Ongoing Requirements of Certified Professional Guardians

Instructions for Providers of Continuing Education

Continuing Education Course Approval Requests

Instructions for Sponsors

Course applications must include the following:

• The Application for Approval of Continuing Education Activity completed and signed;
• Resumes or bios of instructors;
• Non-refundable, non-transferable processing fee; and
• The completed Continuing Education Course Approval Request Invoice.

When submitting Continuing Education Activities for approval, it is necessary to observe the following procedures approved by the Certified Professional Guardian Board:

Course Submissions

1. The Application for Approval of Continuing Education Activity and resumes or bios of instructors should be submitted electronically to guardian.program@courts.wa.gov.

2. If a complete Application is received more than 30 days prior to the seminar, the fee will be $25 per occurrence.  If the application is received less than 30 days prior to the event, the fee will be $50 per occurrence.  Approval will not be granted after the course has been held.  No requests for approval for courses to be held in the current year will be accepted after the first Thursday in November. All fees are non-refundable and non-transferable. 

3. Checks should be made out to the Administrative Office of the Courts (AOC) and mailed along with the completed Continuing Education Course Approval Request Invoice

   Administrative Office of the Courts
   PO Box 41172
   Olympia WA  98504-1172

All courses must be open to all certified professional guardians.  The sponsoring agency will allow the Certified Professional Guardian Board, a member thereof, or such other person as it shall designate, to audit the program.

Course Content

1. All courses must satisfy curriculum requirements established by the Board.

2. A "credit hour" equals one (1) clock hour (60 minutes) of actual attendance.

3. To qualify for "ethics credit," a course or subject must deal with the ethical issues and ethical conflicts relative to the legal rights, duties, or responsibilities of CPGs. For other descriptions, see page four.

4. A copy of all course materials must be submitted to the Board within 30 days after completion of the course.

Student Protection Policy

All student fees and fee refund policies must be disclosed to students before enrollment.  If a course is cancelled for any reason, all charges are refundable in full within 45 days.

The Board should be notified in writing within five (5) days of cancellation of a course.

Each student who successfully completes a course must receive verification of attendance.  Proof of course completion shall include the following:

1. The title, date and location of course;

2. The name and CPG number of the attendee;

3. The number of hours attended and the number and type of credit earned;

4. The name and signature of the sponsor;

5. A copy of the signed CPG course approval form.

Evaluation

The sponsor of a continuing education course shall monitor the attendance of each approved course and maintain an attendance log which lists the name and certification number of every CPG who attends a course.  The program sponsor shall submit the attendance log to the Board within thirty (30) days after completion of the course.  The log shall serve as proof that the CPGs listed completed the sponsor’s course.

Certified Professional Guardians who do not sign-in and out at the program will not receive continuing education credit for attending the program.  Participants should receive credit for the time on site only.  Any late arrival or early dismissal should be subtracted from the credit received. Please remind the persons attending your program to sign in and out if they would like to receive CPG continuing education credit for attending the program.

The sponsor shall obtain course evaluations from participants and submit these with the attendance log.  Attendance logs should reflect actual in and out times. Falsifying attendance logs is considered a breach of professional ethics.

The Board may evaluate the performance of any continuing education instructor, course, or sponsor through observation, review of qualifications, or adherence to Board continuing education requirements.

Advertise

Mailing labels will be forwarded with the Course Approval Form only upon request.  They are not to be used for any other purpose or any subsequent class.  They are not to be disseminated to any other organization or individual for any purpose whatsoever.

Information to be submitted to the Board within thirty (30) days of Course Completion

• A copy of all course materials.
• Course evaluations from participants.
• The Attendance Log.

According to Continuing Education Regulation 200, Certified Professional Guardians are required to participate in ongoing education to maintain their certification.  The annual training requirement is a minimum of 12 clock hours per calendar year, with the minimum time allocated among education and skills training in:

Guardianship of the Person – 4 hours per year

Guardian of the Person education encompasses training and information pertaining to personal and physical care; residence and placement; assistance required and available; medical, psychological, social, family, and other issues with which a Guardian of the Person should be familiar.

Guardianship of the Estate – 4 hours per year

Guardian of the Estate education encompasses training and information pertaining to the marshalling, management and sale of assets; responsibility for the maintenance and protection of the assets; entitlement to federal, state and other financial benefits; estate planning, gifting, and transfers of assets; and other financial activities with which a Guardian of the Estate should be familiar.

Guardian Ethics – 2 hours per year

Guardian Ethics education encompasses training and information pertaining to the application of the Standards of Practice and other professional codes of conduct to the practice of Guardianship; the identification and resolution of conflicts that arise for guardians by their own actions, and in the effect of their decisions upon other professionals, the incapacitated person's family and other interested persons; and applying criteria and measuring the effect of decisions regarding Directives to Physicians and end of life issues.

General Information for Guardians – 2 hours

General Information for Guardians education encompasses training and information pertaining to the business side of a Guardian's practice which is not included in the other categories. It includes information on business format, use of forms to assist in the practice, tax and civil liability, insurance and bond issues, relationship with counsel and other professionals, fee charging and billing practices, and business development.  It also includes matters that apply generally to guardianships of person and estate such roles as guardians ad litem, petitions for direction, general civil procedure, or the role of the court as the final decision maker.