NOMC Continuing Education Categories
Category 1: Direct Service Provision
Structured Discovery mobility instruction with blind children, youth, or adults in a residential facility, day program, or itinerate instruction. Direct service must be travel instruction that is part of the applicant's job. Direct instruction means that the instructor is physically providing mobility instruction or otherwise responsible for the monitoring and progress of individuals learning mobility skills.
Full-time Instruction: (30+ hours per week) - 5 points per quarter (20pts every 12 months)
Part-time Instruction: (15+ hours per week) - 2.5 points per quarter
Other: (Less than 15 hours per week) Contact the NBPCB office for directions
Category 2: Professional Conferences and Presentations
Attendance at a Professional Rehabilitation Conference - 1 point per conference hour
Presenting at a Professional Rehabilitation Conference - Add 2 points
Coordinating a Professional Rehabilitation Conference - Add 2 points
Note: A conference hour includes time spent in conference, but does not include time for breaks, registration, or other waiting time. Contact the NBPCB office for pre-approval of conferences. An individual attending a three hour conference will earn three (3) points. If that person is also a presenter, he/she will earn a total of five (5) points for the conference.
Category 3: Literature and Professional Discourse
Authorship of a Published Article or Book Chapter - 5 points
Reviewing Orientation and Mobility Related Textbooks or Manuals - 2.5 points
Critique of O&M Related Article or Book Chapter - 1.5 points
Critique of Orientation and Mobility Book or Monograph - 2.5 points
Grant Writing - 5 points
Reviewing Grants Related to Orientation and Mobility, Education, or Rehabilitation - 2.5 points
Category 4: Professional Preparation
Teaching Academic Course (in which at least 50% content was focused on Structured Discovery Cane Travel (SDCT) methods/techniques) - 5 points per quarter/semester (20 pts/12 months)
Curriculum Development (for training O&M instructors in SDCT methods and principles) - 2.5 points per course
Supervision of SDCT internship (400 hours) or fieldwork supervision (800 hours) - 5 points
Conducting NOMC Certification examination - 2 points
Category 5: Training and Education
Conducting Training Workshop/Session (in which the content centered on SDCT training philosophy and principals) - 2.5 points
Attendance at a Workshop (at least 50% of the content was related to SDCT techniques and principals, or CBMR philosophy and history) - 1.25 points
Conducting Field Training or Demonstration in Hands-on SDCT Instruction - 2.5 points
Completion of Course Related to O&M/Rehabilitation - 2 points
Membership in Professional O&M/Education/Rehabilitation Organizations - 2 points
Attending a workshop or seminar in multicultural aspects, research or research design, disability legislation, principles of case management, negotiation and conflict resolution strategies, community resources, client advocacy, working with teams across disciplines, healthcare, medical aspects and implications of various disabilities, attitudinal barriers of people with disabilities - 2 points
Completing a Foreign Language Course (where a second language was acquired) - 2.5 points
Category 6: Research
Conducting Original SDCT/Rehabilitation-Related Research - 5 points
Publishing Results of Research - 2.5 points
Assisting in Research or Research Design that is Published- 2.5 points
Participating in SDCT-Related Research - 1.5 points
Critiquing Published O&M Research - 1.5 points
Secondary Analysis of Published Research or Original Data - 2 points
Category 7: Community Service
Providing Direct SDCT Instruction without Compensation - (see category 1)
Developing In-house SDCT/CBMR-Related Training Programs - 10 points
Conducting/Training In-house Training Programs - 5 points
Demonstrating Services to a National or State Professional Organization - 1.5 points
Presenting at Public Schools/Colleges on Blindness - 1.5 points
Category 8: Governmental Affairs
Develop and advocate for Legislation, Regulations, or Policy - 5 points
Advocating for Legislation at the State or Federal Level - 2 points
Drafting Resolutions Related to SDCT/Education/Rehabilitation - 1.5 points
Category 9: Professional Ethics
Note: At least 10 points during the five year period of certification must come from continuing education in the area of professional ethics.
Read NBPCB Code of Ethics- 8 points
Sign and Return NBPCB Code of Ethics Agreement Form - 2 points
Complete a Course in Professional Ethics, Multicultural Awareness, or Professional Counseling (may be an online course) - 5 points