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Brain Injury Help Line: 1-800-242-0030


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Joanne Susi

"I lost consciousness in the helicopter and I remember thinking I was dead, and that this was the end…then nothing,” Jim has no memory of his time in the hospital during his stroke, but came out the other side dedicated to fight his way back. And fight he did!
Read Jim's story.

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Academy of Certified Brain Injury Specialist (ACBIS)

REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN FOR OCTOBER 2018!

The Brain Injury Association of Massachusetts in collaboration with Whittier Rehabilitation Hospital is offering an intensive 3-day exam preparation course for the following Academy of Certified Brain Injury Specialists (ACBIS) Certifications:

  • Certified Brain Injury Specialist (CBIS)
  • Provisional Certified Brain Injury Specialist (PCBIS) 

The ACBIS exam preparation course will be held at the Whittier Rehabilitation Hospital, Westborough, MA beginning on Friday, October 26 - Sunday, October 28, 2018. The lectures will be given by Dr. Michael Sefton, Ph.D, CBIS-T, Neuropsychologist, Whittier Rehabilitation Hospital using the exam preparation materials prepared by the authors of “The Essential Brain Injury Guide 5.0 Edition", which covers all material that forms the content for the ACBIS exam. The ACBIS exam preparation course will be available via an online meeting video conference in real time for those unable to travel to the Westborough location. 

The ACBIS exam preparation course for the CBIS Certificate is available to BIA-MA members for a cost of $500 and non-members for $525.The ACBIS exam preparation course for the PCBIS Certificate is $300. These costs includes “The Essential Brain Injury Guide 5.0 Edition”, ACBIS application cost, administrative support for the exam, and location to complete the exam. Applicants are encouraged to review the material in the textbook before the beginning of the course.  Along with reading “The Essential Brain Injury Guide 5.0 Edition” and participating in the course, participants should anticipate spending a reasonable amount of time reviewing the text and material in preparation for the exam itself. Taking the course is not a pre-requisite for taking the exam but is highly advised, as the textbook is not considered to be sufficient preparation by itself for the exam. 

EACH EXAM HAS ELIGILITY REQUIREMENTS. Please see the criterion below for sitting for the CBIS or PCBIS certifications. After registering for the certificate of choice below, BIA-MA staff will contact you to fill out an ACBIS Eligibility Application. This application will be submitted to ACBIS to verify certificate eligibility prior to taking your exam. If you do not meet the ACBIS eligibility criteria, you may still take the course without completing the exam. For those that don't meet eligibility, your application fee will be returned with a $50.00 surcharge assessed. A BIA-MA staff member provides ACBIS exam application support and exam coordination. 

NOTE: Registration for this course will close on Friday October 5, 2018 to allow time for book delivery and pick up.

Please direct all questions to Beth Pusey, Education Manager, bpusey@biama.org. 

Certified Brain Injury Specialist (CBIS) Certificate:

Certified Brain Injury Specialist (CBIS) is a credential for individuals who assist persons with brain injury to restore, maintain, and promote optimal health. CBIS is the next step in professional development and has been widely recognized and respected for many years in the field of brain injury. The ACBIS exam preparation course for the CBIS Certificate is available to BIA-MA members for a cost of $500 and non-members for $525.

ACBIS requires that all applicants seeking Certified Brain Injury Specialist certification must meet the following criteria to be eligible:

  • Applicants must have 500 hours of currently verifiable direct contact experience with an individual or individuals with brain injury, which can be through paid employment and/or academic internship
  • Qualifying experience must have included formal supervision or have been conducted while the applicant operated under a professional license.  Volunteer work is not applicable.
  • Applicants must have a high school diploma or equivalent 

Provisional Certified Brain Injury Specialist (PCBIS) Certificate:

Provisional Certified Brain Injury Specialist (PCBIS) is a credential for graduate students that intend to develop a career working with individuals who have sustained an acquired brain injury. As a PCBIS, pre-professionals have the opportunity to develop a strong foundation in the field of brain injury rehabilitation and services.The ACBIS exam preparation course for the PCBIS certificate is $300.

ACBIS requires that graduate students seeking Provisional Certified Brain Injury Specialist (PCBIS) Certification must meet the following criteria to be eligible:

  • Students must be enrolled in a graduate degree program from an accredited university in Allied Health, Psychology, Pre-Medical, Special Education
  • Students who wish to become CBIS certified must meet the CBIS criteria listed above 3 years from the completed PCBIS exam

PCBIS candidates who go on to complete 500-hours of verified clinical employment and/or supervised academic internship experience working with individuals who have a brain injury within a 3-year period from the date of original PCBIS certification will receive their full CBIS certification.

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