Certified Brain Injury Specialist Trainer (CBIST)

Certified Brain Injury Specialist Trainers (CBISTs) are approved to provide official ACBIS training to CBIS candidates. CBISTs demonstrate advanced skills in the field of brain injury and maintain their skills through continuing education.

There are two ways to become a CBIST:

1.  Transition from current CBIS in good standing; or
2. Apply directly, meeting the following requirements

Education

CBISTs must have received a minimum of a bachelors degree from an accredited four-year institution 

Experience

CBISTs are required to demonstrate a minimum of five (5) years’ experience in the field of brain injury in one or more of the following ways:

• Direct clinical experience in brain injury
• Research experience in the science, medicine and/or rehabilitation of brain injury
• Services integral to brain injury and brain injury rehabilitation (education, case and care management, vocational rehabilitation, etc.)
• Development or implementation of brain injury programming in hospital, residential, school, or community-based settings

Each applicant must be a member in good standing within any licensing boards or bodies that oversee his/her profession, if applicable.

Professional Skills

Applicants must demonstrate skills in the areas of (1) training and/or teaching and (2) community service and/or professional dissemination, both within the brain injury field, and must provide approved documentation (see below), including a CV or resume that reflects how the applicant meets each requirement.

Teaching Skills Examples

• Taught courses, seminars, or workshops on brain injury in academically-accredited programs
• Presented at local, regional, national, and/or international conferences or workshops on brain injury
• Designed educational programs and/or materials related to brain injury for colleges or university-affiliated programs
• Mentored clinicians/students/interns in brain injury

Community Service and Professional Dissemination Examples

• Developed guidelines or protocols for brain injury programs
• Published articles, books, chapters, or newsletter articles on brain injury rehabilitation or related areas
• Facilitated community activities and/or community-based support groups for brain injury
• Held committee membership or positions in local, state, or national professional organizations focusing on brain injury
• Participated in research activities in brain injury that resulted in publications by others

Approved Documentation

This documentation will need to be submitted to ACBIS at applications@biausa.org, separate from your electronic application.

• University or college transcript (required)
• Syllabus indicating applicant is the instructor
• Front page of published article, newsletter, chapter, or book that demonstrates authorship
• Letter from supervisor or director stating applicant’s experience with in-service training and/or activity/support group facilitation, which must be written on company letterhead and must include the dates in which the training/events occurred

Applicants may provide other types of documentation. In some cases, additional documentation will be required. If this occurs, the ACBIS office will contact the applicant. 

Fees

The application fee to become a CBIST is $325, and the annual cost to renew the certification is $70. 

*ACBIS Application fees are non-refundable unless the applicant does not meet eligibility requirements, in which case a $70.00 cancellation fee will be applied. Application fees are retained for up to one year following payment submission. 

Term

The initial term of CBIST certification is one year. Upon receiving your CBIST credentials, your certification must be renewed annually. For renewal information and requirements, click here.