What's the interest in specialty certificate?

ARLINGTON, Va. - RESNA expects to have an application for the new specialty certification for seating and mobility posted to its Web site this month.

The application will appear on a new page on RESNA's Web site: www.resna.org/content/index.php?pid=497. Eventually, the page will also feature an exam blueprint and other resources.

RESNA plans to begin accepting applications in January and begin testing applicants in February.

“It's hard to say how much interest there will be,” said Anjali Weber, RESNA's director of certification. “About 700 of our 4,000 or so certificants belong to the seating and mobility specialty area. But I think a lot of them are going to wait to see if the specialty certification becomes a requirement like the ATP.”

Medicare requires that providers have at least one ATP on staff to provide certain complex wheelchairs.

Only ATPs can apply for the specialty certification.

“Some are just going to want the specialty certification, but RESNA feels strongly that the ATP sets the foundation,” Weber said. “You may not deal with transport or communication issues, but if you don't at least consider them in your evaluation, you're not doing a proper evaluation.”

RESNA announced other eligibility requirements in September: Applicants must meet any three of the following seven criteria: clinical service delivery; advocacy; mentoring/supervision in seating and wheeled mobility; presentations/formal instruction; learning/continuing education; publications; and research.

“We want applicants to be able to show some commitment to the field,” Weber said.