SLP Tips for Maintaining CEUs
Written by Emily Marshall, M.S., CCC-SLP
Most CFs and new SLPs are aware that ASHA requires 30 hours of continuing education in a 36-month or 3-year cycle. However, are you aware of the difference between CEU and CMH, the different types of continuing education, and all of the different ways to earn CEUs? Check out this list for some insight into maintaining your CEUs:
1. Understand the difference between CMH and CEU
CMH is a certification maintenance hour, while CEU is a continuing education unit. CEUs are actually a type of CMH! For more information on the distinction between these and a list of what states accept CMHs for state licensure, SLP Solution has a very detailed article about this (see below)!
2. Understand the conversion of CMH to CEU in order to know how much you need to earn
1 CMH = 0.1 ASHA CEUs, meaning that 10 hours of coursework earns you 1 CEU. Therefore, you need to accrue 3.0 ASHA CEUs in a 3-year period in order to meet the 30-hour requirement.
3. Work with a travel company that provides CEU access for free
Accessing trainings for CMHs/CEUs can be costly, so having free access with your employer is a huge advantage.
4. Keep all of your certificates of completion, post-assessment materials, handouts, etc. from your trainings in one folder
Make sure to back up the folder often or keep it saved long-term in a drive or cloud location, in case you are ever audited or asked to prove how you earned your CMHs/CEUs.
5. Sign up for ASHA’s CE Registry
This can save you a lot of hassle, as it stores your CEUs for you! This makes it much easier to keep track of how many CEUs you have and how much more you need. Note that there is a fee for this service.
6. Take advantage of free online training offers from organizations like speechpathology.com or The Informed SLP
Some smaller organizations have been hosting free town hall meetings virtually during the pandemic which sometimes provides opportunities for CEUs as well!
7. Check on ASHA’s site to see if a course is already pre-approved by ASHA through CE Find
Knowing this ahead of time can save a lot of headaches!
8. Attend conferences in person to obtain a lot of CEUs all in one day/weekend
The annual ASHA convention can be too pricey or far away for some SLPs, so don’t forget about state conferences! Search your state + SLP conference and see when the next one is. Often, you can get your cost of attendance reimbursed by your district or employer as it’s for professional development.
9. Be careful to not leave all of your CEU collecting to the end of your 36-month cycle!
It seems like a long time but spreading your trainings across the 3 years can reduce stress and ensure that you are attending trainings you want to, not just whatever was available when you finally had time to look! School holiday breaks or breaks between travel assignments can be a good time to take advantage of getting some online trainings done!
References:
- https://www.slpsolution.com/what-are-asha-cmhs-and-do-i-have-to-get-ceus/
- https://www.asha.org/ce/ceus/
- https://www.speechpathology.com/free-course
- https://find.asha.org/CE/#sort=relevancy
These tips should be a solid framework to help you not only maintain your ASHA requirements but also continue to develop your craft as you progress in your SLP career.
If you are looking for a company that provides access to free and unlimited CEUs to all travelers, visit our website to learn about current SLP opportunities at Med Travelers.