Due to COVID-19 ABVE will work with members to ensure they are able to fulfill their CEU requirements on a case by case basis. If you think you will be unable to fulfill your CEU requirements please contact ABVE HQ.

Global Policy Statements Regarding Continuing Education Units

1. ABVE requires that all certified members (Diplomate & Fellow Status) submit 42-CEU’s that have been approved by the ABVE CEU Certification Committee.

2. The required 42-CEU’s can be submitted at any time during the 3-year certification cycle and must be submitted at least 45-days before the end of the certification cycle.

3. Please allow 60 – 90 days processing for all Alternative CEU Applications.

4. CEU’s can be obtained from the ABVE conference each year, or from other professionally sponsored conferences, seminars or classes that have been “pre-approved” by ABVE through the group approval process.

5. Individual ABVE Certificated members can also use an approved Alternative CEU process. The application structure for this process is also located on the ABVE Website under the Continuing Education tab. All applicants seeking approval of Alternative CEU’s must submit a completed application, signed and dated by the applicant, pay the required fee and submit the supporting documents at the time of the application. There will be no consideration given to applications without the required documentation which is listed below and on the application form.

Alternative CEU Application

• A copy of the official attendance form for the activity, signed and dated by an authorized party representing the sponsoring agency. This form shall have the sponsoring agency’s telephone number listed so that members of the ABVE CEU Committee may call the agency to discuss forensic application of the sponsored activity.
• A copy of the program/seminar brochure which indicates the dates of the activity, the sponsoring agency, the total hours allocated to the activity, a detailed description of the objectives and content of the learning sessions so that the ABVE CEU Committee can determine if it meets the 16-Core Forensic Competency Areas listed above.
• ABVE’s Continuing Education Committee will evaluate these applications and provide approval or denial of the request. Notices will be sent via email. This application process can take up to 6 weeks to complete due to the number of applications received.

6. Home Study Courses: ABVE strongly encourages attendance at ABVE conferences as a top priority for members as sessions are specifically targeted to the Core Forensic Competencies. Though such attendance is not required, and members may submit an unlimited number of hours from home study or other distance learning, we are confident that conference attendance will greatly benefit certified members forensic knowledge and skills. Other applicable policies related to Home Study Courses include:

• Home Study Courses must meet the same criteria derived from the 16 Core Competencies.
• In order for the ABVE CEU Committee to determine this relationship, applications for Alternative Home Study Course CEU approvals must include: (a) the sponsoring agency’s course description, (b) a copy of the table of contents to illustrate the forensic value of the course/material (c) the applicant must write a brief statement (no more than one page) on how the content of this Home Study Course has application to his/her forensic practice and is a value-added information resource going beyond his/her existing competencies. 
• CEUs applicable to forensic-related webinars will be considered under the same policies and regulations as are home study courses. 

7. College and University Level Courses:

• ABVE encourages it’s members to seek knowledge enhancement and continuing education through accredited college and university courses.
• Successful completion of College/University Courses will be awarded 15 CEUs for each 1 semester hour or 10 CEUs for each quarter hour credit.

8. ABVE will provide up to 6-CEUs for members engaged in the development and/or delivery of session talked at an ABVE event. If the member is part of a panel presentation, then CEU credit will be dependent upon the member’s actual delivery time plus 3 CEUs for the development of the presentation.

9. An ABVE Member who makes a presentation at another professional organization would be awarded ABVE CEU’s based on the following criteria:

a) 3-CEU’s for preparation of at least a 1-hour speaking presentation

b) Plus CEU’s based on the presentation time of the speaker; i.e. 1 CEU as a member of a panel; 1-3 CEU’s if a solo presentation based on the number of actual hours assigned to the speaking presentation. i.e.1 hour = 1-CEU, 3 hrs = 3-CEU’s. 

c) Maximum CEU’s to be awarded= 6-CEU (3 for prep and 3 for a 3-hour speaking presentation) 

d) Topics of the presentation must be one of the 16-CORE forensic areas historically associated with the ABVE Test and other external alternative CEU requests

10. Return of Submitted Materials – No materials submitted to support one’s CEU application with be returned to the applicant. All materials should therefore be copied before application submission to ABVE.

Carry Over CEU Credits:
1. There shall be no “carry-over” CEU credits past the 3-year membership renewal cycles.
2. While CEU’s may be submitted to the ABVE CEU Committee at anytime during the 3-year membership renewal cycle, at the conclusion of that 3-year cycle, all CEU’s will be eradicated from the member’s CEU file, and a new cycle begun.

Purpose
The purpose of the re-certification process for ABVE Diplomates and Fellows, is to promote professional growth through continuing education. The evolution of forensic skills related to the analysis of earning capacity, labor market trends, knowledge and application of research techniques, the use of cognitive and vocational interest assessments, and the implication of medical conditions on functional capacities are activities expected of the certified vocational expert.

Re-Certification Cycle
The re-certification cycle is a three-year cycle. Currently, the period is January 1, 2016 through December 31, 2018. If you don’t have 42-hours on file with ABVE at the end of the cycle you will lose your ABVE Certification.

Annual Renewal Fee
Renewal fees are payable annually to maintain ABVE certification. Due to the recent change from a fiscal year to a calendar year the annual renewal fee is due and payable each year by December 31st.

Revocation Of Certification
Failure to annually renew your membership by payment of the annual renewal fee or failure to submit evidence of 42-contact hours of acceptable continuing education by the end of the recertification cycle will result in the revocation of your ABVE membership and certification designation.