FAQs

I am unfamiliar with Life Care Planning (LCP). Could you briefly describe LCP as a professional specialty?

Life Care Planning is a consultation specialty for many health professionals. If you are unfamiliar with the Practice of Life Care Planning, the following is some primary information for your consideration. A Life Care Plan is a dynamic document based upon published standards of practice providing an organized and concise plan for current and future needs with associated costs, for individuals who have experienced a catastrophic injury or have chronic health care needs. The methodology used in Life Care Planning is designed to be a comprehensive evaluation and analysis strategy that integrates evaluation, analysis, conclusions and recommendations, and a comprehensive report. This consistent methodology relates to an analysis of the needs made necessary by the onset of a disability or chronic health condition through the life expectancy of the patient.

What kind of consultation or professional positions or jobs would this training and certification qualify me to perform and what is the potential market for this specialty?

This question is often asked. Life Care Planning is a professional specialty for Health Professionals representing many areas of practice. Individuals who are CLCP generally have an individual or group practice of life care planning, work in an agency developing life care plans, or combine life care planning with other consultation services. Life Care Plans are used most commonly as a litigation tool; to settle cases or to set medical reserves for the insurance carriers. As a result, your market would most likely include Personal Injury Attorneys, Medical Malpractice Attorneys, Health Care Attorneys or Rehabilitation Providers and Insurance Carriers.

What is a Pre-certification Training 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.

Is this an online program, when do the courses begin, and how many courses are in your program?

The program consists of five online programs and one on-site scheduled course, totaling six required courses for a completed certificate. Professionals may register at any time as the program is automated and formatted for “open enrollment” and you may register for the first course at any time

How do I complete registration for your program, register for the first course, and actually begin the course?

You may use the following link to view our website and register for the LCP courses: http:www.iretprograms.com. In addition, you may use the link to purchase your textbooks for the courses. You can receive immediate access once you register and the text books usually arrive within a few days of the order that is placed. Upon completion of each course, you may register for the next course.

What is the cost of the program and what is the amount of time allowed to complete each course?

Our program consists of 6 (5 online and 1 onsite) courses at a cost of $600 per online course and $750 USD for the onsite training, which would total $3,750 for all the courses. You only pay for one course at a time. The courses are set up as open enrollment, which means you register for the courses at your own convenience. You have 90 days to complete each course. Ex: If you finish the first course in 60 days, you may go ahead and register for the 2nd course. Please note, the total cost does not include the work sample submission for peer review ($350 USD).

The program also requires two textbooks: which you may purchase through Amazon by clicking on their links below:

• Life Care Planning and Case Management Handbook, 4th Ed. CRC Press, 2018.
  ISBN-13: 978-1498731102
• Pediatric Life Care Planning, 2nd.ed. ISBN 978-1-439-803-585.

What is the eligibility criterion for enrollment and certification?

While many different health and legal professionals can participate in our program, most students want to be certified upon completion. To determine if you will be professionally eligible for LCP certification, please contact ICHCC at http://www.ichcc.org/ (804-378-7273), review the Standards and Guidelines Manual, or consult with them directly.

How long does it take, on average, to complete a course and also the entire program of six courses for the certificate?

In our program at IRET, we usually recommend students complete the program within a year, but there is no time limit. This is difficult to estimate and depends on individual effort. We have individuals who complete a course in 1-2 weeks and others take the entire three months. The average completion time is 1-2 months. Completing the program in 6-8 months is certainly reasonable and many professionals complete the program in less than one year.

Does IRET certify Life Care Planners and how do I know if I will be eligible for certification with your certificate?

No, IRET does not certify Life Care Planners.  IRET provides the LCP Pre-Certification Program, which enables students to sit for the Certification Examination offered through the ICHCC (International Commission on Health Care Certification).  In addition, you may contact the ICHCC at any time to discuss your professional background and see if you qualify to sit for the Certification Examination.  ICHCC #: 804-378-7273

Are there instructors available for questions and also is there someone I can contact for other course questions?

Yes, you will always have the instructor’s email address to direct course questions or concerns. Additionally, you may email Dr. Pomeranz: iretprograms@gmail.com if you ever have technical issues.

Could you give me some information about the onsite Course 6 or residential requirement?

Course 6 (Onsite Training) is a two day training course held in Florida, typically held in June for US based students. The Canadian Life Care Planning Onsite Training Course is held in Toronto, Ontario in May or June.  In order to qualify to take this course and attend the onsite training, you only need to complete Courses 1 and 2 and be enrolled in one additional course (3, 4, or 5).

This course is offered for two reasons:

1. It is required for certification (Certified Life Care Planner), and
2. Training content for forensics and developing and evaluating Life Care Plans is most effective through interaction between trainers and participants.

As indicated, this course includes a forensics emphasis and also, we include an in-depth focus on the process of planning, developing, and evaluating life care plans. It also involves networking with experienced life care planners, active discussion, and small group working sessions appropriate to the group of participants. The onsite course is 2 days (16 hours – usually Saturday and Sunday) plus a 4 hour homework assignment prior to coming to the course. For Canadian students, the second day is focused in Canadian law, forensic practices, and vocational issues (our trainer from Canada is an experienced, qualified, and certified life care planner).

Are there any loan programs available for this program?

We are not aware of any loan or scholarship programs available for this program.

What are the backgrounds of participants in your program?

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.

I am a professional who, due to training and background, would not be eligible for certification in LCP. Can I still enroll and complete the program?

Yes, you could enter and complete the program. Remember, you would be responsible for consulting with ICHCC (http://www.ichcc.org/) prior to participation to determine whether or not you would qualify for certification.

Can an established life care planner or someone interested in learning more about life care planning take one of the courses for reasons of professional maintenance credits or for increased knowledge?

Yes, as long as the individual understands that a course must be completed in 3 months to stay enrolled in the course.