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Best direct care counselor certifications
The best certifications for a direct care counselor are Medical Assistant, First Aid, CPR and AED Instructor, and Certified Billing and Coding Specialist (CBCS).
Direct care counselor certifications demonstrate your competency as a direct care counselor to employers. However, not all direct care counselor certifications provide the same value.
Below is a list of the best direct care counselor certifications. Obtaining a direct care counselor certification will give you a leg up when you apply for jobs and increase your potential salary.
11 best certifications for direct care counselors
| Rank | Direct care counselor certification | Organization |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Medical Assistant | ASPT |
| 2 | First Aid, CPR and AED Instructor | NSC |
| 3 | Certified Billing and Coding Specialist (CBCS) | NHA |
| 4 | Patient Care Technician | APA |
| 5 | Pastoral Counseling Certification | Mt. Vision In... |
| 6 | Medical G.A.S. Installer (Med) | CSA Group |
| 7 | Adult and Pediatric First Aid/CPR/AED | American Red ... |
| 8 | OSHA Safety Certificate | Delaware Tech... |
| 9 | Certified Medical Administrative Assistant (CMAA) | NHA |
| 10 | Certified Clinical Medical Assistant (NHA) | NHA |
| 11 | Certified Substance Abuse Counselor (CSAC) | ACADC |
11 best direct care counselor certifications
1. Medical Assistant
The medical assistant job description varies depending on the employer's needs. A medical assistant is a multi-skilled professional and an asset to a physician.
- More than two years of education or training after high school required? No
- More than two years of work experience required? No
- Oral or written exam required? Yes
- Renewal required? Every 1 year(s)
2. First Aid, CPR and AED Instructor
Knowing how to respond to a first aid or CPR emergency is one of the most important skills a person can possess. The Standard First Aid, CPR and AED course meets the OSHA requirements and is your tool for training employees or the general public on the latest skills, techniques and expertise in life-saving procedures. The practice and feedback of using related skills in a realistic situation is integrated into the actual teaching experience.
- More than two years of education or training after high school required? Yes
- More than two years of work experience required? No
- Oral or written exam required? No
- Renewal required? No
3. Certified Billing and Coding Specialist (CBCS)
A Certified Billing and Coding Specialist (CBCS) primarily focuses on converting a medical procedure, diagnosis, or symptom into specific codes to submit a claim for reimbursement.
- More than two years of education or training after high school required? Yes
- More than two years of work experience required? Yes
- Oral or written exam required? Yes
- Renewal required? Every 2 year(s)
4. Patient Care Technician
1. Completion of an Approved Patient Care Technician Program 2. Minimum of 80 Hours Lecture 3. Minimum of 80 Clinical Rotation In Phlebotomy 4. Must Be Certified Nursing Assistant 5. High School Diploma or G.E.D 6. Successful Completion of Certification Exam
- More than two years of education or training after high school required? No
- More than two years of work experience required? No
- Oral or written exam required? Yes
- Renewal required? Every 2 year(s)
5. Pastoral Counseling Certification
- More than two years of education or training after high school required? Yes
- More than two years of work experience required? Yes
- Oral or written exam required? Yes
- Renewal required? No
6. Medical G.A.S. Installer (Med)
Certifies minimum performance criteria for personnel maintaining medical gas pipeline systems in hospitals and health care facilities.
- More than two years of education or training after high school required? No
- More than two years of work experience required? No
- Oral or written exam required? No
- Renewal required?
7. Adult and Pediatric First Aid/CPR/AED
Participants learn the importance of AEDs, and how to use an AED properly.The professional rescuer courses are designed for people with job-related duties in emergency preparedness and response. This includes nurses, law enforcement and EMS personnel, fire fighters, business and industry response teams, lifeguards, flight attendants, and others who must take action in emergency situations.
- More than two years of education or training after high school required? Yes
- More than two years of work experience required? No
- Oral or written exam required? Yes
- Renewal required? Every 3 year(s)
8. OSHA Safety Certificate
This 40-hour program covers both the Construction 1926 and General Industry 1910 Standards, how to effectively interpret the Federal Register, health issues related to a work environment, recognition of physical hazards related to the violation of OSHA standards, and employer implementation of their own pro-active safety and health procedures.
- More than two years of education or training after high school required? Yes
- More than two years of work experience required? Yes
- Oral or written exam required? No
- Renewal required? No
9. Certified Medical Administrative Assistant (CMAA)
A Certified Medical Administrative Assistant (CMAA) performs routine administrative and clinical tasks to keep the offices and clinics of physicians running smoothly.
- More than two years of education or training after high school required? Yes
- More than two years of work experience required? Yes
- Oral or written exam required? Yes
- Renewal required? Every 2 year(s)
10. Certified Clinical Medical Assistant (NHA)
A Certified Clinical Medical Assistant is an unlicensed multi-skilled healthcare practitioner who is competent in both a wide variety of clinical and laboratory procedures, as well as many administrative roles. A CCMA may perform some or all of the following duties. However, they are not limited to just these responsibilities:Interviews patients and measures vitals signsPrepares treatment roomsGives injections or treatments and performs venipuncture and laboratory testsCleans and sterilizes equipment.
- More than two years of education or training after high school required? Yes
- More than two years of work experience required? Yes
- Oral or written exam required? Yes
- Renewal required? Every 2 year(s)
11. Certified Substance Abuse Counselor (CSAC)
The Mission of the Association of Christian Alcohol and Drug Counselors, as a counselor certification organization for the California Department of Alcohol & Drug Programs, is to provide an entrance to the professional counseling arena, to train and certify Christian men and women who desire to do professional drug, alcohol and addiction counseling.
- More than two years of education or training after high school required? No
- More than two years of work experience required? No
- Oral or written exam required? Yes
- Renewal required? Every 2 year(s)
What is the best certification for a direct care counselor?
The best direct care counselor certification is Medical Assistant. The Medical Assistant is awarded by the American Society of Phlebotomy Technicians. This certification is great to have as it shows an improvement in your competency to perform your role. You can earn this certification at the beginning of your career, as it often doesn't require a minimum education level and work experience.
Here's a bit more background on how to obtain this direct care counselor certification:
- To become a certified Medical Assistant, you need to pass the exam.
- Lucky you - certification doesn't require more than two years of work experience.
- Renew certification every 1 year.
What certifications can impact a direct care counselor career and salary?
The Medical Assistant certification will help you to secure a medical assistant position, which will increase your pay and career trajectory. A medical assistant's average salary is $32,314 whereas direct care counselors make an average salary of $33,422.
The most common combination of direct care counselor certifications include: Medical Assistant, First Aid, CPR and AED Instructor, and Certified Billing and Coding Specialist (CBCS).
Online courses for direct care counselors to earn certifications
1. Health After Cancer: Cancer Survivorship for Primary Care
This course presents basic principles of cancer survivorship to primary-care physicians. Developed by a team of experts in caring for cancer survivors, and narrated by a primary-care physician, this course provides practical tips and tools that can be easily integrated into medical practice. You will learn about the complex physical and psychosocial needs and concerns of the growing number of cancer survivors, along with the key role that primary care physicians have in guiding these patients...
2. Health for All Through Primary Health Care
This course explores why primary health care is central for achieving Health for All. It provides examples of how primary health care has been instrumental in approaching this goal in selected populations and how the principles of primary health care can guide future policies and actions. Two of the most inspiring, least understood, and most often derided terms in global health discourse are “Health for All” and “Primary Health Care.” In this course, we will explore these terms in the context...
3. The Key to Happiness: Self Care
Discover Self Care as a tool for creating positive change in your mental health, behaviours, and well-being...
4. Providing Trauma-Informed Care
Exploring psychological trauma and how to provide care and compassion to trauma survivors...
5. Palliative Care Always Capstone Course
The Palliative Care Always Capstone course is designed to let you test your knowledge about palliative and help others understand the value of palliative care, while showing your creative side. In this course, you will impact community awareness about palliative care, promote self-care and wellness, show-off your communication skills in a virtual environment, and finish the course off by proving your thoughts on ways to offer psychosocial support to a patient and family...
6. The Business of Health Care
This Specialization was designed to help you keep pace with the rapidly changing world of health and health care. Through partnership with Wharton and Penn Medicine, you’ll learn from experts in business acumen, health care management, and health care policy to develop the skills you’ll need to successfully navigate the quickly evolving landscape of this fast-growing field.* By the end of this specialization, you will have a strong foundational understanding of the American health care system,...
7. [Accredited] Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) Counselor
Learn DBT in depth, start conducting sessions with ready to use templates, and set up counseling practice within weeks!...
8. Coping Skills and Self-Care for Mental Health
Essential skills to manage intense emotions and develop a self-care practice to promote mental health...
9. Traditional herbal medicine in supportive cancer care: From alternative to integrative
Please join us for an exciting and innovative journey, examining one of the most important and often overlooked aspects of the oncology setting: Traditional Herbal Medicine in Supportive Cancer Care. This course is presented with short lectures offering a wide range of issues related to the principles and practice of herbal medicine in cancer care. The course includes interviews with leading world experts from the field of Integrative Oncology, from the U.S. and Canada, as well as Europe, the...
10. Palliative Care Always
Palliative Care Always is a specialization for health care practitioners, patients and caregivers. We’ve designed this specialization to demonstrate how palliative medicine integrates with patient care, and to help you develop primary palliative care skills. Over the next five courses, you will develop skills in symptom management, goals of care and effective communication to improve the quality of life for patients and families suffering with serious illness. Our hope is that you feel...
11. Cat Behavior Rectification & Cat Health Care: 2 courses in 1
1. Common Cat Behavior Issues and training methods to rectify them 2. Tips for better healthcare of your cat...
12. Self-Care Life Coach Certification (Boundary Setting)
Empower Your Life Coach Your Clients to Develop Self-Care, Self-Love, Boundary Setting and How to Say No...
13. Health Care Delivery in Healthcare Organizations
Have you ever needed health care and thought that there must be better ways to get or deliver health care? For example, have you found yourself thinking that there should be a way to get a diagnostic test or treatment at home? Or do you work in a healthcare organization and find yourself thinking that there must be better ways to deliver health care? If you have, this course is for you. Course content includes an overview of health care delivery including healthcare consumerism, the patient's...
14. Thinking About Care
Although all humans require care to develop and thrive, it is rarely the focus of academic studies. This course enriches learner’s understanding of this critical yet underappreciated facet of their lives by addressing such questions as: What is care? Who has traditionally provided it? How valued is care work? Does money take the care out of care work? In addition to advancing learner’s knowledge of the place of care in modern society and controversies surrounding it, Thinking About Care will...
15. Pain Management: Easing Pain in Palliative Care
In this course, you will be able to develop a systems view for assessing and managing pain in the palliative care setting. By the end of the course, you will be able to: 1) Describe the pain problem in the palliative care setting; 2) Assess a person’s pain, 3) Explain the benefits of integrative therapies and pharmacologic strategies to manage pain...
16. Trauma Emergencies and Care
Welcome to Trauma Emergencies and Care. In this course, you will learn about some of the mechanics and physics of trauma on the human body, and how this can cause injury. You will continue to expand your new vocabulary with medical terminology, and learn how to describe the different injuries you may see. You will also learn about the trauma system itself- and when it is important to transport patients to a trauma center. Then we will dive into specific injuries based on what part of the body...
17. Newborn Baby Care
A newborn baby is an amazing beautiful life filled with hope. Unfortunately, many babies die or experience preventable harm even in 21st century. It is imperative that babies who are born healthy get off to a healthy start in the first month of life. There are some easy tenets of care to implement that help ensure that babies and families get off to a healthy start no matter where they are in the world. In this specialization learners will acquire the skills necessary for newborn baby care to...
18. Health Care IT: Challenges and Opportunities
A strong argument can be made that the health care field is one of the most information-intensive sectors in the U.S. economy and avoidance of the rapid advances in information technology is no longer an option. Consequently, the study of health care information technology and systems has become central to health care delivery effectiveness. This course covers the modern application of information technology that is critical to supporting the vision and operational knowledge of the health care...
19. Emergency Care: Pregnancy, Infants, and Children
Welcome to the final course of lectures in your quest to master EMT basics. In this course, we will cover some of the highest-stress patient populations: pregnant patients and kids, also known as pediatrics. To wrap up your EMT knowledge we will end this course with information about hazmat situations, extricating patients from tight spots and finally how you write a note about your patient care. You will learn to ensure it communicates what your assessment of the patient was, what...
20. Addiction Treatment: Clinical Skills for Healthcare Providers
This course is designed with a singular goal: to improve the care you provide to your patients with substance use disorders. By delving into a model case performed by actors, seven Yale instructors from various fields provide techniques to screen your patients for substance use disorder risk, diagnose patients to gauge the severity of their use, directly manage treatment plans, refer out to treatment services, and navigate the various conditions that may limit your patient’s access to treatment...