Renew Your Certification

To meet the requirements for relevant work experience since certification, the applicant for recertification must document work experience of 0.25 FTE* in assistive technology-related services during the just-ended certification period. (*Full time work is defined as 36-40 hours per week.) 

Requirements for renewal
One or more of the following activities:

1. Evaluations, assessments, and other direct-to-consumer/student services for AT (needs assessment, physical/functional/sensory assessments, educational assessments, site assessments, simulations and product trials)
2. Fitting, adjustment and readjustment services for AT (fine tuning of equipment to meet the consumer/student’s needs and reflect changes in the consumer/student’s status)
3. AT implementation and individualized training for consumers/students and their caregivers or students/support personnel (training in use of AT or strategies to maximize function and interface with the environment(s) of use, instruction in use and/or maintenance)
4. Teaching and professional development in assistive technology (e.g., pre-professional or post-professional courses, seminars or workshops for consumers, families, clinicians, AT providers, support staff)
5. Management, supervision, mentorship, consulting for direct-to-consumer service providers or within an organization (e.g., professional societies, state AT programs, private companies) that supports AT practice, principles, advocacy, provision and/or reimbursement.
6. Product development, reimbursement strategies, management, consulting, government affairs for a manufacturer of AT products.
7. Consulting/advising related to AT and policy development, government affairs, advocacy, claims review.
8. Empirical or experiential research in the field of AT

Not applicable for renewal

* The following services related to assistive technology are not applicable for inclusion in the total work experience hours. This list is not all inclusive. The applicant may appeal an adverse decision on work verification to the Professional Standards Board.

1. Customer service, scheduling, information gathering and/or paperwork processing of assistive technology orders
2. Billing, collections and/or claims processing of assistive technology products/services

    

DEMONSTRATION OF ONGOING PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT MAY BE SATISFIED BY EITHER OF THE FOLLOWING ACTIVITIES:

OPTION 1.  Completion of 20.00 hours of AT-related training through in-person or online courses, seminars and workshops.  Those 20.00 hours of training must include:

• A minimum of 1.00 Continuing Education Unit (CEU) from CEU Recognized Providers  (10 hour minimum)
• Continuing Education Credits (CEC) or contact hours for remaining hours (10 hour maximum)

OPTION 2.  Completion of 2.00 AT-related, academic credit hours at a recognized academic institution of higher education

CONTINUING EDUCATION UNIT (CEU)

1. To qualify for the 1.0 CEU from CEU Recognized Providers (10 hours minimum) or equivalent, the following applies:
   • the course material is related to one or more of the topics found on the ATP Exam Content Outline or Assistive Technology Knowledge Topics, and
   • the CEUs are awarded from a recognized CEU provider.
2. CEU Recognized Providers include those:
   • accredited by IACET (e.g., NRRTS, RESNA, ATIA, etc. if requested)
   • professional associations (e.g. AOTA, APTA, ASHA, etc.),
   • academic institutions (e.g. University of Pittsburgh),  government agencies and state or federal licensing boards. 
3.  All CEUs must be awarded within the two-year renewal process. CEUs awarded outside of the current certification period will not be accepted.  
4.  The course certificate of attendance must include:
   • Attendee’s name
   • Name of Course
   • Dates of Attendance
   • The signature of speaker or sponsor
   • The number and type of CEUs awarded

CECs/CONTACT HOURS/Other CEUs

1. Up to 10.00 contact hours (sometimes measured as CECs) are allowed for other AT-related training that is not approved by a CEU Recognized Provider. This includes, but is not limited to RESNA CEC providers, listed on the RESNA website.
2. The course material must be related to one or more of the topics found on the ATP Exam Content Outline or Assistive Technology Knowledge Topics.
3. The certificate of attendance for a training session must include:

• the attendee's name,
• the date(s)
• length of the course (in hours)
• the signature of the speaker or sponsor.  

4. A maximum of 3.00 hours of in-service, product training per year will be accepted as contact hours. 
5. The “In-Service Training Form” found in the Recertification Application must be used to document in-service sessions.

CONTACT HOURS for AT- Industry Support aCTIVITIES

1. Up to 10.00 contact hours (sometimes measured as CECs) are allowed for volunteer activities that directly give back to the AT-Community per renewal cycle.
2. Industry support activity CECs may only be granted by the RESNA Professional Standards Board on a case-by-case basis.
3. Industry support activities may include, but are not limited to:
   1. Serving as an Exam Development Subject Matter Expert
   2. Publishing (such as position papers or in the AT Journal) as part of a volunteer role on a RESNA Committee
   3. Participating in Standards research and review; attending Standards meetings alone is not eligible for CECs.
4. Service on a RESNA Committee alone does not count towards industry support activities.

INSTRUCTING A COURSE

1. Certificants may claim CECs/contact hours for presenting an AT-related course for the first time. 
2. To receive contact-hour credit for presenting a course, the recertification candidate must submit either (a) a brochure or currently active web page that lists the course name, the presenter’s name, the course date(s) and the course length or b) ka letter from the course/event organizer (other than from the ATP or his/her employer) on a corporate letterhead confirming the course name, presenter’s name, the course date and the course length.

ACADEMIC CREDIT

1. Documentation of two academic credit hours earned over the two-year recertification period will satisfy 100% of the professional development requirement. 
2. Such academic credit must be relevant to AT, must be related to one or more of the topics found on the ATP Exam Content Outline or Assistive Technology Knowledge Topics, and be acquired from a recognized academic institution of higher education.
3. CEU and academic credits may also be combined to satisfy the professional development requirement.
4. Course work for professional development plans for educators will be accepted from authorized institutions.

EXAMPLES OF ACcepted CONTINUING EDUCATION ACTIVITIES

• Completion of AT-related conferences, seminars, webinars that relate to one or more of the topics found on the ATP Exam Content Outline or Assistive Technology Knowledge Topics
• First-time presentation of an AT-related conference, seminar, or webinar
• Product in-service meetings documentation requirements (up to 3 hours per year) that relate to one or more of the topics found on the ATP Exam Content Outline or Assistive Technology Knowledge Topics

EXAMPLES OF ACTIVITIES THAT DO NOT COUNT TOWARDS RECERTIFICATION

• Coursework or credits that are not AT-related
• Undocumented product in-services (without signatures, date or time spent)
• Volunteer or paid services on AT-related boards, committees, special interest groups, etc.
• Editorials, publications from lay newsletters, professional/consumer magazines, and other non-peer-reviewed materials
• Time spent on peer review of AT-related grants, manuscripts, conference submissions
• Product training or demonstration without full documentation of date, time, topic, presenter
• RESNA’s AT Fundamentals course cannot be used for recertification, as it is assumed that anyone with an ATP is too advanced for this course.

• Make sure your RESNA on-line account is up-to-date! You can update everything on-line except your company name.
• To change your company name, e-mail your request to certification@resna.org.
• Certificants will be given courtesy notice three months prior to the expiration date (and again two months prior and one month prior) to apply for recertification.  If you do not receive a courtesy notice that does not excuse any late renewals.  
• It is the certificant’s responsibility to submit the application and supporting continuing education documentation on time.
• Recertification paperwork should be sent at least three weeks prior to your certification expiration date. You may not submit a renewal application if your certification expiration has already passed. Applications will only be accepted 3 months prior to renewal date.
• You must fully complete the ATP recertification form and include all CE transcripts or certificates. Otherwise, the office will return your paperwork.
• You must have achieved your CE within the past two years of your certification. CE courses older than 2 years will not be accepted.
• We will start processing your renewal once you have paid your invoice. Processing may take up to 5 weeks.
• We do not expedite any renewals.
• We will send your new certificate via e-mail. We send renewal certificates out once a week on Fridays. Please note we no longer send hard copy certificates.  To ensure that you receive your certification, it is your responsibility to make sure the email on file is up to date. 

My expiration date was yesterday, can I still submit a renewal application?

No, if your certification expiration has passed then you are required to submit a reinstatement application if you want to recertify.  

How far in advance can I submit my renewal application?

We accept renewals up to 3 months before you expiration date.  

Can I put my certificate on hold?

If your certificate is not yet expired then you can submit the Inactive Status application.  

I just submitted my renewal, how do I pay?

Please allow 2 to 3 business days for staff to place an invoice on your account.  An email will be sent once the invoice has been placed with a link to pay.  

I submitted my application a week ago and have not heard from RESNA.  What should I do?

All RESNA emails are sent to the email address we have on file, please make sure to log into your RESNA Profile and verify the information is up to date.

I think I am ready to submit my renewal but I am not sure if some of my certificates will count, can RESNA verify if my certificates will count before I submit my renewal?

RESNA Staff will not verify any certificates for renewal until the application is submitted.

I want to renew but I have been out of the ATP field for 1 year, can I still renew my certificate?

No, you will need to Reinstate your certification.  Please go to our Reinstatement webpage to learn more about what is needed to reinstate your certification.