National Courses and Events

ACP Core Component

The ACP Core Component course is the first component on the pathway to Facilitator certification. This course focuses on learning the communication skills and the Exploration phase of facilitating conversations with all individuals. It lays the groundwork for using that information to align healthcare decisions with what matters most when carried forward to the Goals of Care phase of the ACP conversation to support person-centered decision making. The ACP Core Component course affords an in-depth experience for course participants in exploring the individual’s goals, values, and beliefs when having an ACP conversation.

The ACP Core Component Course is intended for professionals and healthcare providers (social workers, nurses, health educators, and physicians), clergy, volunteers, and others involved in providing ACP facilitation.

• This course is a prerequisite for attendance at First Steps, Next Steps, and Advanced Steps ACP Facilitator Certification Intensive courses.

The purpose of this course is to assist participants in learning effective communication and conversation skills and techniques for facilitating person-centered conversations. These conversations have application for in-person visits and telehealth.

NOTE: The ACP Core Component course may be taken as a standalone course if not seeking ACP Facilitator Certification.

ACP Core Component Precourse Requirements:

• Complete Respecting Choices Online ACP Facilitator Curriculum (modules 1–4 for Core).
• Review documents and a short video provided electronically prior to the course.

ACP Facilitator Certification Intensives

In the stage-specific ACP Facilitator Certification Intensive courses, Facilitator candidates learn the Goals of Care phase and Decision-Making Framework of the respective stage-specific ACP conversation. These courses are intended for a variety of professionals (nurses, social workers, health educators, physicians, advanced practice providers, chaplains, clergy, and other care providers) and community volunteers. This course is appropriate for all levels of knowledge.

The purpose of these courses is to assist participants in learning effective communication skills, techniques, and critical thinking for facilitating person-centered ACP conversations. These conversations have application for in-person visits and telehealth.

To achieve ACP Facilitator certification in each stage of planning (First Steps, Next Steps, or Advanced Steps), candidates must complete Respecting Choices Online ACP Facilitator Curriculum, the ACP Core Component Course, and the ACP Intensive course for ACP Facilitator Certification in the stage of planning they are to be certified.

ACP Facilitator Certification Intensive(s) Precourse Requirements:

• Attend the ACP Core Component course.
• Complete Respecting Choices Online ACP Facilitator Curriculum (modules 1–4 for Core and First Steps, modules 1–5 for Advanced Steps, modules 1–6 for Next Steps).
• Review documents provided electronically prior to the course.

The purpose of the ACP Design and Integration course is to build skills to design an effective program with the goal of integrating person-centered decision making as a standard of care. The course is organized around a framework that supports keeping the promises/processes necessary for a sustainable program. The course blends in workgroup activities that give the learner the freedom to adapt the elements to be effective in their specific program.

The course is intended for healthcare and community leaders (administrators, managers, program directors, ACP coordinators, and others) and clinicians (physicians, advanced practice providers, nurses, social workers, and others) who are interested in integrating an effective ACP program within their organization or community. This course is appropriate for all levels of knowledge.

NOTE: The ACP Design and Integration course is a prerequisite to attend a stage-specific ACP Instructor Certification course. Individuals seeking Instructor certification benefit from identified elements which support the certified Facilitators important role as members of the interprofessional team.

The ACP Instructor Certification course features strategies for teaching, evaluating, and mentoring the communication skills of ACP Facilitators, and prepares participants to teach the stage-specific ACP Facilitator Certification course (First Steps, Next Steps, Advanced Steps).

This course is intended for healthcare educators, nurses, physicians, community leaders, social work practitioners, and chaplains and clergy who are interested in becoming certified to replicate the stage-specific ACP Facilitator Certification course in their own organization or community.

The purpose of this course is to assist participants in becoming certified as Respecting Choices stage-specific ACP Instructors.

Instructor Certification Precourse Requirements:

• Attend the ACP Design and Integration course.
• Be certified as the stage-specific ACP Facilitator for which you are seeking Instructor certification.
• Complete a Respecting Choices Instructor Certification Agreement for Advance Care Planning.
• Review documents provided electronically prior to the course.