ACBIS - Renewal Process

Renewal Process

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 and either (1) satisfy continuing education requirements or (2) retake and pass the written examination. 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 credentials after his/her name.

Annual Renewal Process
Each year, certificants must submit the renewal fee ($50) and complete the online renewal form, found here, by the expiration date printed on the original certificate. Documentation of continuing education accrual is included on the renewal form. 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.

As a perquisite of certification, renewing certificants may subscribe to the Journal of Head Trauma Rehabilitation for an additional $30/year.

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
CBISTs 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. Certificants should complete this journal article review form or written answers to questions posted at the end of the article (this is done by some journals) and maintain the form or written answers in personal files in case the renewal is audited, at which time they should be submitted. One contact hour will be awarded for each article reviewed.

* 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.