Date: Monday, November 1, 2021
Category: General

The RESNA Professional Standards Board (PSB) recognizes that the Public Health Emergency (PHE) brought about by the Covid-19 virus and its variants may have created a situation in which some certified Assistive Technology Professionals (ATPs) were unable to fulfil the work experience requirement for re-certification (.25 FTE or approximately 1,000 hours of direct service delivery over the 2-year timeframe). As a result, the PSB will consider individual exceptions to the work experience requirement for ATPs that are scheduled to be recertified between September 1, 2021 – April 1, 2022, on a case-by-case basis. To apply for an exception, we ask that you do the following:

1.  Submit your recertification application (RESNA Recert Application 2021.pdf) as soon as possible, electronically to certification@resna.org.
2. In the work experience section on page 2 request a PHE WORK EXPERIENCE EXCEPTION REVIEW in the space provided to describe your job responsibilities relating to AT service delivery.
3. Describe, in detail what services were provided as an ATP during the 2-year period preceding your certification renewal.  This should include the number of hours hours you were able to perform direct (D) AT services but may also include indirect (ID) services as well (see below for examples). Please be specific in communicating whether the hours were direct (D) or indirect (ID) on the form.
4. Describe any reasons why you were unable to get the required .25 FTE work experience during the relevant period and the specific role that COVID played in causing that lack of work experience.
5. If you were able to take advantage of additional AT education opportunities since your certification date, please list all additional CEU or CEC education that you participated in above and beyond the required 20 hours of AT-related training for your recertification period.

As a reminder, direct service delivery, which may be virtual can include, but is not limited to 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

The following services related to assistive technology are normally NOT applicable for inclusion in the total work experience hours and are considered indirect services, although for the purpose of this COVID policy only, we encourage that all work experience is submitted, even if it is indirect.  This list is not all inclusive. 

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

Inactive Status Option

Lastly, as an ATP if you ever find yourself in a situation where you are not working (i.e., extended medical or family leave, change of employment status or type of work, advanced studies, your employer suspended or closed its operations, etc.) you can always change your active and in good standing certification status to inactive for up to 2 years. Please visit the RESNA website at www.resna.org for more information.