Learner Intent to Earn ASHA CEUs
CE Providers should always inform learners of situations where Providers are sharing a learner’s personal information with others. This includes when Providers are reporting a learner’s personal information to help the learner earn ASHA continuing education units (CEUs).
What It Looks Like
Providers must ask learners if they wish to earn ASHA CEUs (called intent to earn). Ideally, you should require a response—this reduces the learner’s chances of skipping the question and thus not being reported to ASHA CE.
Providers must also stipulate that if a learner wants the opportunity to earn ASHA CEUs, then that learner must consent—via written permission—to the Provider sharing the learner’s information with ASHA CE.
Here are examples of how indicating intent and consenting might look:
Question choice
___Yes, I wish to earn ASHA CEUs for this course, and I consent to having my name, email address, mailing address, phone number, and ASHA ID number sent to ASHA CE.
___No, I do not wish to earn ASHA CEUs.
Question and disclaimer
___I wish to earn ASHA CEUs for this course.
*By checking this box, I understand that I am giving [Provider name] permission to send my information to ASHA CE.
When It Happens
Indicating intent to earn ASHA CEUs and consenting to have their information sent to ASHA CE can be done during course registration or after the course (on a course evaluation or other post-course communication). Providers should clearly state the response deadline so the organization can meet ASHA CE reporting deadlines. If the organization sets up customer profiles or accounts, then the learner can respond there, with the option to change that response at any time.
Providers don’t need to verify that a learner is part of the CE Registry. ASHA CE will reach out to any learners who request ASHA CEUs but who don’t participate with the Registry.
How It Supports Compliance
Standard 7.1.3 states that Providers must track which of their learners have both (a) finished satisfactory completion requirements and (b) indicated an intent to earn ASHA CEUs.
Related policies specify that Providers must give learners a way to indicate that they would like their information submitted to ASHA CE for the purpose of earning ASHA CEUs.
Why It Matters
To ensure accurate reporting, Providers must
- ask if learners want to earn ASHA CEUs and
- report only those who agree.
In the past, some Providers reported all course attendees to reduce the chances of missing participants. These attendees were not necessarily aware that their information was being shared with ASHA CE. In some cases, even those learners who wanted to earn ASHA CEUs didn’t understand that this meant their information would be shared.
Due to data privacy and security concerns, the practice of reporting all attendees is no longer allowed,
Providers must now
- notify learners anytime attendees’ information will be shared;
- document if a participant intends to earn ASHA CEUs; and
- document if that participant wants their information submitted to ASHA CE. This documentation must be retained—along with all other course and participant information.
Bottom Line
To enhance customer trust and adhere to privacy rules, Providers must allow learners to determine when and how their personal information is shared—including when learners request that their CE activity be reported for ASHA CEUs.
