15A-10.022. Personnel Certification

(1)(a) The program shall employ only instructors, Special Supervision Services evaluators, clinical supervisors and evaluators who are certified by the Department.

(b) Instructors shall possess a bachelor’s degree in human services, criminal justice, adult or secondary education, traffic safety, nursing or a doctorate in medicine (M.D.). They shall possess a minimum of four thousand hours of experience in human services, criminal justice, education, traffic safety or medical care. The experience requirement may be satisfied by direct service delivery, administration, or teaching. A master’s degree in human services, criminal justice, adult or secondary education, traffic safety, nursing or a doctorate in medicine (M.D.) may be substituted for two thousand hours of experience. A Certified Addiction Professional (CAP) status, a Certified Criminal Justice Addiction Professional (CCJAP) status or fourteen thousand hours of experience in human services may be substituted for a degree that is not in human services, but shall not preclude the requirement for a minimum of a bachelor’s degree. Each beginning instructor shall complete 20 hours of Department provided preservice training. The preservice training requirement shall also include documentation of the observation of an entire twelve hour course. If the person will teach Level II, documentation of the observation of an entire twenty-one hour course is required. The Preservice Instructor Training Documentation, HSMV Form 77041, incorporated by reference in Rule 15A-10.043, F.A.C., verifying the observation of these classes must be received prior to the issuance of standard certification. Each certified instructor shall complete a minimum of 24 hours of Department approved training biennially to maintain certification.

(c) For Level II Instructor certification, two hundred fifty two hours of group experience must be documented on the Application for DUI Personnel Certification, HSMV Form 77042, incorporated by reference in Rule 15A-10.043, F.A.C. The group experience must be clinical or therapeutic. If didactic, such experience must be in a substance abuse or mental health setting. The applicant’s role in the group must be as the group leader or co-leader. The applicant shall provide the specific number of hours of experience, if the group is open or closed, the various stages of group growth that were facilitated and the group skills used shall also be described in detail.

(2) The program shall employ only evaluators and Special Supervision Services Evaluators who are certified by the Department. Every evaluator and Special Supervision Services Evaluator shall possess a minimum of a bachelor’s degree in human services, nursing or a doctorate in medicine (M.D.). They shall possess a minimum of four thousand hours experience in mental health/rehabilitative direct client services or medical care specific to substance abuse. A master’s degree in human services, nursing or a doctorate in medicine (M.D.) may be substituted for two thousand hours of experience. A Certified Addiction Professional (CAP) status, a Certified Criminal Justice Addiction Professional (CCJAP) status, or fourteen thousand hours of experience in human services may be substituted for a degree that is not in human services, but shall not preclude the requirements for a minimum of a bachelor’s degree. Each beginning evaluator shall complete 20 hours of Department provided preservice training. Each certified evaluator shall thereafter complete 24 hours of Department approved training biennially to maintain certification.

(3) In addition to completing the training for evaluator status, the Special Supervision Services Evaluator certification requires completing eight hours of Department provided preservice training in the area of client supervision and management. Each certified Special Supervision Services Evaluator shall thereafter complete 24 hours of Department approved training biennially for evaluators to maintain the Special Supervision Services Evaluator certification.

(4) The program shall employ only clinical supervisors who are certified by the Department.

(a) Clinical supervisors shall:

1. Possess a master’s degree in human services and four thousand hours of experience in the substance abuse field or a bachelor’s degree and ten thousand hours of experience in the substance abuse field. At least two thousand hours of the experience must be as a certified evaluator in a Florida DUI program.

2. Certified as an evaluator and Special Supervision Services Evaluator.

3. Complete a Department approved Pre-Service Course.

4. Complete a minimum of 12 hours of Department approved recertification training biennially to maintain certification.

(b) The program may employ a person licensed by the Department of Business and Professional Regulation or a Certified Addictions Professional (CAP) with a bachelor’s degree to perform the functions of a clinical supervisor for a period not to exceed six months where the program’s certified clinical supervisor is unable to perform those functions.

(5) The DUI program where the applicant will be employed must submit and Application for DUI Personnel Certification, HSMV Form 77042, incorporated by reference in Rule 15A-10.043, F.A.C. Such application shall be received by the DUI Programs Section no later than the employee’s first day of the provision of direct services.

(a) The official educational institution transcripts shall be sent directly to the Department from the institution and shall bear the seal of that institution.

(b) All institutions must be accredited by a Commission on Recognition of Post-Secondary Accreditation (CORPA) – recognized accrediting agencies. An applicant with a degree from an institution outside the U.S. must submit documentation of equivalency of that degree from the World Education Services.

(c) Certification shall be granted to every approved applicant by the Department for the remainder of that year and the following calendar year.

(6) Any person seeking certification as an instructor, evaluator, Special Supervision Services Evaluator, or clinical supervisor who has not completed the training requirements described above shall be granted a temporary certification not to exceed six months from the date of issuance of the Temporary Certificate, HSMV Form 77043, incorporated by reference in Rule 15A-10.043, F.A.C., or until completion of the first available required preservice training following issuance of the temporary certificate. The temporary certification shall be extended by the Department if the applicant is unable to complete the first available required preservice training due to exceptional circumstances beyond the applicant’s control. Those exceptions are natural disaster, call to active military duty, serious illness or death in the applicant’s immediate family, or serious illness requiring hospitalization of the applicant as documented by the attending physician. The Department will require documentation which evidences such exceptions. During the period of temporary certification such instructor may perform the function for which they are certified under the supervision of a certified instructor while the process of preservice training and certification is being completed. During the period of temporary certification, such evaluators, Special Supervision Services Evaluators and clinical supervisors holding temporary certification may perform the function for which they are certified under the supervision of the clinical supervisor who holds a standard certificate. Such supervision shall be documented. All psychosocial evaluations, periodic updates and other required forms completed by those on temporary certificates shall be co-signed by the clinical supervisor. Any documentation or forms requiring written input from the instructor on temporary certification shall be co-signed by the supervising instructor. If supervision of the instructor includes direct observation, documentation of that process shall be maintained by the supervising instructor on a form in the same content and format as the Instructor Evaluation Report, HSMV Form 77010, incorporated by reference in Rule 15A-10.043, F.A.C. Persons granted temporary certification who fail to meet all requirements cannot continue to provide DUI services and cannot reapply for certification until completing the required preservice course and all other requirements except as provided for above.

(7) The criteria for certification of instructors, evaluators, Special Supervision Services Evaluators and clinical supervisors shall not be waived.

(8) The Department shall provide all instructors, evaluators, Special Supervision Services Evaluators, and clinical supervisors upon certification with the Standard Certificates, HSMV Form 77044, incorporated by reference in Rule 15A-10.043, F.A.C.

(9) The recertification training must be provided by an organization or person approved by the Department. Each organization or individual must apply on the Application for Provider Status, HSMV Form 77045, incorporated by reference in Rule 15A-10.043, F.A.C., and be approved by the Department. Every event of the provider must be approved by the Department. The provider must submit each event for prior approval on the Individual Training Event, HSMV Form 77046, incorporated by reference in Rule 15A-10.043, F.A.C. Attendance must be confirmed by submission of the Training Documentation, HSMV Form 77047, incorporated by reference in Rule 15A-10.043, F.A.C.

(10) An abbreviated provider form, Application for Conference Approval, HSMV Form 77048, incorporated by reference in Rule 15A-10.043, F.A.C., can be submitted by nationally recognized organizations for a specific course or by a certified individual requesting approval of the conference.

(11) Persons certified by the Department shall be responsible to provide to the Department documentation of each training event to be considered for recertification. All recertification documentation must be received by December 31 biennially for the following two year certification period. Services cannot be provided by any person who fails to complete certification requirements in the time required.

(12) The procedure for processing an appeal on the certification application will be pursuant to Section 120.60(2), F.S.

Rulemaking Authority 322.02, 322.292 FS. Law Implemented 322.292 FS. History–New 1-4-95, Amended 3-4-97.