Badge Overview
Just like EOL doulas, after-death-care educators come from all walks of life and have varying interests and skills. Similarly, there is no singular training curriculum or formal oversight or licensing requirements for ADCEs. However, to help create a basic reference for consistency and continuity in this emerging field, NEDA has created an ADC Educator Scope of Practice, Code of Ethics, and Core Competencies to help guide end-of-life doulas, after-death-care educators, and families alike.
A proficiency badge from NEDA signifies that these core competencies have been met. Families can be assured that a practitioner who has earned a NEDA ADC Educator Proficiency Badge has met certain standards.
NEDA recommends that you choose your educational program carefully to ensure that the curriculum covers all that is needed to pass the exam and obtain a NEDA ADC Educator Proficiency Badge. Also, know that obtaining a proficiency badge is voluntary. Many doulas and educators who have been working in their communities for a while may feel that they do not need this extra “stamp of approval,” and that’s okay. A proficiency badge is optional.
Earn Your Proficiency Badge
NEDA members (doula, doula trainer, or doula/trainer combinations) have the opportunity to demonstrate what they know. By earning a micro-credential, healthcare organizations and families will know you’ve achieved a high standard of professionalism. Here is how to earn your proficiency badge:
- To take the assessment, you must first become a NEDA member or already be a member (doula, doula trainer, or doula/trainer combination) in good standing.
- If you are becoming a member now, please wait 72 hours for your membership application to be processed by our membership service to be sure your email address is on file.
- Read the FAQs and micro-credentialing information below, and read the study guide outline to understand what standards will be covered.
- When you’re ready, click on the Take the NEDA ADC Educator Assessment button below.
- Be sure to use the same email address that you used when you joined NEDA when registering in the ClassMarker assessment site.
- You’ll be prompted to pay $115 for the exam by using PayPal or a credit card. One (1) full scholarship will be provided each month for the After-Death Care Educator Assessment. Please see the application for additional details. PLEASE NOTE: There is NO refund once you pay for the assessment.
- Once you pay, you’re ready to test. The exam is timed. You’ll have ninety minutes to complete it. You may save it and return to taking the test at your convenience as many times as you wish. You are allowed three chances to take the exam before paying for it again. Your answers will be graded in real time, so you will know the correct answer to each question before moving on. It’s not just a test, it’s a learning experience.
- Once you have passed an assessment with a score of 85% or above, you’ll receive an email with the proficiency badge for use on all your promotional materials, including your website, business card, brochures, and more. You’ll also receive the satisfaction of accomplishment and the support of NEDA in this important work. If you have chosen to be listed on the website directory, we will also add “ADCE Proficient” to your listing.
Q&A Proficiency Badge
Q. What is a proficiency badge?
A proficiency badge is earned by the completion of a micro-credential and signifies that a student endeavors to excel in a specific area of inquiry and wishes to demonstrate mastery of the subject. This type of credentialing has become the gold standard in technology and education because it identifies measurable skills and accurate knowledge, rather than simply attesting to whether someone has attended a course. It validates everyone who successfully passes the assessment based on comprehensive, in-depth knowledge.
Q. Who can earn one?
Any member of NEDA (doula, doula trainer, or doula/trainer combination) can earn a proficiency badge in their discipline(s), regardless of formal training or level of experience, by successfully completing an assessment based on core competencies. An after-death-care educator may have been working in the field for a long time and amassed a wealth of knowledge, or may have taken a training in preparation for service. Neither method of obtaining knowledge and skill is more or less valid as long as the individual knows the fundamentals of best practices in their field(s). Please note: Because the pre-death legal parameters of practice are different from post-death, it is important that anyone choosing to practice both end-of-life doula and after-death-care educator work, particularly for pay, consider earning a proficiency badge in both areas.
Q. Who determines what the core competencies are for the ADC Educator Proficiency Assessment?
The ADC Educator Core Competencies were developed through an arduous process of discussion and research by experienced after-death care educators and home funeral guides in both fields. These experts began laying the groundwork in 2009, and others subsequently completed the work in 2019. For after-death care educators, the core competencies cover the following areas of knowledge and skill:
- Spirituality
- Communication
- Confidentiality
- Grief and Bereavement
Q. What does the ADC Educator Proficiency Badge entitle me to?
As the profession develops, the NEDA ADC Educator Proficiency Badge may become the micro-credential that is recognized by outside organizations in related fields. In addition, the badge may be used on written materials and websites.