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Nursing Home Activity Director Certification

If a nursing home receives money from the government to pay for the care of their residents, then they undergo an inspection every year by the department of public health. The guidelines they use to conduct this inspection or survey are mandated by the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services(CMS). Part of the CMS requirements is that activity directors, who are in charge of activities, be certified. CMS recognizes the National Council of Certified Activity Professionals (NCCAP) as an organization that certifies activity professionals who work in nursing homes. There are several different choices you have to earn this certification.

  1. First Choice

    • Track 1 requires that you have a bachelor's degree with specific course requirements that are listed on the NCCAP website. Also, 4,000 hours of activity experience is required if you choose this option. This experience must be within the past five years. In addition to this, you need 30 hours of continuing education credits to access this choice. Continuing education credits includes ones listed at the NCCAP website. You must also pass the Modular Education Program for Activity Professionals which is abbreviated as MEPAP parts one and two.You can do this in person or online costing you about $1,200.

    Second Choice

    • To qualify as a certified activity director which is abbreviated as ADC, with the second option, you must earn an associates degree which must include certain courses that are listed at the NCCAP website, be an activity assistant or provisional director for at least 6000 hours within the past five years, participate in 30 hours of continuing education classes that are listed in on the NCCAP website and pass the MEPAP courses.

    Third Choice

    • To qualify as a certified activity director with the third choice, you must have taken and passed 60 college semester credits which must include the courses that are listed at the NCCAP website, be able to prove that you have 6,000 hours of activity experience within the past five years, participated in 30 continuing education hours like the ones that are needed for the other choices within the part five years, and pass the MEPAP courses.

    Forth Choice

    • If you have taken and passed both MEPAP sections, you have satisfied part of the process necessary to become a certified activity director. With this choice you must also have 12 college credits not including the MEPAP courses. As with the other options, courses that you need to take are like those that are listed at the NCCAP website. You also must have 6,000 hours of nursing home activity experience within the past five years. Again you also need 30 additional hours of continuing education, similar to those that are listed on the NCCAP website.

    Fifth Choice

    • Another option for busy people who have limited funds, is an Activity Director Provisionally Certified which is abbreviated as ADPC. This is an individual who is trying to achieve the requirements for one of the other four choices. Six years is the maximum time you can take to achieve one of the other options. This certification can not be renewed. In order to have a provisional certification, you must renew it every two years throughout the six year cycle. You must also have 30 hours of continuing education every two years. Besides this, you have to meet the requirements of the option you are pursuing. You can only get the ADPC one time.

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