What you need to know about eligibility before you apply for the CCM® Exam – Fast Facts!

Posted on 05/21/2019 - 9:54 AM by Danyelle Burwell, Customer Service Manager

So, you have taken the first step and decided you want to be a board-certified case manager. Great! Next question is, who do you want to be certified by? CCMC! Our credential, the CCM®, was the first case management credential in the industry, launching the inaugural CCM exam in 1992.

In order, to earn the CCM designation, you must first apply to take the CCM exam. You’re probably asking yourself, “Am I eligible to apply?”

The CCM exam has two major application requirements to apply under. The requirements must be met fully at the time the CCM exam application is submitted. We always suggest that you read the Certification Guide before applying.

There are three eligibility requirements for the CCM Exam: 1) Licensure OR Education, 2) Employment Experience, AND 3) Good Moral Character.

For the Licensure or Education, you must hold at least ONE (see options A and B):

Option A: A current, active, and unrestricted licensure or certification in a health or human services discipline.  The license or certification must allow for you to conduct an assessment independently. If you are unsure that your license or certification allows you to practice independently, please contact your state governing board. Some examples of licenses and certifications that meeting this eligibility requirement are: RN, LCSW, LMSW, LPC, CRC and CDMS.

In the application, you will be asked to Apply with your License/Certification or Degree. You must select the License/Certification option if you have a current, active, and unrestricted license or certification in a health or human services discipline that, within its scope of practice, allows you to conduct an assessment independently.

Option B: A Baccalaureate or graduate degree in social work, nursing, or another health or human services field that promotes the physical, psychosocial, and/or vocational well-being of the persons being served. The degree must be from an institution that is fully accredited by a nationally recognized educational accreditation organization, and as part of the education curriculum, include supervised field experience in case management, health, or behavioral health.

For the Employment Experience, you must meet at least ONE (see options 1-2-3):

Option 1: Twelve months (12) months of acceptable full-time case management employment experience in the last five years, supervised by a board-certified case manager (CCM).  Your Supervisor must be certified for at least one year at the time of your application.

Option 2: Twenty-four months (24) months of acceptable full-time case management employment experience in the last five years. (Supervision by a CCM is not required under this category).

Option 3: Twelve months (12) months of acceptable full-time case management employment experience as a supervisor of individuals who provide case management services. This must also fall in the last five years.

Having trouble determining if you’re employment experience qualifies? Well, at least 30% of qualified work time MUST focus primarily on case management practice.

Remember, you MUST perform at least FOUR of The Five Core Components of Case Management (Page 6, Certification Guide). Within each of the four of the five core components, you must:

» Perform ALL Eight Essential Activities with Direct Client Contact (Page 6, Certification Guide)

» Provide services across a continuum of care, beyond a single episode of care that addresses the ongoing needs of the individual being served

» Be responsible for interacting with other relevant parties within the client’s healthcare system

In regards, to “Good Moral Character,” please, review the questions listed on page 7 of the Certification Guide. Case management is a professional, collaborative and inter-disciplinary practice. Board certification indicates that the professional case manager possesses the education, skills, moral character, and experience required to render appropriate services based on sound principles of practice.

If you meet these requirements, you are now ready to apply! As always, if you have any questions, our Customer Service team is ready to help. You can reach us at 856-380-6836. 

Tags
Board Certification
Professional Case Manager

Comments

I worked as a Caseworker for a Public Healthcare entity for for than 25 years and have been inactive in the field for the past 2.5 years the question is do I qualify to take the CCM EXAM?

Good afternoon, to be eligible for the CCM Exam, you must meet licensure/education requirements as well as qualified employment experience. All employment experience must be within the LAST five years. Please review the Certification Guide to the CCM Examination which will give you more detailed information regarding eligibility and the application process. If you have any questions please reach out to our Customer Service Department at 856-380-6836.

In reply to by publisher

As a LVN working in case management for 2.5 years and working under the supervision of a CCM RN, would I qualify for CCM.

Thanks for contacting CCMC. Unfortunately, LVNs do not meet our eligibility requirements. In order to obtain this certification, you must have a license or certification that allows you to practice without the supervision of another licensed professional. If you do not have a qualifying license, you could apply with a qualifying degree (bachelors or higher) in health or human services. You can find all of the eligibility requirements in our Certification Guide (https://ccmcertification.org/sites/default/files/docs/2018/ccmc-17-guid…).

Yes can you provide me with information as to obtaining or sitting for a CCM, Ive been a complex case manager for 5 years, and CM for 8 years.

I have been working for 1.5 yrs as an LVN case manager for Mental Health and would to become a certified case manager.

Unfortunately, LVNs do not meet eligibility requirements. You must have a license or certification that allows you to practice without the supervision of another licensed professional. If you do not have a qualifying license, you could apply with a qualifying degree (bachelors or higher) in health or human services. You can find all of the eligibility requirements in our Certification Guide (https://ccmcertification.org/sites/default/files/docs/2018/ccmc-17-guid…).

I worked as a Disease Intervention Specialist, Medical Assistant and Certified Nursing assistant for the past 26 years, assisted and worked as a Case manager for the past four years. Do I qualify to take the CCM exam?

Unfortunately, we do not accept Disease Intervention Specialists, Medical Assistants or CNAs. Please review the Certification Guide for more information in regards to eligibility. In order to qualify, you must have a license/certification that allows you to practice without the supervision of another licensed professional, OR a degree (bachelors or higher), in health or human services. You must also have case management employment experience.

I have a bachelors degree in science and want to get my CM1 and 11 to work in people with recovery. Please any info and leads would be great

I am a Work Comp. Case Manager for several hospitals.... Is WCCM an acceptable experience for the eligibility for the CCM Exam?

There are two main eligibility requirements that need to be satisfied in order to apply for the CCM exam, Education and Employment Experience. Please review the Certification Guide to the CCM Examination which will give you more detailed information regarding eligibility and the application process. If you have any questions you can reach customer service at 856-380-6836.

What is the extent of CCM supervision? Every file reviewed and how often?

I am really excited to know that I will be able to be certified in a field that I love. I have been working at a Case Manager for over 23 years, Supervisor, Program Manager. But I think this certification with make me even more marketable. I am looking to leave my current position ( No upward mobility). Gonna take the test ASAP.

I am a Physical Therapist with over 24 years of experience. I have been performing case management and utilization management with a health care company for the past 3 years. My job is listed as part time, but very flexible and many weeks I work 40 hours/week. What is the definition of FT employment? How many work hours per year qualifies? I am very interested in sitting for this exam and checking to see if I am eligible.
Thank you

In reply to by kkrewer

I am also a physical therapist with my doctorate degree. I do not have case management experience other than case managing patients in home health. Would I qualify to take the exam?

Hello, thanks for contacting CCMC. Please review the Certification Guide (https://ccmcertification.org/sites/default/files/docs/2018/ccmc-17-guid…) for more information in regards to eligibility. In order to qualify, you must have a license/certification or a degree (bachelors or higher), in health or human services, in addition to case management employment experience. In regards to employment, please remember your position must perform all "The Eight Essential Activities with Direct Client Contact" and you must perform at least four of the "Five Core Components of Case Management.

I'm a certified work compensation case manager, (CWCCM) I also have a bachelor degree in health management and several years of experience in case management. I see that according to the guidelines above, I would qualify to become certified as a case manager. (CCM) My question is would the exam be too difficult for someone that is not a RN? My clinical experience is extensive but I'm concerned about the examinations difficulty level. What are your thoughts.

In reply to by christina funck

Hi Christina,

The CCMC® exam is not exclusively just for RNs, as our certification goes across the health continuum. The two main eligibility requirements that need to be satisfied are as follows:

· License or Certification:

Current, active, and unrestricted licensure or certification in a health or human services discipline that within its scope of practice allows the professional to conduct an assessment independently. License must be active through the last date of test administration. (Some examples are: RN, CRC, LCSW, RX, CDMS)

OR

Baccalaureate or graduate degree in social work, nursing, or another health or human services field that promotes the physical, psychosocial, and/or vocational well-being of the persons being served. (Please be advised you must have completed a supervised field experience in case management, health, or behavioral health as part of the degree requirements.)

· Employment Experience:

Category 1: 12 months of acceptable full-time case management employment experience supervised by a board-certified case manager (CCM). Supervision is defined as the systematic and periodic evaluation of the quality of the delivery of the applicant’s case management services.

Category 2: 24 months of acceptable full-time case management employment experience. (Supervision by a CCM is not required under this category).

Category 3: 12 months of acceptable full-time case management employment experience as a supervisor of individuals who provide case management services.

Please review the certification guide (https://ccmcertification.org/get-certified/certification/guides) which will give you more detailed information regarding eligibility and the application process. If you have more questions please reach out to a Certification Navigator at 856-380-6836.

Hello
How many hours will qualify you to sit for the exam. Currently I work 24 hours a week as a case manager. Will I need to wait till I have a certain amount of hours?

In reply to by Karen Wilkerson

Hi Karen,
The amount of time you need to have spent working as a case manager is dependant on which category you fall under, please review section 5 of our certification guide: https://ccmcertification.org/sites/default/files/docs/2017/cert_guide_-…. Please feel free to call one of our Certification Navigators at 856-380-6836 and they can answer your questions in more detail.
Thanks!

I am a full time mammographer/patient navigator at a breast center. I work with patients from the point of their screening mammogram through their cancer diagnosis. As a licensed and registered radiology technologist, do I fall under the "licensure or certification in a health or human services discipline" umbrella?

Hi i am a RN care manger. I got my bachelor degree in other country.Am I eligible to write the exam?

Hello
I am an LPN currently working as a CM. Would I be eligible?

Hello. I read the guidelines but I can't find info regarding LVN/LPN eligibility. The description in the guidelines can be left open to interpretation so I wanted to double check.

Thanks for contacting CCMC. Unfortunately, LVNs/LPNs do not meet eligibility requirements. In order to obtain this certification, you must have a license or certification that allows you to practice without the supervision of another licensed professional. If you do not have a qualifying license, you could apply with a qualifying degree(bachelors or higher) in health or human services. You can find all of the eligibility requirements in our Certification Guide found here: https://ccmcertification.org/sites/default/files/docs/2018/ccmc-17-guid…

Hi,
I am a Peritoneal Dialysis RN with the following roles: trainer, patient educator, collaboratively works with IDT, nephrologist, pharmacy, insurance, hospital liaisons, and other out patient healthcare services. I manage the care of 15-18 ESRD patients. Our title does not say Case Manager, would that be considered or counted as Case Manager? Please advise. Thank you.

In reply to by melmarie Lumahan

Hi Melmarie, Thank you for reaching out! Your title does not need to specifically say "case manager". You can find all of the eligibility requirements regarding qualifications and employment experience in our certification guide which can be found here: https://ccmcertification.org/get-certified/certification/guides.

I have a Masters degree online, but was not require to do field experience as part of my degree. Will my degree qualify for testing?

Hi Cyndy, The degree must be from an institution that is fully accredited by a nationally recognized
educational accreditation organization, and you must have completed a supervised
field experience in case management, health, or behavioral health. However, your bachelor's degree may satisfy this requirement. You can find more details about the eligibility requirements in our certification guide which can be found here: https://ccmcertification.org/get-certified/certification/guides or you can call one of our Certification Navigators at (856) 380-6836.

Hello! I am a licensed RN with my experience being in maternal-child/Nursery/NICU. I am wanting to obtain employment as a case manager. I want to get certified as a case manager before applying for such positions as I feel it will make me more marketable. What is the fee involved with the exam, and how do I get access to the study material?

hello I am an RN/BSN, with 2 1/2 years experience in case management within the past five years. however, what is meant by "acceptable full time case management employment"?

Hello, I have providing case management for the last four years under the supervision of a critical care nurse educator. I have a CNA certificate and a medical assistant degree. I also have a bachelors degree in economic and a juris doctorate. Am I eligible to set for the exam?

I have finished my Masters in Nursing Education and preparing for my NCLEX.Is it possible for me to get the license with out RN license.

Hello, I am a RN Care Coordinator/ Case Manager currently working under a Case Manager that currently has a CCM Certification. I will be in my role for 12 months by Nov. 21, 2018. I am interested in taking the CCM exam in December 2018, but I will not be eligible for the exam until November 2018. Per the Application Cycle, I will have to submit my application by Sept. 30, 2018. If I submit my application for the CCM exam in September, will I still be approved for the exam in December?

Hello,

Thank you for reaching out, we appreciate your interest in certification! According to the Certification Guide, applicants must meet ALL qualifications at the time you submit your application. If you do not meet the qualifications at the time you submit, your application will be denied. The next exam will be April 2019 and the application window will be open from November 1, 2018, through January 31, 2019. If you have any questions please feel free to reach out to our Certification Navigators at 856-380-6836.

I've worked as a prn case management social worker at a hospital for 2 years this October. Is there an "hours" requirement if you're not a full-time employee? I know the ACM requires so many hours. Is it the same for CCM?

Hi Carrie,
Thank you for reaching out. Part-time employment experience will be pro-rated based on a 37 hour full-time work week. If you have further questions, please contact customer service at 856-380-6836.

Hello
I do have the educational and work experience, however I do have a DWI on my record. It occurred about 4 to 5 years ago. Does this make me not qualified to take the exam. Is a criminal background check done?

In reply to by Tasha

Hello Tasha,
Thank you for reaching out. If you submit an application and answer the addition questions with "YES", you will receive a preliminary denial. You will be asked to provide court documents that the charge has been satisfied and it will be reviewed by our review committee. If you have additional questions please reach out to our certification navigators at 856-380-6836.

Can A PTA become a case manager?