Certification

If you have dedicated your career to providing exceptional psychiatric rehabilitation, enhance your professional status by earning the CPRP certification or earning a certificate in Children’s Psychiatric Rehabilitation:

The Certified Psychiatric Rehabilitation Practitioner (CPRP) credential is a formal test-based certification program designed to test the knowledge and skills of practitioners, and determine the competency of practitioners working within the adult mental health system. The CPRP credential fosters the growth of a qualified, ethical, and culturally diverse psychiatric rehabilitation workforce through enforcement of the PRA code of ethics.

The CPRP exam focuses on seven essential competency areas (domains) of psychiatric rehabilitation:

I. Interpersonal Competencies
II. Professional Role Competencies
III. Community Integration
IV. Assessment, Planning, and Outcomes
V. Strategies for Facilitating Recovery
VI. Systems Competencies
VII. Supporting Health & Wellness

For more information about the CPRP domains, please view the 2014 CPRP Exam Blueprint. Please note that this exam blueprint reflects changes beginning June 1, 2014.

The Certified Child and Family Resiliency Practitioner (CPRP) credential is a formal test-based certification program designed to test the knowledge and skills of practitioners, and determine the competency of practitioners working with children and families. The CFRP credential fosters the growth of a qualified, ethical, and culturally diverse psychiatric rehabilitation workforce through enforcement of the PRA code of ethics.

Although there is evidence of “cross-over” between the principles of psychiatric rehabilitation defined for children and those for adults, there is significant enough difference in the necessary knowledge-base and skill set of practitioners working within these individualized areas that it warrants clear distinction. As such, in addition to the long-standing Certified Psychiatric Rehabilitation Practitioner (CPRP) certification program, in 2009 PRA developed the Certificate in Children’s Psychiatric Rehabilitation.  PLEASE NOTE: At the conclusion of 2018, PRA will no longer be recognizing the Children's Certificate in Psychiatric Rehabilitation - the Child and Family Resiliency Pracitioner (CFRP) credential is the designation recognized by PRA in order for CBRS Practitioners to provide services to children.

The CFRP exam focuses on eight essential competency areas (domains) of psychiatric rehabilitation:

I. Interpersonal Competencies

II. Professional Role Competencies

III. Community Integration

IV. Assessment, Planning, and Outcomes

V. Strategies for Facilitating Recovery

VI. Systems Competencies

VII. Supporting Health & Wellness

VIII. Transition-Age Youth

The most evident difference between these two distinct programs is the focus on the individual consumer:

• For adults: The programs and services utilized are strictly client-directed, enabling that individual to achieve a successful and satisfying lives in the working, learning, and social environments of their choice.
• For children: The programs and services provided are client-centered, focusing not only on what the child wants, but what the child needs to function in their natural community (family, school, activities, etc.).

Currently, CPRPs and CFRPs are GEDs to PhDs and include occupational therapists to peer specialists, social workers to case workers and teachers. They all share a commitment to the fundamental principle that recovery from serious mental illness is possible. CPRPs and CFRPs incorporate the most successful and cost-effective practices for adults (CPRPs) and/or children (CFRPs) with severe and persistent mental illness, and have mastered the principles, skills and knowledge necessary to carry out those practices. It is the goal of PRA and the Certification Commission to encourage the implementation of CPRP and CFRP in mental health programs worldwide.