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 give learners a way to indicate 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.
Providers must also make it clear to learners that if they want to earn ASHA CEUs, then their name, address, email, phone number, and ASHA ID will be shared with ASHA CE. Some Providers may include this information in the organization’s privacy and security policy. In this case, learners must be given the opportunity to opt out of having this information shared. An example of the language that could be used includes:
Opt In/Out
Would you like us to report your course completions to the ASHA CE Registry for courses offered for ASHA CEUs?
___Yes, Opt in: Report my course completions to the CE Registry.
___ No, Opt out: Do not report my course completions; I will track them myself.
You can return to this page and change your response at any time.
If this information is not covered in the privacy and security policy or in the learner’s profile, then Providers should make the choice clear for each course. 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). As described above, learners may be given the opportunity to opt in or out of earning ASHA CEUs in their profile, as noted in the organization’s privacy and security policy.
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
- give learners a way to indicate the desire 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 without their notification and consent 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 and provided to ASHA CE upon request.
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,
