FAQ's
CDC Involvement
Can CDC, as an accredited provider, accredit educational activities that are part of cooperative agreements, but do not integrally involve CDC in planning, development, and implementation?
No. Our continuing education (CE) accrediting affiliates insist that CDC, as the accredited provider, be responsible for and integrally involved with the educational activity, including planning, development, and implementation.
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Planning Committees
Does the CDC physician required on the planning committee have to be a permanent employee of CDC?
Yes. The physician on the planning committee must be a CDC Full-time employee (FTE) or assigned medical officer.
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CME Review Process
What happens during the continuing medical education (CME) review of my proposal?
The CME reviewer reviews the proposal and contacts the CE consultant with any concerns. Once those concerns are addressed, the notification letter is sent to the CME review coordinator and the CE consultant. Once received, the developer will be notified within 24 hours.
Can non-physician participants receive CME certificates?
Yes. If non-physicians register for CME credit, they will be provided with the appropriate certificate that indicates CME for non-physicians only.
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Concerns for Nurses
Should registered nurses (RNs) request continuing nursing education (CNE) or continuing education units (CEUs)?
Registered nurses should request continuing nursing education contact hours unless CNE is not available. Continuing education unit is often used as a generic term for all CE; however, this use is incorrect.
Can RNs licensed by California or Iowa receive CE contact hours?
Yes, under the following conditions, which must be stated at the beginning of the evaluation form:
- Note to Nurses: CDC is accredited as a provider of continuing education in nursing by the American Nurses Credentialing Center's (ANCC) Commission on Accreditation. ANCC credit is accepted by most U.S State Boards of Nursing.
- California: The California Board of Nursing will accept CDC's ANCC contact hours for self-study courses. However, it will not accept ANCC contact hours for courses offered within the state of California. When applying for re-licensure using ANCC contact hours, write in "ANCC self-study." A provider number is not needed.
- Iowa: Courses that are presented through live distance-learning technologies, such as teleconferences or satellite programs, must be covered by an approved Iowa provider if they are attended at a site within Iowa (no exceptions). Online self-study courses are acceptable if they are covered by an approved Iowa provider; granted special approval; approved by the ANA (or ANCC), the NLN, the NFLPN, or NAPNES; or approved by a board of nursing in another mandatory continuing education state. Reference: IAC 655, Chapter 5 - 5.2(2) f (i).
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Accreditation Statements
Before official acceptance of my CE proposal, what statement regarding offering CE credit can I use in the promotion and educational activity materials?
While your CE proposal is being reviewed, you should use the following generic statement:
"Continuing education for this activity is pending."
After your proposal is accepted for credit, you must use the accreditation and designation statements specified for each type of credit/contact hour you will offer.
However, if you will be offering CNE, you must use the following statement on all promotional materials when discussing CE:
"Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is accredited as a provider of continuing nursing education by the American Nurses Credentialing Center's Commission on Accreditation."
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Continuing Education Provider Number
What is the CDC Continuing Education provider number?
CDC does not have a provider number for any type of credit/contact hour. CDC is nationally and internationally accredited and provides an accreditation statement for each type of credit/contact hour requested. These statements are located on the appropriate certificates/statements of credits and are accepted by licensing organizations.
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Biographical Forms
From whom should I collect biographical forms?
You should collect (and include in your proposal) completed biographical forms from the following:
- Planning committee members,
AND
- Presenters (persons who deliver instructional content during live educational activities),
OR
- Content specialists (persons who contribute content to materials).
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Conflict of Interest Disclosure Forms
Is the Conflict of Interest Disclosure form still used?
No. CDC now uses the Disclosure of Relevant Financial Relationships with Commercial Interests form to reflect the requirement of disclosure. These forms disclose information that might or might not reflect a nonresolved conflict of interest. See next question.
Can I modify the Disclosure of Relevant Financial Relationships with Commercial Interests document?
No. this form must not be modified.
From whom should I collect the Disclosure of Relevant Financial Relationships with Commercial Interests documents?
You must collect and include in your proposal completed Disclosure of Relevant Financial Relationships with Commercial Interests forms from the following:
- Planning committee members,
AND
- Presenters (persons who deliver instructional content during live educational activities),
OR
- Content specialists (persons who contribute content to materials).
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Letters of Agreement
Are Letters of Agreement still used?
No. CDC uses the Written Agreement and Acknowledgement of Outside Funding and Support  (DOC -360 KB), an official document that cannot be changed. It documents the terms, conditions, and purposes of providing commercial support.
Is a Written Agreement and Acknowledgement of Outside Funding and Support needed for partners or cosponsors that provide financial or in-kind services?
No. The partner, cosponsor, or joint sponsor will be named on the budget form under the heading of the nature of services they provide. This can include federal organizations, nonfederal organizations, other public health organizations (e.g., state health departments), or grantees.
If CDC cosponsors an educational activity with another organization (e.g., Emory University) and that organization receives resources from a third organization to help fund the activity, where would this be documented if no Written Agreement from the third organization is used?
The Written Agreement would be between the cosponsor and the third organization. It will be maintained by the cosponsor. CDC does not need a copy.
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Evaluations
For the evaluation, should standard questions for my educational activity be included?
Yes. Your CE consultant will help you with these. They are located in the CE Proposal Packet.
May I include questions of my own?
Yes. The standard evaluation form allocates space for your own questions.
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Certificate(s) / Statement(s) of Credit / Contact Hours
Can changes be made to the certificate(s) / Statement(s) of Credit / Contact Hours provided in the forms section of the website?
No. You are required to use the certificate(s)/statement(s) of credit/contact hours provided. You can, however, add additional signatures on the certificate(s)/statement(s) of credit/contact hours.
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Recurring Educational Activities
What is a recurring educational activity?
A recurring educational activity is a live activity that is offered multiple times (with no change in content) within the approved period. It can be approved for up to 2 years, with appropriate monitoring. After the initial period, applicants can apply for renewal for an additional two years. Your CE consultant will provide you with these requirements.
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Enduring Materials
What types of educational activities are considered enduring materials?
Enduring materials are printed, recorded, or computer-based instructional materials that are used over time. Enduring materials are used for independent learning or self-study. Examples of such materials are self-instructional texts, archived webinars, videotapes, computer-based instruction, webcasts (previously recorded), and instructional CD-ROMs or DVDs.
When does the CE accreditation for enduring materials expire?
An enduring material can be viable for up to 2 years, unless the content has changed. After the initial 2 years, applicants may request renewal for an additional 2 years.
Can CE proposals for enduring materials be accepted pending pilot testing?
No. The pilot testing must be completed before the CE proposal is accepted. The pilot test validates that the materials are instructionally sound and also determines the amount of contact hours or CE credit to award. The CE process cannot occur without this information.
We currently have a print-based course that has been accredited for CE. If we convert this course to a web-based course, can we still offer the same CE?
No. To offer CE for the new version of the course, the course has to complete the CE process as a new course. After initial acceptance for any type of enduring material, you must submit a new CE proposal if the medium or delivery mode changes.
Pilot Testing
Pilot testing must be completed before CE proposals are accepted (See "Can CE proposals for enduring materials be approved pending pilot testing?"). The pilot test validates that materials are instructionally sound and determines the amount of contact hours to award. The CE process cannot occur without this information. Pilot testing requires five representatives from each discipline requested. All disciplines of healthcare professionals may serve as CEU pilot testers.
Note: Pharmacy accreditation or continuing pharmacy education (CPE) requires this method and five pilot testers to determine the amount of credit to award. The Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), ANCC, and ACPE are coordinating their standards. Therefore, CDC holds the highest standards of accreditation to meet requirements and maintain its accreditation status for all accreditation agencies which CDC is responsible.
If I am thinking about offering CE for my activity, but do not know what is involved, where do I find this information?
Contact the CE office in CDC's Office of Workforce and Career Development (OWCD), Training Service Division (TSD) as soon as you begin planning your educational activity. Submit an e-mail request to CErequests@cdc.gov or call 404-498-6424. You will be asked to complete a CE request form, and you will receive a timeline. A continuing education consultant (CEC) will be assigned to you and will contact you to set up an orientation to the CE process. The CEC will work with you personally throughout the development and follow-up of your activity.
After I decide to offer CE, what will I need to get started?
You will need the following:
- A CE consultant (CEC) who will lead you through the planning process. The CEC will be assigned to you after you submit a CE request.
- A dedicated developer. The developer coordinates the education design of your proposal and ensures that it is correctly submitted for review and approval.
- A planning committee. Your committee can be any size, as long as it represents your CE target audience.
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Using the CDC Logo
I have just worked with the CDC to develop this great workshop. Can I use the CDC logo on promotional material for my CE activity?
No. You must first work with the Technology Transfer Office to have your project approved, The following guidelines are based on CDC's objectives to define the agency to all targeted audiences as a public health leader and to strengthen its public health programs by improving communication with these audiences.
What is Branding?
Effective branding, using identity tools, will help CDC achieve its mission to promote good public health products and services. One of our goals is to provide CDC with a consistent look and feel and to link the numerous CDC products and services to one agency. Neither the names of CDC centers nor program logos are allowed to be placed on the majority of CDC’s communication products.
Why are certain communication products not licensed?
Typically, products that are mainly owned by CDC do not require licensing. In most instances, if CDC has supplied the majority of the staff resources, funding, and data or content, the agency owns the product and licensing is not necessary. If this conclusion is reached after discussing the project and answering the initial licensing agreement questions, the developer of the product might be faced with the reverse circumstance: do you want to add partner logos to your product? Steps in the approval process:
Step 1: The developer, working with his or her branch, national center, or OD staff office brand coordinator and the CDC Technology Transfer Office, needs to find out if a licensing agreement is needed for the project. The developer’s responses to the following preliminary questions will help the office and Licensing Committee understand the nature of the product, determine if it needs to be licensed, and verify whether
- Use of the logo advances the mission of the program or agency,
- The product and messages are consistent with CDC policy,
- The information is supported by credible science, and
- The effort is likely to involve CDC in inappropriate controversy (e.g., implied endorsement of companies or products).
Preliminary Licensing Agreement Questions
- How much input did CDC have in the creation of the information? Quantify and qualify CDC's input on the information.
- Has the information been created at the request of CDC and based on CDC's specifications? Does the information comply with CDC's request?
- Has all information not created by CDC been verified and approved by the agency? List the organizations that have approved the information, and describe how its accuracy has been verified.
- Does dissemination of the information support at least one CDC program area? If so, in what manner? Provide background information on the purpose of the project and how it works.
- What benefits will CDC derive from lending its brand to the message or information product? For example, describe the (a) targeted audience for the message, (b) method of dissemination of the message to the audience, (c) and expected results from this project.
- Does the information contain any connection (a) between the CDC logo and commercial companies, (b) to any commercial advertisement or endorsement, or (c) to any requests for fund-raising or donations?
- Is the information inconsistent with CDC policy? If yes, describe the inconsistencies.
- How long will this campaign last and what media will be used (e.g., television, the Internet, brochures, pamphlets, signs, letter campaigns, or billboards?
- Describe in specific terms how the information containing the logo will be disseminated (e.g., included in a mailer with other brochures or posted in physicians’ offices as part of a promotional display).
- If the product is the equitable result of CDC and partner efforts, a licensing agreement is probably warranted.
Step 2. The developer of the product should complete a Model Licensing Agreement form and submit the form and a mock-up of the project to the Licensing Agreement Committee.
Step 3. The Licensing Agreement Committee will review the submissions during their biweekly meetings, and make a recommendation, which is forwarded to senior management. The agreement is not official until it is approved by senior management and all legal documents are completed and signed.
Additional Information
For additional information, please contact your CE consultant.
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Page Last Modified: August 31, 2009 |
