Certified
Environmental
Access
Consultants
The Certified Environmental Access Consultant (C.E.A.C.) credentialing program is administered by VGM Live at Home (LAH). Environmental Access is the process of adapting the workplace, residence and/or general environment to promote the independence, safety and functional ability for the physically challenged and aging individuals.
• The Certified Environmental Access Consultant (C.E.A.C.) is a recognized certification for professionals creating accessibility or working in the environmental access field.
• It is recognized by a full array of referral and payer sources, who continually seek qualified specialists in accessible home modifications and independent living solutions to complete design specifications, building, remodeling, code compliance consulting, ADL assessments, and aging-in-place needs.
These individuals view the Certified Environmental Access Consultant certification as a symbol of competence that separates the environmental access and accessible home modifications industry from a para-professional trade.
Upon completion of this six-module program, you will be able to:
1. Define disease state progression, disability and aging issues pertinent to determining recommendations for accessible design and construction.
2. Explain challenges and trends in our society pertaining to aging-in-place, injury, illness, and lack of accessible work and housing environments.
3. Describe the differences in universal design, barrier removal, home modifications and other terms used interchangeably by our society.
4. Explain current legislation pertaining to environmental access, including the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Federal Fair Housing Act.
5. Identify and recommend critical design modifications necessary for independent function by the disabled or elderly individual and family.
6. Define the comprehensive and often complex role of the professional who specializes in environmental access.
7. Describe the range of products available to promote independence, accessibility, and safety in the home and work environments.
8. Identify various national, state and local funding sources for home modifications.
9. Identify legal and ethical issues pertaining to environmental access.
Mission:The C.E.A.C. certification was created to reduce the disparity in training and practice found among professionals who evaluate the environmental access needs of the aging-in-place and physically challenged, and to promote independence and empowerment among the physically challenged and elderly. The Certified Environmental Access Consultant credential was launched to answer this distinct need for formal education, validation and credibility in this rapidly exploding field.
C.E.A.C. Eligibility Requirements and Application Process
C.E.A.C. Eligibility Requirements1. To meet the licensure or certification criteria.
1.A Category Applicant: Active License or Certification achieved through written examination.
Licensure or Certification is defined as:
Hold an active license or certification i.e., National Association of the Remodeling Industry (NARI) Certified Remodeler, National Association of Home Builders (NAHB), Certified Graduate Remodeler (CGR), Certified Aging in Place Specialist (CAPS), Remodelers Council, PT, OT, RN, CCM, Public Health Nurse, RESNA ATP, Certified Contractor, Engineer, Architect relating to his/her services as a professional environmental access specialist in the U.S. or its territories. The license or certification must have been achieved through written examination and must also be free of any prior suspension or revocation by its regulatory body.
OR
1.B Category Applicant: Competency identified through work experience constituting two yearsfull-time employment in environmental access or related services.
Holds a position, contract(s), or work experience as an environmental access specialist or in a position of related services.
Acceptable Employment Experience or Related Services are defined as:
Two years of full-time employment performing direct environmental access services, directly supervising those who perform direct environmental access services, or having work experience in a related field such as ATP, PT, OT, Case Manager, Social Services, Durable Medical Equipment, etc.
2. Complete application and all necessary forms.
The actual C.E.A.C. Application is online. Once you have completed the application, it will be reviewed by administrative staff. All eligibility criteria must be met as stated on the application. The application fee is non-refundable.
3. Achieving a passing score of at least 75 percent on the C.E.A.C. examination.
Note: To prepare yourself for the exam, it is recommended you utilize the Core Knowledge in Environmental Access self-study guide. You will be granted online access to the guide once VGM Live at Home receives your completed application.
Upon passing the exam you will be awarded the C.E.A.C. credential accompanied with a Certificate of Recognition. VGM Live at Home reserves the right to market the names and contact information of all current C.E.A.C.s in our electronic database and to various payer sources.
Examination Content
Renewal Requirements
The online examination consists of 125 multiple-choice questions covering the five core knowledge domains, principles of design and practice in the field.Examination Domain 1The Impact of Disability and Aging: Demographics of disability impacting the home and work environment, aging factors, function and safety issues.Examination Domain 2The Effects of National Health Care and Disability Systems: Legislation, community resources, roles of health care professionals, and other pertinent systems factors that directly affect decisions and recommendations by an environmental access specialist.Examination Domain 3Environmental Access Concepts and Application: Appropriate communication, documentation, the role of the environmental access specialist, and related concepts.Examination Domain 4The Environmental Access Industry: Benefit systems, pay sources and cost benefit analysis.Examination Domain 5Legal and Ethical Responsibilities of the Environmental Access Specialist: Issues of confidentiality, ethical conflicts, legal issues and ramifications.
Questions should be directed to VGM Live at Home at 877.404.2442 or [email protected] Get Started today, visit http://shop.vgmu.com/home-accessibility,
click on “C.E.A.C. Credential” and add C.E.A.C. to your cart to complete your purchase.
Initial certification, earned through the application and exam process, is valid for two years. In order for a C.E.A.C.-credentialed consultant to renew his or her credential, documentation supporting the following requirements must be submitted to the eligibility committee at the VGM Live at Home corporate office.
I. Relevant Work ExperienceA credentialed consultant needs to document the following to meet the requirements for relevant work experienceduring each consecutive year since earning the credential.
A. .25 full time* in accessibility consulting services (*Full-time work is defined as approximately forty hours per week.)II. Professional DevelopmentA. Professional development through education. Several different types of educational experiences will be recognizedby the eligibility committee to demonstrate continuing professional development. Certified consultants can earn CEUs(continuing education unit) by attending or conducting conferences and workshops, which award qualified CEUs toparticipants. Additionally, professional development may be demonstrated by earning academic credit through anacademic institution or through online course work.III. Fee for RenewalA fee of seventy-five dollars ($75 USD) is due at the time of renewal. The fee should be submitted with the forms documenting renewal activities from the previous two-year period.IV. Renewal Time PeriodRenewal of the credential will be for two years and continue on a biennial basis. Renewal application and all documentation must be submitted prior to your credential’s expiration date. Note: Environmental Access Consultants will be given one notice to submit forms to verify satisfactory compliance with renewal requirements. If documentation is not received, or activities do not fulfill the requirements, the credential will be revoked. Both the work experience and the professional development requirements must be satisfied in order to be renewed.
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