NAAP POSITION ON ACTIVITY DIRECTOR NETWORK, LLC AND NAAP CREDENTIALING CENTER (NAAPCC)

It has come to the attention of the National Association of Activity Professionals (NAAP) that the private, for profit company Activity Director Network, LLC of Livingston, TX has recently announced a National Activity Professional Certification Training Course, “NAPT”, as a 36-hour course with no practicum experience requirement. Activity Director Network states the NAPT replaces the Modular Education Program for Activity Professionals (MEPAP) which is a 90-hour course with a 90-hour practicum.

As background, CMS explicitly recognizes NAAP in F658 as competent to establish professional standards of quality and practice for the Activity Profession. Any other organization that uses the NAAP name does not meet the professional standards set forth in F658. In particular, the NAAP Credentialing Center (NAAPCC) is not recognized as meeting NAAP professional standards of practice.

In 1986, NAAP created the National Certification Council for Activity Professionals (NCCAP) to meet the standards set forth by NAAP. In 2017, NAAP met with NCCAP and NAAPCC to discuss these standards and ensure the highest quality education for Activity Professionals. NAAP requested that NCCAP and NAAPCC work together for the betterment of the profession, with the goal of one certification for all Activity Professionals. However, as NAAPCC is a separate legal entity with no affiliation to NAAP, NAAPCC chose to continue operating independently of NAAP and NCCAP. In 2018, NAAP made the decision to only support the NCCAP credential. Since 2018, all our communications regarding certification have been a joint effort of NAAP and NCCAP.

NAAP continues to stand for quality education and promote certifications for professionals who meet our standards. Referencing language used by Activity Director Network, NAAP would like to clarify that being “qualified” means that an Activity Professional meets the State and Federal Regulations required to run an activities program. Being “certified” means that an Activity Professional meets additional standards of knowledge and training and holds a distinctive certification based on achieving these additional standards.

The NAPT course that Activity Director Network does not meet the minimum regulatory standard of a majority of US States. Further, the position of NAAP is that at only 36 hours and with no practicum, the NAPT course does not meet NAAP standards of practice.

Those students who paid Activity Director Network to take the MEPAP course need to know that the NAPT course of Activity Director Network no longer meets either the NCCAP standards for certification nor the professional standards of practice of NAAP.

NAAP formally notifies all Activity Professionals, State Associations, Federal and State Regulators, and Federal and State Health Care Associations that the NAPT course by Activity Director Network does not meet the minimum requirements of CMS F680 nor NAAP professional standards of practice.

The NAAP Board of Directors