Reporting Deadlines for Compliance Forms
Audiologists in the 2004-2006 Certification Maintenance Interval
Your Compliance Forms are now past due—but are you unsure if you've accumulated 30 hours of professional development during your 3-year maintenance interval? Many certificate holders believe they have not met the certification maintenance requirement because they haven't earned enough ASHA CEUs. ASHA CEUs are not required for maintaining your CCC-A, and they are not the only professional development activities that will earn you Certification Maintenance Hours (CMH). You may also use employer-sponsored in-service activities, other organization's professional development activities, and college or university coursework, such as:
In-service Activities
- At your practice, an equipment manufacturer trains you for 3 hours how to use a new piece of equipment, or provides a brush-up session on equipment usage and maintenance;
- Subject matter experts present information at your practice on acoustics during a 2-hour workshop;
- Journal study groups;
- Grand rounds.
Other Organizations' Activities
- Activities offered for AAA-approved CEUs
- Activities offered by your state association
- College or university coursework
We've compiled examples of accepted professional development activities to help you determine which of the activities you participated in will count toward your certification maintenance requirement. If after reading this you're still unsure about the acceptability of your activities, please contact your certification case manager at 800-498-2071. You may also request further consideration from the Council For Clinical Certification if you believe you are eligible for an extension or a waiver.
Audiologists in the 2005-2007 Certification Maintenance Interval
- All professional development hours must have been completed no later than December 31, 2007.
- The deadline for submitting your Certification Maintenance Compliance form [PDF] is April 1, 2008. Certificate holders are encouraged to submit their Compliance forms as soon as they have accumulated all 30 hours during the 3-year maintenance interval.
- If you are unsure if you've accumulated 30 hours of professional development during your 3-year maintenance interval, we've compiled examples of accepted professional development activities to help you determine which of the activities you participated in will count toward your certification maintenance requirement.
- You may also request further consideration from the Council For Clinical Certification if you believe you are eligible for an extension or a waiver.
Audiologists in the 2006-2008 Certification Maintenance Interval
- All professional development hours need to be completed no later than December 31, 2008.
- The deadline for submitting the Certification Maintenance Compliance form [PDF] is April 1, 2009. Certificate holders are encouraged to submit their Compliance forms as soon as they have accumulated all 30 hours during the 3-year maintenance interval.
- If you are unsure what qualifies as a professional development activity for your 3-year maintenance interval, we've compiled examples of accepted professional development activities to help you determine which of the activities you participated in will count toward your certification maintenance requirement.
- Certificate holders who have not yet submitted the Compliance form will receive a letter or e-mail from ASHA in September 2008 with the Compliance form enclosed or with the link to the compliance form on the ASHA Web page.
- Certificate holders who submit Compliance forms in 2008 will receive a letter or e-mail from ASHA confirming compliance for the 2006-2008 interval and providing the dates of the next certification maintenance interval.
- If you're interested in changing your maintenance interval because you have CEUs completed prior to your initially assigned interval, you may request this one-time, permanent change.
Audiologists in the 2007-2009 Certification Maintenance Interval
- All professional development hours need to be completed no later than December 31, 2009.
- The deadline for submitting the Certification Maintenance Compliance form [PDF] is April 1, 2010. Certificate holders are encouraged to submit their Compliance forms as soon as they have accumulated all 30 hours during the 3-year maintenance interval.
- If you are unsure what qualifies as a professional development activity for your 3-year maintenance interval, we've compiled examples of accepted professional development activities to help you determine which of the activities you participated in will count toward your certification maintenance requirement.
- Certificate holders who have not yet submitted the Compliance form will receive a letter or e-mail from ASHA in September 2009 with the Compliance form enclosed or with the link to the compliance form on the ASHA Web page.
- Certificate holders who submit Compliance forms in 2008 will receive a letter or e-mail from ASHA confirming compliance for the 2007-2009 interval and providing the dates of the next certification maintenance interval.
- If you're interested in changing your maintenance interval because you have CEUs completed prior to your initially assigned interval, you may request this one-time, permanent change.
Forms and Information
You may call 800-498-2071 or send an e-mail to certification@asha.org to order the forms, receive fact sheets, ask questions about maintaining your CCC-A, or find out the status of your certification maintenance.
Exemption Policies
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.
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.
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.
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.
Certificate Holders Who Have Any Other Circumstances
Individuals who are unable to meet the professional development requirements due to any other 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 circumstances, or until such time as the individual qualifies for retired certification. If the circumstances require that a certificate holder is unable to meet the professional development requirements for more than three years, the 3-year inactive interval can be renewed with a written statement of the circumstances. During the inactive interval, 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 interval 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.