Policies

In order to remain effective within the field of Vocational Rehabilitation & Evaluation, Registrants of the College of Vocational Rehabilitation Professionals servicing clients need to stay abreast of College developments. Given the variation & evolution of roles & duties within the profession, continuing education is essential to ensure quality of service is provided & professional Standards of Practice are observed at all times. The goals of participating in continuing education involve:

Ensuring adherence to ethical standards
Gaining &/or renewing knowledge of specific domain areas of practice
Gathering information about trends, developments & new technology

Continuing Education & Professional Development

CEUs are acquired by participating in various approved continuing education programs/courses which reflect learning related to core competencies & domains of learning.

Core Competencies.

In recognition of the range of specialties in which Registrants of CVRP practice, professional development activities are also considered for CEU value. The educational component of employer in-service training will be considered for approval upon request & through completion of the CEU approval process. Staff training & any business/organizational meetings will not be considered CEUs.

Certification Maintenance

To maintain registration, Registrants are required to submit continuing education units according to credential requirements & Core Competencies. Random audits for CEU compliance may be performed without notice. If a Registrant’s CEU maintenance record is not compliant, an email notice will be forwarded for immediate action & could result in administrative suspension & a penalty. Each 2-year period starts from the Registrant’s date of registration and thereafter in 2-year increments. This CEU due date is listed on the Registrant’s profile.

In order to facilitate certification maintenance as set out in the Registration Procedure, it is one of the mandates of the College to review courses deemed suitable to meet professional development & practice needs of Registrants. Upon review & approval of available study/development resources, the College recommends & updates a list of pre-approved education programs. Approved CEUs.

Requesting Pre-Approval & Post-Approval of CEUs

A Registrant has the right to request review of pre- or post-approved education hours. CVRP encourages submissions for consideration as this process verifies exact contact hours/CEUs to be allotted for specific program, course &/or event. To request pre-approval of a program, course &/or event (including employment in-service, public or private institution courses/programs of study), seminar, conference, symposium, college or university program/course, a Registrant or a sponsoring organization must complete the Pre-Approval Request Form & submit all required documentation for consideration. If a course is not listed on the current approved CEU list, Registrants must submit a post-approval application, which must include: agenda, description & bio of speaker.

Organizations, sponsors &/or groups submitting requests for pre-approval of CEUs are required to provide a processing fee for the initial submission requesting pre-approval of CEUs. Upon subsequent submissions by individual organizations, sponsors &/or groups, a processing fee is required with each additional request for pre-approval of CEUs. The initial processing fee applies once per calendar year.

Upon gaining approved status, the program/course/event will be added to the current list of Approved CEU Programs.

CEU pre-approval form.

CEU post-approval form.

The procedure for CEU appeals can be found in the Registration Committee Appeals Policy

Requesting Approval of CEUs for Professional Development Activities

The core competencies of a VR/VE professional must be reflected in requests for consideration of CEUs applicable to Professional Development Activities. Consideration for approval requires submission of information as per the established pre- or post-approval processes, with full documentation to be provided. For peer-reviewed articles or presentations, a letter of attestation, signed by the peer is required. The signature of a management representative or official is required for in-service training development, along with full documentation of the program. For supervision of a Provisional Registrant &/or VR/VE student, the nature of the supervision, including parameters, duties & responsibilities of the supervisor are to be provided in writing along with any the duties of the Provisional Registrant &/or the course of study or program details of the Provisional Registrant &/or student. Regarding volunteer service as a board or committee member of a VR/VE organization, verification of status with the organization must be provided, including dates of service & duties. Regarding volunteer activities in support of a VR/VE organization, the nature of the service along with dates of service with the organization must be provided, along with confirmation from the organization of the volunteer’s service.

CEU Criteria

Determination of CEU Values
The skills learned through participating in a program or through completion of a course must have relevance for the Vocational Professional. The College determines relevance & value of submitted CEU courses, programs, events & activities.
To determine value of specific CEUs, the College reviews the detailed outline &/or description of program/course content, event &/or activity, goal of the learning experience, complete syllabus, hours required for attendance (excluding, breaks or lunch) & dates of the program/course/event/activity. For workshops, conferences, symposiums & seminars, an agenda must be submitted for review.
As a general guide, one CEU is equivalent to one direct contact hour of continuous learning. CEUs do not include time allotted for welcomes, introductions, networking periods, breaks &/or lunches. CEUs for participation in courses offered by colleges, universities & private institutions are allotted for in-class time only.
All CEUs are required to be submitted with appropriate verification which outlines course &/or activity content. The hours allotted for participation must be indicated & verification must originate from the provider representative of the study program.

CEU Categories

Examples of annual approved programs are:

VR or VE programs by the Commission on Rehabilitation Counseling Certification, CRCC, which meet the CEU requirements for the designations of Canadian Certified Rehabilitation Counselor, CCRC, Certified Rehabilitation Counselor, CRC & Certified Vocational Evaluator, CVE.
International Commission on Health Care Certification, ICHCC provided for the designation of Canadian Certified Life Care Planner (CCLCP)
Pacific University/National Institute of Disability Management & Research, NIDMAR for the designations of Certified Disability Management Professional (CDMP) & Certified Return to Work Coordinator (CRTWC)
Seneca College Rehabilitation Certificate Program
SFU Rehabilitation and Disability Management Certificate
March of Dimes
AAACEU.com

CEU Submission Procedures

CEUs may be submitted at the time of program/course completion or in a grouping prior to date of certification renewal. To avoid delays, CEUs are recommended to be pre-approved & submitted in advance of the Registrant’s renewal date. In the year of CEU renewal all CEU documentation must be received no less than 30 days prior to registration renewal date.

Failure to submit CEUs by due date will result in a penalty. If CEUs are not submitted within 30 days of the submission deadline, registration status is automatically suspended & is listed on the public registry as “Administrative Suspension”.

The completion date of any CEU program/course must fall within a Registrant’s current 2-year CEU period. A completed program or course may only be submitted once. CEUs accrued in excess of the required CEUs in the 2-year period can not be carried forward.

Extension of the CEU Period

CEU Extension Policy

Professional Development Organizations Offering Studies in Rehabilitation

National Clearinghouse of Rehabilitation Training Materials, NCRTM
AAACEUs, Online education for healthcare professionals
At Health: Online Continuing Education for Mental Health
CERIC: Advancing Career Development in Canada
Crisis & Trauma Resource Institute, CTRI
CE4Less
Workplace Wellness Institute, WWI