Recertification
The AAC Academy has procedures in place for recertification every two years. This process ensures that AAC teams are keeping up-to-date on professional development, skills, and animal health and wellness. This webpage provides information about the recertification process and requirements. Read the guidelines on this page before completing the Recertification Application. When you're ready, you can click the icon at the bottom of this page to access the Recertification Application.
Dates
Recertification application materials are due June 30th of the year that your certification expires. This gives the AAC Academy ample time to process your recertification application prior to the certification expiration date.
Practitioners must recertify every two years to maintain certification as an AAC Team. Keep in mind that if a team practices AAC past the expiration date on their certificate, they are not practicing as a certified team nor are they endorsed by Texas State University.
Training
The AAC Academy requires 6 hours of AAC-related continuing education for recertification. These hours can be accrued during the two years of certification. Practitioners can participate in AAC-related training through the following resources:
- Animal-Assisted Intervention International (AAII): https://aai-int.org/
- Human-Animal Interaction (HAI) trainings: https://www.human-animal-interaction.org/events/
- International Association of Human-Animal Interaction Organizations (IAHAIO) conference and trainings: https://iahaio.org/
- International Society for Anthrozoology (ISAZ) conference: https://isaz.net/
- Other HAI-related conferences and events: https://www.human-animal-interaction.org/human-animal-interaction-hai-conferences-events/
Animal Health and Wellness
It's important to assess animal health and wellness when renewing your certification. As an active AAC team, your animal partner to show positive physical indicators and behavior during sessions that demonstrates their engagement in AAC. If your animal partner shows signs that they are stressed, tolerant, or disengaged during AAC sessions, this is an indication that you may need to make changes or retire your therapy animal. We use a recertification questionnaire to help you assess your animal partner's behavior and wellness.
Furthermore, animal partners should be healthy, vaccinated, and physically capable of participating in AAC sessions. We use the Animal Health Screening Form to assess animal health. This form must be completed and signed by your veterinarian. Click the link to download the form.
Other Forms and Recertification Fee
All AAC practitioners need to have professional liability insurance that covers AAC. You will need a copy of your insurance form showing dates of coverage.
Certified AAC Practitioners sign an Attestation form that shows their commitment to following professional and ethical guidelines. This form can be downloaded here: Attestation Form.
There is a recertification fee of $75. Pay this fee PRIOR to completing the Recertification Application on the Registration page