What is Life Care Planning?
According to the agreed-upon definition, “The life care plan is a dynamic document based upon published standards of practice, comprehensive assessment, data analysis, and research, which provides an organized, concise plan for current and future needs with associated costs for individuals who have experienced catastrophic injury or have chronic health care needs.” (International Conference on Life Care Planning and the International Academy of Life Care Planners. Adopted 1998, April.)
Life Care Planning at the Institute
The Institute of Rehabilitation Education Life Care Planning Pre-certification program is designed to prepare those who are seeking to become Certified Life Care Planners (CLCP) or Canadian Certified Life Care Planners (CCLCP) with the knowledge necessary to successfully pass the certification exam offered by the International Commission on Health Care Certification (ICHCC). For specific information on the CLCP or the CCLCP credential please visit the ICHCC website.
Topics addressed in the pre-certification curriculum include:
- Professional Orientation to Life Care Planning
- Spinal Cord Injury: Adult and Pediatric
- Brain Injury: Adult and Pediatric
- Amputations: Adult and Pediatric
- Multiple Physical and Psychological Disabilities
- Standards, Case Management, Ethics, and Expert Testimony in Life Care Planning
Most of the professionals enrolled in our program are practicing their own profession (nurses, rehabilitation counselors, occupational therapists, social workers, physical therapists, physicians, psychologists, etc.). As a result, they bring a great deal of experience to the life care planning professional specialty. Therefore, the online training courses in Life Care Planning are being completed on a part-time basis in most cases.
The Program
The Institute of Rehabilitation Education and Training does not certify Life Care Planners. Our program is a pre-certification program, which means once you complete our program you qualify to sit for the LCP Certification Examination. This IRET program has been approved as an educational provider by ICHCC to provide a 120-hour training program needed for certification (International Commission on Health Care Certification (ICHCC, http://www.ichcc.org/). Graduates are eligible to sit for the Certified Life Care Planner (CLCP) certification exam after completing an approved applied life care plan project. A certificate of completion is presented to graduates, which is submitted to ICHCC, qualifying them to take the exam.
In order to complete the pre-certification program participants are required to complete 120 credit hours of coursework, which includes the following:
- Five (5) online courses
- Attend one (1) short residual institute
The online courses have an open enrollment period so participants may enroll at any time and are allowed up to three months to complete each course. Online courses utilize audio and video lectures, electronic slideshows, chat room interaction with faculty, online guest lectures, website field trips, exercises, and other techniques designed to support mastery of the material.
The Residency
The on-site residential institute will provide participants with a chance to experience the consultation and testimony process as well as an opportunity to work through several exercises in ethical decision making. In this practical setting, students perform a series of applied exercises that allow them to bring together and utilize all of the theoretical knowledge and skills learned during the online experience. Participants receive training in testimony and participate in a mock testimony experience to affirm the student’s eventual role as an expert. The on-site program also grants students the opportunity to socially network and interact directly with some of the most experienced and well known life care planners in North America.