©2000-2009
Florida Certification Board.
1715 S. Gadsden St.
Tallahassee, FL 32301
(850) 222-6314
FAX: (850) 222-6247
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Thursday - July 02, 2009 |
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CERTIFICATION OPERATIONS FAQGeneral Certifications questions
The FCB offers the following credentials:
Click here to find out more about each credential.
Certification is a three-step process that consists of approval of application, passing of written exam, and credential maintenance. The first step to becoming certified is completing and submitting your application portfolio. Instructions for obtaining an application are listed on each credential’s certification page. After your application portfolio has been approved, you will be required to pass the written exam. Click here for more information on the written tests. After successful completion of the written exam you will be issued a certification number, card, and certificate, as well as instructions on maintaining your credential.
There are several fees associated with becoming certified. Some credentials require the purchase of the application packet, while others are available for free download. All credentials require payment of a one-time NON-REFUNDABLE certification fee. There is a fee associated with taking written examinations, and all credentials require payment of an annual renewal fee. For specific credential cost, please see the fee schedule.
Complete and return the Release of Information form. Training/Education
List EACH course/training you are seeking credit for on a separate line. Fill out all required information. Attach copies of each training certificate/transcript. You must fill out the form for every course/training you are submitting. Writing “See Attached” only is not sufficient. See a sample of a completed Training Verification Form.
Any course that builds knowledge and skill necessary to perform a job task in a given domain is eligible for training credit. Please refer to the training matrix listed on each credential’s certification page for examples of eligible course content.
Your education does not have a “time limit,” meaning that you can apply education/training from a variety of resources at any time. For example, if you attended an accredited college, simply provide the FCB with an official transcript and credit can be earned as long as the course(s) was successfully completed. If you attended in-services trainings at your workplace, provide the FCB with a card, transcript or certificate of completion that includes your name, date of training, number of credit hours and the trainer’s signature. If the content of any educational event is not clear from the title, please submit a course description or syllabus. Be sure to note all courses you are seeking credit for on the Training Verification Form.
If you have attended any conferences or seminars and have retained your certificate(s), these workshops can be used to meet your required hours as long as the certificate includes your name, the date of the workshop, name of the course, and the number of credit hours earned If you want to use seminar/conference hours for Renewal purposes, the seminar must be hosted by either an FCB Approved Provider or a state licensing board, such as the Florida Board of Nursing.
The FCB has approved several schools, companies and individuals across the state to provide education and training to anyone interested in certification. You can search the FCB Approved Providers by either geographical location or agency name.
Home Study is acceptable and can be submitted as long as it meets the following conditions:
It is the responsibility of the applicant to verify the home study approval process when requested by the FCB. The FCB also reserves the right to ask for additional information on the accrediting body and will approve all National Associations and National Certification Boards’ right to offer initial certification home study to FCB applicants on a case-by-case basis. If the content of any educational event is not clear from the title, please submit a course description of syllabus Supervision
That depends on which credential you are seeking.
A Qualified Professional is a physician licensed under chapters 458 or 459, Florida Statute; a professional licensed under chapters 490 or 491, Florida Statute; or a person who is certified through a department-recognized certification process for substance abuse treatment services and who holds, at a minimum, a Bachelor’s Degree. A person who is certified in substance abuse treatment services by a state-recognized certification process in another state at the time of employment with a licensed substance abuse provider in this state may perform the functions of a qualified professional as defined in statute, but must meet certification requirements contained in statute no later than 1 year after his/her date of employment
For the purpose of the CMHP credential, a Qualified Supervisor holds any of the following credentials:
Yes, as long as your application forms are signed by a qualified professional in the state where you earned the hours Ethics
Anyone wishing to file a complaint against a certified professional or against a person seeking certification may do so by obtaining and filling out a formal complaint form. You can download the Complaint Form or contact the FCB office to have one mailed to you. All complaint forms must contain the complainant’s address and a phone number where the complainant can be contacted; the complainant must sign and date the complaint form; anonymous complaints will NOT be accepted Criminal History questions
Please refer to the FCB Policy Statement on Applicants with Criminal History
It depends; if you have been arrested and found guilty of a first-degree misdemeanor or any felony charge, the FCB must review and approve your criminal history as part of the certification application process. The FCB will review each applicant’s background on an individual basis.
If you indicated that you have a first-degree misdemeanor charge(s) or any felony charge(s), you must provide the FCB with an official copy of your criminal record, including the disposition of your case. The record must be an original copy sent directly from the agency responsible for documenting your successful completion of court-ordered sanctions to the FCB. The FCB cannot accept photocopies, webpage printouts or any other documents from the applicant.
You must have satisfied all court-ordered sanctions, including probation, parole, community supervision, or any other court orders before you are eligible for certification.
At a minimum, the court where your case was held will have records. Unless your charges are over 100 years old, there should be no problem obtaining these records from the Clerk of Court.
The FCB does not have access to sealed records; these records usually only exist for those persons who were minors at the time of their crime(s). Please indicate on the application for certification that you have a sealed record; no documentation needs to accompany this Reciprocity
You will automatically be issued the CAC/CPS credential upon approval and notification by ICRC.
Send your completed Application for Counselor Reciprocity, a copy of your current certificate, and your money order payable to ICRC for $100.00 (US funds) to your current ICRC member board. Once approved, the board to which you are applying will issue you a new certificate and information about any additional requirements in that state. Reinstatement
You must submit a written request, proof of current CEUs, the current year’s renewal fee and the reinstatement fee. If you are currently certified at one of the professional levels (CAP, CCJAP, CPP) and DO NOT hold a Bachelor’s Degree, you will be required to obtain one prior to reinstatement.
Yes. If you allow your grandfathered credential to become inactive, however, you must meet the additional requirements that are in place at that time for the credential. You must also pass the current exam to reinstate a grandfathered credential. Renewal - Additional Renewal Information can be found here
Certification is renewed annually. Renewal invoices are be mailed approximately 60 days in advance and are considered to be a courtesy reminder. It is the responsibility of the certified professional to make sure your payment and CEUs are received by the deadline. Fees received after the deadline will be assessed a $30.00 late fee. You are required to complete CEUs annually whether you are selected for the current year’s audit or not.
The renewal fee is a payment to remain certified and in good standing through the next year. Retired Status questions
Two options are available, Retired Emeritus Status or Limited Retirement Status. Click here for detailed information on each status. Dual Certification
This is called a Dual Certification; you must submit a written request to obtain a dual certification application and pay the required application fee Upgrade
No, you would be able to complete the Upgrade process. In order to upgrade from the Specialist or Counselor level to the next level, you must submit an Upgrade Request stating that you would like to upgrade and indicate which level you are interested in achieving. You must have an ACTIVE status to upgrade. Once the FCB has received your written request, your file will be reviewed and a letter will be mailed informing you of any additional information we may need to complete the upgrade process.
The first year after certification the upgrade fee is waived. The second year after certification the upgrade fee is $50. The third year upgrade fee is $100; and the fourth and all following years is a $150 upgrade fee. Child Welfare Case Manager
Yes, this is an official database for records of DCF-related training.
Yes, if you meet the required standards, you can be certified. Substance Abuse Professional
The Certified Addiction Professional (CAP) works exclusively in the field of Addiction and Substance Abuse. The Substance Abuse Professional (SAP) is a person who evaluates employees who have violated Department of Transportation drug and alcohol regulation.
A SAP is a “licensed physician” (medical doctor or doctor of Osteopathy); or a licensed or certified psychologist; or a licensed or certified social worker; or a state-licensed or certified marriage and family therapist; or a licensed or certified employee assistance professional; or an addiction counselor (certified either by the Florida Certification Board as a CAC having completed the International exam or a CAP having completed the National Association of Alcoholism and Drug Abuse Counselors Certification Commission, or by the National Board for Certified Counselors, Inc, or by the International Certification Reciprocity Consortium/Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse).
You must take a 12-hour home study course, as well as a written exam. For all information regarding the SAP credential, please click here. Addiction
No, according to Florida Statute 397, you can work in the addiction field without any certification as long as you are working in a facility licensed for substance abuse by the Department of Children and Families (DCF). Some employers, however, do prefer/require newly hire employees to be certified through FCB.
Not with the credential alone, but you can obtain a facility license through DCF.
All substance abuse service providers must be licensed by DCF. Contact your local DCF office for information regarding program licensure
The CAP certification is recognized by some third-party payers. If you are working in a licensed facility, you can bill insurance companies for services delivered; the insurance company has the right to decide who it will reimburse.
Currently only licensed psychologists can bill Medicaid or Medicare in private practice. An LCSW can bill if they are working at a community mental health center
In an effort to standardize the process of certification in the state of Florida, while elevating the level of professionalism with the field, the FCB used national standards for substance abuse counseling set forth by the Center for Substance Abuse Treatment/Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (CAST/SAMHSA) in their Technical Assistance Publication (TAP) 21 Addiction Counseling Competencies: The Knowledge, Skills and Attitudes of Professional Practice. CSAT/SAMHSA has defined the competencies essential to the effective practice of counseling for psychoactive substance use disorders and delineated the knowledge, skills and attitudes that make up each competency. For a copy of the TAP 21 form, click here.
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