training. Group administrators are responsible for finding a trainer and coordinating this training. Contact ACBIS for a list of trainers in your area or region.

Facility-wide or regional training: Here are a few suggestions for establishing an effective training program.

For more information, please contact the ACBIS Coordinator at 703-761-0750, or via email at acbis@biausa.org

Testing

Candidates must pass (80% or higher) a national written certification examination. The exam is based on The Essential Brain Injury Guide and includes 50 multiple-choice questions on the manual content and 20 multiple-choice application questions regarding several case studies. The exam can only be taken after all forms and fees have been submitted and processed. Applicants who have completed the training or self -study and are ready to take the National Written Examination must contact the ACBIS office.

Step 1: Arrange for a proctor. The proctor can either be the CBIST, the group administrator, or other pre-approved person. Contact ACBIS to approve a proctor that is not a CBIST or group administrator.

Step 2: Schedule a group test date. The test should ideally be scheduled for a date a few weeks after the training has been completed. If possible, offer a 2-hour window during which candidates can take the test.

Step 3: The test may take anywhere from 45 minutes to 1 ½ hours to complete. Send each group member's test, answer sheet, and attestation to the ACBIS office in one installment.

Note: Group administrators are advised to send the package of tests, answer sheets, and forms certified mail and to retain copies of the group's completed answer sheets. This should be done as a safeguard in case of problems with postal service.

Step 4: The ACBIS office will send the group's results directly to the group administrator, including individual notifications for each applicant.

Cost

In October, 2008, the following fee structure was implemented (fees per person).  Groups are cumulative in each calendar year; therefore, if a group whose original size is 6 candidates (and pays $200 per person) later in the year adds 25 more candidates, the group rate for the whole group of 31 candidates will be assessed at $175 per person. For more information, contact the ACBIS office at 703-761-0750, x626.  

Cost Level	Number Candidates Per Group	Cost Per Person
A	5-29	$200
B	Over 30	$175

Maintaining Certification

In order to maintain certification, both Certified Brain Injury Specialists (CBIS) and Certified Brain Injury Specialist Trainers (CBIST) are required to pay annual renewal fees, complete the online renewal form, satisfy the employment requirement, and either (1) submit continuing education requirements or (2) retake and pass the written examination. Both the continuing education and employment requirements are efforts to ensure that certificants continue developing the skills and knowledge necessary to deliver quality care that is consistent with current best practices.

The annual renewal process, continuing education requirement, and approved documentation are described in detail below.

Please note that certificants who do not submit the required fee and continuing education documentation will become inactive until the required documentation is sent or until they retake and pass the exam. Inactive status means that the certificant cannot use the CBIS/CBIST credentials after his/her name.

Annual Renewal Process

Each year, certificants must submit the renewal fee ($50) and complete the online renewal form by the certification expiration date. This date is printed on the ACBIS certificate. A random sampling of 10% of renewal applicants will be contacted to submit documentation for completion of continuing education activities listed on the renewal form.

Employment Requirement

CBIS
Certificant must be employed in a brain injury service setting for a minimum of 600 hours over a one year period. Verification of employment must be submitted every year.

CBIST

CBITs must be employed in a brain injury service setting for a minimum of 1000 hours over a one year period. Verification of employment must be submitted every year.

Continuing Education Requirements

CBIS

6 contact hours of continuing education (CE) are required every year.

CBIST

12 contact hours of continuing education (CE) are required every year.

Continuing Education (CE) Options: CBIS and CBIST

The following list provides examples of continuing education options approved for CE requirements for both CBISs and CBISTs. Continuing education hours may be distributed across the areas listed below. However, certificants must obtain CE hours from a minimum of 2 of the options listed below.

If audited, certificants must submit evidence of continuing education hours. Approved documentation may include continuing education unit transcripts/letters from national organizations, college transcripts, or proof of attendance at in-services/seminars/workshops.

* Attendance or Presentations at State and National Conferences with lectures related to brain injury (All contact hours for BIAA conferences could be applied). For other professional conferences (i.e. ASHA), contact hours will only be applied for lectures specifically related to brain injury. This option applies to both conference attendees and conference presenters of brain injury related lectures.

* College/University courses related to brain injury (contact hours can equal no more than 50% of required CE contact hours).

* Facility In-Services related to brain injury (in-services, lectures, or workshops provided within work environment).

* Quarterly David Strauss Phone Seminar Series: ACBIS sponsors quarterly phone seminars on various topics related to brain injury. Brain injury professionals from around the country conduct the seminars. The dates and times of these seminars are posted on www.aacbis.net.

* Journal Article Review: Certificants may read current (within the past 3 years) brain injury related articles from peer-reviewed journals. Journals specific to brain injury (i.e., Journal of Head Trauma Rehabilitation, Brain Injury) or special editions of journals that highlight brain injury (i.e., Behavioral Interventions, 2000, v. 15, n. 3) are recommended. To be awarded continuing education credits, certificants may be required to submit either a Journal Article Review Form or written answers to questions posted at the end of the article (this is done by some journals). One contact hour will be awarded for each article reviewed. The Form or written answers should be maintained in personal files in case of renewal audit.

* Journal Study Groups: Certificants may organize journal study groups that meet regularly to review and discuss specific articles related to brain injury. These groups may be formed for the purpose of satisfying CBIS continuing education as well as other specific professional certification requirements (i.e., ASHA). Group members should take brief notes at their meetings. Group meeting notes may be submitted for CE documentation. One contact hour will be awarded for each meeting.

* Published Articles: Authors of brain injury related articles can apply credits toward their CE requirement. Peer reviewed journals are preferred but are not required. Newsletter articles do not apply. Primary authors can receive 3 contact hours per article; secondary authors can receive 2 contact hours.

Current CI/CE who attend the CBIST training receive a certificate with the new designation. Certificants use the date on their original CI/CE certificate as their recertification date. Certificants then follow the procedures stated above.

Brain Injury Association of America/ACBIS

1608 Spring Hill Road, Suite 110

Vienna, VA  22182

703-761-0750

703-761-0755 (fax)

© 2005, Brain Injury Association of America