CERTIFIED EMPLOYEE ASSISTANCE PROFESSIONAL - CEAP®
CEAP® Candidate Information - 2011 Edition (updated 05/13)
EACC announces change in CEAP® eligibility requirements.
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Table of Contents
Introduction: Getting Started on the Requirements
Certification Eligibility Requirements
CEAP Advisement
Work Experience Requirement
Meeting the PDH Requirement
Applying for the CEAP Examination
Certification Fees
CEAP Forms
CEAP Advisement Forms
CEAP Advisement Handbook
Exam Application Form
Credit Card Payment Form
Certification Fee Schedule
PDH Post Approval Form
CEAP Exam Blueprint
The CEAP Exam: Content and Scoring
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Introduction & General Information
Welcome to the CEAP Candidate Handbook.
Thank you for your interest in the CEAP certification, the only credential that represents the employee assistance profession and demonstrates ability and mastery of the body of knowledge required for competence in EA practice.
Getting started: This section contains information about the certification process and some tips to help you with the process. The CEAP eligibility requirements (effective July 1, 2010) are listed on the next page. The following is some general information about the certification process.
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Earning the CEAP requires the completion of three eligibility requirements and passing the exam. You may work on completing the three eligibility requirements (work experience, continuing education, and advisement) concurrently.
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Be sure to send in your CEAP Advisement Documentation Form and Advisor Attestation Form for approval before you begin the advisement process. You will be notified of approval via email, usually within two business days following receipt of the forms. The twelve hours of advisement must be conducted over a minimum span of three months, but the advisement may be conducted over a longer period of time if needed or desired.
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EAP work experience may have been earned at anytime within the ten years immediately preceding the date of your CEAP exam application.
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PDHs (EACC pre-approved Professional Development Hours) are valid for three years. Any PDHs earned more than three years prior to the date of your exam application may not be used for CEAP eligibility requirements. If you have not been able to locate PDHs and would like to have other continuing education credits reviewed for post approval, you may submit a PDH Post Approval Application.
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No documentation (other than the advisement approval forms) should be submitted prior to or independently of the exam application.
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No certification fees are due until you have completed all the eligibility requirements and are ready to submit your exam application.
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Credentialing fees include the application fee, testing fee, and three-year certification fee. All fees may be prepaid with the application or paid in stages. The application fee is due with the application. Testing fees may also be sent with the application fee but must be received before authorization is given to schedule an exam. The CEAP three-year certification fee is due with the original score report after you pass the exam.
If, after reading this information, you have any questions about the process, please contact Shirley Springfloat, Director of Credentialing at (703) 387-1000, extension 311 or certdir@eapassn.org.
CEAP Eligibility Requirements There are two tracks for certification. When successfully completed, both result in the CEAP certification. Further explanations of terms (PDHs, Domains, Advisement) are contained in this handbook.
Track II: If you have a graduate degree in an area that is directly related to EAP (such as psychology, social work, MFT, or counseling), you qualify for Track II. The requirements are:
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Work experience in employee assistance: At least 1,000 hours of paid employment or internship in an EAP setting completed over a minimum of 1 year. Experience must have been earned within the 10 years preceding the date of the CEAP exam application.
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EACC PDH approved continuing education: 20 Professional Development Hours (PDHs) in three specified Domains: 10 PDHs in Domain I, 7 PDHs in Domain II, and 3 PDHs in Domains III. Domain I PDHs must include 2 hours of EAP ethics.*
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Pre-approved CEAP Advisement: A minimum of 12 hours of advisement completed over a minimum 3-month period with a currently certified CEAP advisor.
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Exam: Sit for and pass the CEAP exam.
Track I: All other candidates qualify for Track I. The requirements are:
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Work experience in employee assistance: At least 1,000 hours of paid employment or internship in an EAP setting completed over a minimum of 1 year. Experience must have been earned within the 10 years preceding the date of the CEAP exam application.
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EACC PDH approved continuing education: 60 Professional Development Hours (PDHs) in specified Domains: 10 PDHs in Domain I, 20 PDHs in Domain II, and 30 PDHs in Domains III. Domain I PDHs must include 2 hours of EAP ethics.*
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Pre-approved CEAP Advisement: A minimum of 12 hours of advisement completed over a minimum 3-month period with a currently certified CEAP advisor.
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Exam: Sit for and pass the CEAP exam.
* Note for Track I and Track II
Domain I ethics requirement: All new CEAP candidates applying for initial certification must have completed at least two (2) hours of Domain I EAP ethics training as part of the PDH eligibility requirement. This training must have been specifically approved by the EACC to meet this requirement. As of August 2010 the only EACC approved course available to the general candidate audience is EAPA’s Elevating Ethical Awareness. This course is available periodically on the EAPA website Learning Center, at EAPA’s Annual World EAP Conference, and through the EAPA chapters and branches.
CEAP Advisement: What Is It?
CEAP advisement is a mentoring relationship. It is not supervision of the candidate's work, nor is it a clinical practicum. The purpose is to develop an understanding of the core concepts, technology, and values of the employee assistance profession. The CEAP advisor's role is to assist the candidate with building the skills, knowledge, attitudes, and values necessary for the successful practice of employee assistance. For additional information on advisement and references and resource materials for study, please see the CEAP Advisement Handbook; a handbook for both CEAP Advisors and CEAP candidates.
Each CEAP candidate must complete at least 12 advisement hours, conducted over a minimum three-month period, prior to applying to take the CEAP examination. Face-to-face advisement is preferable, but advisement may also be conducted by telephone or email.
Before starting advisement, the completed Advisement Documentation Form and Advisor Attestation Form must be submitted to EACC Director of Credentialing for review and verification that the advisor is currently certified and in good standing. Please note that although the EACC recommends that Advisors not charge, they are allowed to do so. Fees are negotiable between the candidate and the Advisor.
To Apply for Approval of Advisement
There are three advisement forms. Two of those forms - the Advisement Documentation Form and the Advisor Attestation Form - must be sent to EACC prior to the start of advisement. Pre-approval verifies that the advisor is, in fact, an active CEAP in good standing and prevents possible candidate ineligibility during the exam application review. It also notifies the EACC that a candidate has begun the CEAP eligibility process.
Receipt of the Advisement forms will be acknowledged via email by the EACC Certification Director, usually within two business days. The third form, the Advisement Contact Form, is dated and initialed by both the advisor and the candidate as each advisement session is completed. When the candidate has completed the advisement and all other eligibility requirements and is ready to apply for the CEAP exam, a copy of the completed Advisement Contact Form must be included with the candidate's CEAP Examination Application.
To begin candidate advisement: Complete the Advisement Documentation Form and two-page Advisor Attestation Form and return signed forms to:
EACC
4350 North Fairfax Drive, Suite 740
Arlington, VA 22203
Fax: (703) 522-4585
Email: certdir@eapassn.org
Five Ways to Find a CEAP Advisor
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Networking is always a good way to find an advisor. Talk to other people at your workplace and to your peers in the profession and tell them you are looking for a CEAP advisor. Ask them to help you.
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EAPA’s Annual World EAP Conference is also an excellent place to find an advisor. Talk to your fellow attendees and ask them to help you.
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EAPA Chapters and Branches are an excellent resource for finding an advisor. If possible, attend a meeting of the chapter/branch near you and talk to the members about your need for an advisor. If you cannot attend a meeting, look at the relevant chapter or branch page on the EAPA website and send an e-mail to the officers asking for their help with locating an advisor.
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Chapter Officers Discussion Forum: Even though face-to-face meetings with your advisor are certainly preferable, you may conduct your advisement via telephone or even email. To find an advisor anywhere in the US and the world, join EAPA's Chapter Officers Forum and send a broadcast e-mail via the Forum, expressing your need for a long distance advisor.
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CEAP Advisor Directory: Contact a CEAP from the Directory of CEAP Advisor Volunteers. These CEAPs have indicated that they might be available at any given time to serve as a CEAP advisor, and their contact information is listed in the directory.
Advisement for Non U. S. Candidates
International candidates must also complete at least 12 advisement hours, conducted over a minimum three-month period, prior to applying to take the CEAP examination.
International advisement may be conducted in person or by telephone or email.
International advisement must also be pre-approved. However, due to the limited number of CEAPs outside the U.S. at this time and the diversity of languages and EA practice in international locations, experienced EA professionals who meet the following criteria may send documentation to apply for approval as peer candidate advisors:
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At least four years of current full-time work experience in the core competencies of employee assistance within the past ten years.
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Written recommendation by the local EAPA chapter or branch. If no local chapter or branch exists, the written recommendation of at least two other EAPA members who can verify that the individual possesses the necessary experience to serve as a CEAP advisor.
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A personal intent by the proposed advisor to earn the CEAP. The proposed advisor and the candidate may not provide advisement for one another.
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Be in good standing with EAPA and any other professional organization in which they hold membership. Be free of violation of any ethical standards of any other licensing and/or certification entity which has granted him/her related employee assistance credentials (social work, psychology, counseling, nursing, medicine, etc.)
International peer advisors are approved for a period of three years only. They may provide advisement to individuals or to groups of no more than eight. The peer advisor is also expected to earn the CEAP credential during that three year period.
Waiver of Advisement
CEAP advisement is a useful and rewarding part of the certification process regardless of the experience level of the candidate. However, candidates who have at least ten years current experience in all three aspects of EAP may appeal for a waiver of advisement.
Waiver of Advisement Guidelines
The EACC will consider written requests for a waiver of CEAP certification advisement if the applicant can demonstrate and document the following:
1) At least ten years of work experience immediately prior to application; this experience must be broad spectrum Employee Assistance experience, not solely the clinical aspect.
2) The applicant's employee assistance experience must demonstrate experience in all three content domains:
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EA Program Design, Administration and Management,
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EA Services to Organization,
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EA Services to Employees and Family Members.
3) The applicant must demonstrate interaction with other CEAPs about his/her experience as documented with letters of reference from three current CEAPs who can attest to the EA experience of the applicant.
After a review of the application, the EACC Advisement Committee will contact the candidate to arrange a conference call interview. Following the interview, the committee will make its recommendation to the EACC at their next monthly meeting. The candidate will be notified in writing of the EACC's decision by the Director of Credentialing.
To file an appeal for waiver, send a written letter of request along with the required letters of reference as detailed below to:
Director of Credentialing
EAPA / EACC
4350 North Fairfax Drive, Suite 410
Arlington, VA 22203
certdir@eapassn.org
Work Experience Requirement
The CEAP credential is available to those who have at least one year of work or internship experience in employee assistance. Within that year (or longer, if necessary), you must have completed at least 1,000 hours time in employee assistance. If you are working only part time in employee assistance, it may take longer than one year to complete this requirement.
If you are a clinician, working as an EAP counselor, only the time spent on EAP clients may be counted towards the work experience requirement. For example, if you see five clients in a working day and two of them are EAP clients, only the time spent on the two EAP clients may be counted toward the 1,000 hour requirement.
Documentation in the form of a letter from your employer on organizational letterhead verifying completion of your work experience must be submitted with your exam application. If you are self-employed, you will write the letter attesting to the completion of the work experience requirement.
Meeting the PDH Requirement
PDHs (Professional Development Hours) are EACC pre-approved continuing education credits. The eligibility requirements were established to ensure candidates received continuing education in the relevant areas of employee assistance -- the three Domains.
All required PDHs must have been earned within the three years immediately preceding your exam application date.
Here are some suggestions for finding PDHs:
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Attend EAPA’s Annual World EAP Conference.
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Check out EAPA's Learning Center. You will find many online sessions, both live and archived presentations, approved for PDHs.
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Contact your local EAPA Chapter or Branch. Clicking on the chapter/branch nearest you will give you their contact information.
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Search online for organizations that offer EACC approved programs at their conferences.
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Encourage your place of employment to offer EACC approved programs. Information on PDH approval for providers of education is HERE.
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Apply for post approval of previously earned CEUs with appropriate content.
PDH Post Approval Process
If you would prefer to have your previously earned CEUs post approved (i.e. approved after the training already has taken place), the application for PDH post approval is located HERE. Please complete the application, attach the required content information and proof of participation certificate for the session(s) you wish to have reviewed, and return to EACC at the address on the main certification page with the appropriate fee. If you have multiple trainings to be approved, there is a considerable savings if you submit them together with one application. Fees are explained in the application.
Results of the approval review will be mailed to you. Turnaround time for review is approximately 30 days from receipt of your application.
Domains and Exam Blueprint
All CEAP exam questions are based upon the EAPA Role Delineation - an analysis of the knowledge and skills of an Employee Assistance Professional. The CEAP exam blueprint, or content outline, is developed from this job analysis and is the basis of CEAP test development. All the exam questions are about the topics listed in the exam blueprint. PDH approval requirements: The three Domains are the three major categories of the Role Delineation, and a general description of each is listed below; the CEAP Exam blueprint follows.
Domain I. EA Program Design, Administration and Management.
Domain I is about work organization and involves the administrative side of EA program management and design: quality assurance measures, program effectiveness, knowledge of EA trends and technologies, ethical and legal standards, marketing, regulatory considerations, and coordination of EAP services with related services such as work-life. (Approximately 25% of the questions on the CEAP exam come from Domain I.)
Domain II. EA Services to the Organization.
Domain II is about the provision of internal services to the work organization: strategic, operational and change management issues, communication with organizational stakeholders. It also involves providing consultation to the organization about HR and EA related issues and policies, behavioral risk management issues, appropriate referral procedures, resources, constructive confrontation, written limits of confidentiality, collective bargaining agreements, and organizational policies addressing job performance problems, supervisory and union trainings on EA services, employee orientation and training involving regulatory compliance on sexual harassment, threat of violence. (Approximately 32 % of the questions on the exam come from Domain II.)
Domain III. EA Services to Employees and Family Members.
Domain III focuses on employee issues: chemical dependency and other addictions, personal, emotional and psychological problems. It involves knowledge and skills in providing clinical work, using standard interview and assessment techniques, referral of clients to appropriate treatment resources, providing effective short-term problem resolution services; follow-up with clients, maintaining client confidentiality in accordance with applicable regulations and organizational policies and EACC Code of Conduct, developing multi-faceted approaches to program promotion for all employees and their immediate family members, and providing appropriate crisis intervention strategies to the organization. (Approximately 43% of the questions on the exam come from Domain III.)
The CEAP Exam Blueprint (content outline) is HERE.
About the Exam
The CEAP and CEAP-I exams are psychometrically developed and maintained by the EACC and a professional testing service. The CEAP exam is offered in the U.S. and contains 230 questions, 200 of which are scored. The other 30 questions are being pre-tested for evaluation as future scored test items. The non-scored questions are not counted in a candidate's score. The CEAP-I exam, offered outside the U.S., contains 155 questions. Candidates have a maximum of four hours to complete either of the examinations.
Applying for the CEAP Examination
When you have completed all the eligibility requirements, you are ready to apply for the CEAP or CEAP-I exam. Complete the exam application and attach documentation to verify completion of all the eligibility requirements:
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A letter from your employer on organizational letterhead verifying that you have completed at least one year and at least 1,000 hours work in EAP;
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Your completed Advisement Contact Form;
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Your PDH certificates verifying completion of the correct number of PDHs, including the ethics requirement, in the appropriate Domains;
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For Track II candidates, a transcript or copy of your graduate diploma verifying completion of a graduate degree in an EAP-related concentration. If your diploma says only "Master of Science" or "Master of Arts" without listing area of concentration, a transcript will be required.
Sign your application, enclose at least the application fee, and send to EACC at the address listed on the main certification page.
Please Note: Exam applications should not be submitted until all eligibility requirements have been completed: Verification of completion documents should not be submitted prior to or separately from the exam application.
Fees: No fees are due until you submit your exam application. Credentialing fees include the application fee, testing fee, and three-year certification fee. All fees may be prepaid with the exam application or paid in stages. The application fee is due with the application. Testing fees may also be sent with the application fee but must be received before authorization is given to schedule an exam. The CEAP three-year certification fee is due with the original score report after you pass the exam.
CEAP Letter of Eligibility and Scheduling Your Exam; Test Sites
Exam applications are reviewed and eligible candidate information is sent to the testing service once a week – usually on Fridays. If your application is not complete, or the testing fee has not been received, an email will be sent to you explaining what is missing. When the missing documentation or fee is received, your application will again be reviewed during the next scheduled review.
If your application is complete and both application and testing fees have been received, a letter of eligibility will be mailed to you on the following business day. The letter explains the procedure for scheduling your exam date. The computerized exam is offered by appointment only at over 200 sites in the US on Monday through Friday (except holidays). More than 75 international sites are also available and others will be scheduled on an as needed basis. You may usually schedule within a week but you have up to one year from the date on the letter to schedule your exam. After that year, your eligibility expires and your fees are forfeit.
Candidates who allow their eligibility to expire and wish to test will be required to re-apply and to again pay the application and testing fees to regain eligibility - although it is not necessary to again complete the eligibility requirements.
Candidate Information Video Now Available
Taking a computer-based test can be intimidating, and AMP, our CEAP test administration company, has a video available to assist candidates with information about what to expect at the testing site. To watch the video, click here.
Changing an Exam Appointment / Failure to Schedule within the Eligibility Period
You may change a scheduled exam appointment one time only at no charge. However, candidates must notify the testing company at least four full business days prior to the scheduled test date. Otherwise, you forfeit both your application and testing fees. If you fail to schedule and take your exam within your one year of eligibility, you also forfeit both your application and testing fees. You must then reapply and again pay both application and testing fees to take the exam; no eligibility requirements are necessary for re-applications.
Reasonable Accommodations for Candidates with Disabilities
To the best of its ability, EACC will provide reasonable accommodations for candidates with documented disabilities. Verification of the disability and a statement of the specific type of assistance needed must be made in writing to the EACC at least 45 days prior to the desired testing date. Candidates should also inform the testing company of the need for special accommodations when scheduling the exam date. Within the U.S., accommodations (such as wheelchair access, a reader, screen magnifier, or extra time to complete the test) will be made in full compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act. The ADA form is available upon request from EACC.
Activating Your CEAP
To activate your CEAP certification after you pass the exam, you will need to send your three-year certification fee to EACC, unless the fee was prepaid. EACC processing time, including data entry, printing, and mailing of your CEAP certificate, is approximately 6-8 weeks.
If You Do Not Pass the Exam
If you do not pass the exam and wish to retest, you must wait at least 90 days from your exam date to reapply. Then complete pages one and four only of the exam application, checking the retest option on page four. Sign the application and return it to EACC with both the application and testing fees - no eligibility information is needed. Your application will be reviewed during the next regularly scheduled exam review and a second letter of eligibility with instructions on how to schedule your exam will be mailed to you.
