If you are retired from practice, deployed on active military duty, disabled and unable to work, or have extenuating circumstances, you may be eligible for an exemption to the professional development requirement.
Certificate holders who qualify for an exemption will be required to sign an affidavit confirming that they are not providing clinical services or supervising the provision of clinical services. 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.
Certificate holders who qualify for an exemption are bound by the Code of Ethics. Some exemptions grant a waiver or reduction in the annual certification fees. Some exemptions are irrevocable. Certificate holders who qualify for an exemption must use the following designations during their periods of inactive certification:
- CCC-A (Retired)
- CCC-SLP (Retired)
- CCC-A (Inactive)
- CCC-SLP (Inactive)
Certificate holders who are retired from practice
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. If you believe this exemption applies to you, please complete and submit the CCC Retired Affidavit Form [PDF].
Certificate holders with medical circumstances
Individuals with medical circumstances (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 certification fees will be waived during the time of medical disability. Individuals with medical 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 medical disabilities will be required to sign an affidavit confirming that they are not providing or supervising the provision of clinical services. In addition, individuals with temporary medical disabilities will be required to affirm every three years that they continue to be classified as medically disabled. If you believe this exemption applies to you, please complete and submit the CCC Disability Affadavit Form [PDF].
Certificate holders who are deployed on active military duty
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. If you believe this exemption applies to you, please complete and submit the CCC Military Affadavit Form [PDF].
Certificate holders who have 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. If you believe this exemption applies to you, please complete and submit the CCC Inactive Affadavit Form [PDF].