There are no formal educational prerequisites for our certification program. Participants should have a commitment to mental health advocacy and basic communication skills. We welcome individuals from diverse backgrounds and experience levels, as this enriches the learning environment.

Organizations selecting candidates for certification should consider choosing individuals who:

• Demonstrate empathy and strong interpersonal skills
• Show commitment to mental health awareness
• Have positions that allow them to implement their training
• Are willing to fulfill the ongoing certification requirements

The core certification training takes place over 3 consecutive days (approximately 24 total training hours). Following the initial training, participants complete a supervised practicum component over 4-6 weeks to apply their skills in real-world settings.

For organizations with internal trainers, the train-the-trainer certification requires an additional 2 days of specialized training after completing the advocate certification.

The complete certification timeline from application to final certification typically spans 8-10 weeks.

The Premier Exclusive package offers a comprehensive lifetime license that includes:

• Certification for up to 675 advocates throughout your organization
• Certification for up to 25 internal trainers who can continue training new advocates
• Unlimited lifetime recertification for all trainers and advocates
• Custom-branded materials specific to your organization
• Unlimited implementation support and consultation
• Lifetime access to curriculum updates and new modules
• Executive leadership training and strategic planning
• Custom impact measurement and reporting tools

This license allows your organization to sustainably maintain and grow your mental health advocacy program indefinitely without incurring additional certification costs.

Our certification packages include robust evaluation tools to measure program effectiveness. These measurement methods include:

• Pre/post knowledge and attitude assessments for trainees
• Implementation tracking metrics for advocacy activities
• Outcome evaluation tools specific to your organizational context
• Participant and stakeholder feedback mechanisms
• Customized key performance indicators aligned with your goals

Our implementation specialists work with your team to establish baseline measurements and develop a customized evaluation framework that aligns with your organizational objectives and available data collection systems.

To maintain certification status beyond the initial certification period, advocates must complete:

• 20 hours of continuing education through our approved courses
• Documentation of at least 10 advocacy activities
• Annual participation in at least one community of practice session
• A brief renewal assessment
• Payment of the renewal fee (varies by package level)

Certified trainers have additional requirements including facilitating at least two training sessions during the certification period and completing an additional 10 hours of trainer-specific continuing education.

The Premier Exclusive package includes lifetime certification maintenance with simplified renewal requirements.

Selecting the right package depends on several factors specific to your organization:

• Organizational size: Consider the total number of individuals you need to certify as advocates and trainers
• Implementation scope: Consider whether you're implementing across multiple locations or departments
• Long-term goals: Consider your 3-5 year vision for mental health advocacy in your organization
• Internal capacity: Consider your organization's ability to support and sustain the program
• Budget considerations: Consider not just the initial investment but the long-term value and ROI

Our consultation team offers complimentary needs assessments to help you identify the most appropriate package for your specific situation and objectives.