The American Institute of Funeral Service Associates

CRITERIA FOR RECERTIFICATION

Recertification by Continuing Education Hours

Certified members may elect this option for recertification. An application for recertification by continuing education hours must be completed. Information required on the application must be completed in full. The fee for recertification by continuing education hours is $ 200.00. Recertification is for a 4 year period.

Criteria for Recertification by Continuing Education Hours

Candidates must have acquired evidence of 50 contact hours ( 1 contact hour = 50 minutes of study/lecture/learning activity. Contact hours must have been acquired within the four year period of active certification by the American Institute of Funeral Service Associates.
Continuing Education contact hours must be acquired accordingly: at least 50% of hours must be directly related to funeral services; and 50% of hours may be related to the candidates particular professional licensure/practice or related to psychology, human behavior, thanantology, grief and loss and bereavement.
Candidates must have practiced as a Funeral Service Associate for at least 500 hours of practice within the four year period of active certification.
For recertification candidates who do not meet the hours of practice requirement, you may still recertify in your specialty if you submit evidence of double the hours of continuing education contact hours required in the four year period since your last certification or recertification date. So, you would need to submit evidence of at least 100 contact hours of continuing education with 50% of those contact hours being related to your practice specialty.
Applicants must submit copies of continuing education hour certificates or verifications. Copies are acceptable. If originals are sent, they are not returned.
The AIFSA has approved the following types of programs/offerings for recertification by continuing education hours:
- Seminars
- Workshops
- Continuing Education Courses
- College Courses, on campus, online, distance education
- Independent Study Courses
- Publication in a peer reviewed journal
- Presenter/Lecturer of a workshop, seminar or continuing education course
- Instructor for a college level course
- Submission of an approved thesis/dissertation related to funeral services, grief, bereavement, loss, death and dying.
- Serving on a community or organizational committee related to funeral services, death, dying, grief, bereavement, loss.

Notes

One college semester hour credit = 15 contact hours of continuing education

One published article in a peer reviewed journal is equal to 25 contact hours of continuing education

Continuing Education credits for presenters/lectures/college faculty will be awarded for the actual number of hours of their presentation or college semester hour course. Credit is given one time, no matter how many times the applicant has conducted the lecture/presentation/course.

Continuing Education hours do not include: first aid, CPR, job training, job orientation, product training's or non-education meetings.

Thesis/dissertations must be from an established college/university. The topic must be directly related to funeral services, or grief, bereavement. The thesis/dissertation must have been approved by the academic institution's faculty/committee and must have been written sometime within the four year period that the candidate was certified by the AIFSA.

Candidates who are applying for hours for committee work related to funeral services can be awarded 5 contact hours for each year of committee participation. Participation must have been during the four year period that the candidate was certified by the AIFSA.

Candidates may submit an application for recertification up to 60 days prior to their date of certification expiration.

Candidates are given a 6 month "grace" period to apply for recertification. If the candidate does not apply during the 6 month "grace" period (grace period begins on the day of expiration of certification) then the candidate will need to reapply according to first-time certification requirements.

Affiliate degree Option

Our affiliate, The Graduate Theological Foundation, offers qualified and "certified" Funeral Service Associates of the American Institute of Funeral Service Associates, to enter their Masters in Pastoral Counseling (MPC) program. This graduate level degree program in Pastoral Counseling focuses on a major in Funeral Services. The M.P.C. degree is designed for the already credentialed ministry professional working in the various fields of counseling. Such fields would include school, parish, healthcare and counseling institutions. Registered Nurses are also eligible for enrollment into the graduate degree program.

For detailed information: access here

Printable Application

Questions/Inquires can be sent to: info@aihcp.org

Updated: February 2010