ADEC pre-approved programs endorse educational workshops, courses, and conferences to count towards certification contact hours, with the goal to simplify the review process for applicants aspiring towards obtaining Certification in Thanatology (CT) and / or Fellow in Thanatology (FT). Institutions, organizations and agencies can submit their educational programs to be listed on the ADEC website as pre-approved for CT and FT certification or re-certification.  This process formerly known as the ADEC Pre-Approval Process is now the ADEC aCcredited Education, or ACE, Process.

View ACE Programs

 If you would like your program to count towards certification contact hours, complete this form.

ADEC will follow-up regarding payment once the course is accepted.

Requirements are as follows:

1. The course, program or workshop is offered either by an educational institution that appears in the U.S. Department of Education Database of Accredited Postsecondary Institutions and Programs, or has been approved to offer continuing education credits for nurses, physicians or any of the mental health licensed disciplines (e.g. psychologists, social workers, mental health counselors and many more) in North America and around the globe.  Programs which are not offered by an institution so appearing in the database or having been so approved for continuing education credits will be evaluated on an individual basis. ADEC reserves the right not to list any program with a topic or schedule similar to programs offered by ADEC.
   
   
2. The body offering the program submits the following to ADEC: the title of the program, the faculty name and credentials, program description and objectives, and documentation of approval of the program or institution by other accrediting bodies, along with the application fee.
   
   
3. ADEC will charge the following rates for courses or programs offered by an institution or organization per calendar year. ADEC reserves the right to set a limit on the number of courses or programs covered by the multiple course fees. 

• Single Workshop -$150
• Two-Day Course/Conference -$250
• Three-Day Course/Conference -$350
• 13-Week Course -$500 (This will be initially treated as a pilot program and fee reevaluated in one year)

A progressive discount model is also proposed for incentivizing historically active applicants and attracting a larger volume of future applications. The discount model is as follows:

• 15% off each course after the 3^rd course
• 30% off each course after the 6^th course
• 50% off each course after the 9^th course

All submissions will be reviewed and approved using the same criteria that are currently used when applicants submit their material for certification or re-certification. When an organization or institution is applying for approval of multiple courses or programs, each course or program must be approved separately; only those programs that are pre-approved by ADEC will be covered by the agreement.

ACE Programs will have permission to use the following language in their marketing and program materials:  “The Association for Death Education and Counseling® has deemed this program as counting toward the continuing education requirements for the ADEC CT and FT programs.”  Programs may not use the CT or FT logos in any material they prepare or suggest in their materials that ADEC has endorsed or approved their programs. Programs also may not use language implying that their programs prepare people to take the CT exam.