SHIP Certification: Strategies for Ensuring Competence and Confidence

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SHIP Certification Strategies for Ensuring
Competence and Confidence
Helping SHIPs Help Medicare Beneficiaries

• Stacey Platte, M.S.W
• Senior Program Associate, Program Development

Join the HAP Community http//www.hapnetwork.org
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Session Goals

• Explore what it means to be certified
• Understand why certification matters
• Learn about certification strategies
• Discover what other SHIPs are doing

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Certification What Does it Really Mean?

• What is your definition of
• Certified, or
• SHIP Certified
• What is a certified
  counselor?

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Certification What Does it Really Mean?

• Certify
• To confirm as true, accurate, or genuine
• To guarantee as meeting a standard
• To recognize as having met special qualifications
  within a field
• To issue a license or certificate to

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Why Certify?

• To ensure everyone is competent and has a basic
  level of skill and knowledge
• To ensure everyone is equipped to provide
  high-quality, accurate assistance
• To recognize individuals for their achievement,
  excellence, and service
• To boost individuals confidence in their
  abilities
• Other

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Volunteer Certification

• Some volunteer-based programs certify their
  volunteers, including
• AARP Tax Aide
• Court Appointed Special Advocates for Children
  (CASA)
• Long Term Care Ombudsman

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Volunteer Certification
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SHIP Certification

• HAPs 2009 SHIP Needs Survey
• Goal To learn more about what SHIPs want and
  need
• Responses will inform HAPs future work
• Completed by 56 of SHIP Directors

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SHIP Certification

• The State of the SHIPs
• Most have a counselor certification program

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SHIP Certification

• SHIPs vary in how they define a certified
  counselor
• One who has undergone training and done some
  counseling under the supervision of an
  experienced counselor.
• Counselor who has been tested on their
  particular volunteer role and has proven to be
  knowledgeable and effective in his/her roles and
  responsibilities.

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SHIP Certification

• SHIPs use different methods to create
  comprehensive certification programs
• Initial Training (95)
• Update Training (91)
• Competency Test or Review (73)
• Exercises to demonstrate knowledge (46)
• Mentoring/Apprenticeship (18)
• Other (23)

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SHIP Certification

• SHIPs have diverse certification and training
  programs

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Online SHIP Certification

• More than 35 of SHIPs use online tools as part
  of their comprehensive certification programs
• Connecticut
• Iowa
• North Carolina
• Pennsylvania

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SHIP Certification Resource Center

• HAP interviewed SHIPs to learn even more about
  their certification programs
• http//www.hapnetwork.org/vpd/shipcertification

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Things to Think About

• Which elements would you include in a SHIP
  certification program?
• Should certification vary by
  SHIP volunteer role?
• How might certification impact your training
  program, or vice versa?

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Things to Think About

• How might your SHIP benefit from
  having a certification program?
• What challenges might you
  face in implementing a
  certification program?

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Contact Information

• Do you have suggestions or unanswered questions?
  If so, please contact us!
• Email SHIPhelp_at_hapnetwork.org

Join the HAP Community http//www.hapnetwork.org