Policy #104 ESPCC Selection
| Approved By: | APSE Board of Directors |
| Changes Must be Authorized By: | APSE Board of Directors |
| Approval Date: | May 9, 2011 |
| Revision Date(s): | May 7, 2019; October 19, 2022; October 10, 2023; November 22, 2024; January 24, 2025 |
| Date Last Reviewed: | January 24, 2025 |
Current ESPCC members will not be eligible to serve on the APSE Board of Directors during their term of service on the ESPCC, except for the non-voting members of the ESPCC appointed by the respective bodies.
At-Large Council Members
The ESPCC At-Large Council member positions are selected using the following qualifying criteria: The Certification Director is responsible for soliciting qualified candidates for vacant, voting ESPCC member positions. Self-nominations are encouraged.There is a Nominating Committee made up of ESPCC members responsible for review of initial interest applications and creating a slate proposed to the ESPCC for a ballot vote.
The ESPCC and Nominating Committee will seek a diverse, qualified group of Council members and will consider relevant factors that may include, but are not limited to, each candidate’s geographic location, area of practice, educational background, and employment experience.
At-Large Council member positions will represent a variety of stakeholder groups, which may include mental health, vocational rehabilitation, trainers/educators, direct service providers and others. At least 5 of the 6 At-Large Council Members (including Chair and Vice Chair) must be CESP™ credential holders. ESPCC members will have appropriate education, experience, training or other qualifications.
Public Members
The Public Members are appointed by the ESPCC Chair, with approval of the ESPCC. The Chair will review and initially meet with candidates to ensure established criteria for the role has been met.The ESPCC Public Members are appointed to represent the direct and indirect users of CESP™ credential holders’ services and to effectively advocate for their interests. The Public Members have the same privileges and authority and are expected to perform the same duties as those of all other voting ESPCC members.
The Public Members will meet the criteria established in the current National Commission for Certifying Agencies (NCCA) Standards for the Accreditation of Certification Programs (2021).
A public or consumer member’s role is to bring a perspective to the decision-making of the certification program that is broader than the certificants’ and to help balance the certification program’s role in protecting the public while advancing the interests of the certificants. Effective public or consumer members also represent the public’s, consumer’s, or user’s perspective and interest; bring new ideas and goals to the certification board to ensure the public interest is valued; contribute an unbiased perspective; encourage consumer-oriented positions; and bring additional public accountability and responsiveness. The public member’s regular involvement in board actions and decisions should be documented. (Institute for Credentialing Excellence, 2021).
Criteria for Public Members
- Stated commitment to a diverse and inclusive workforce
- Ability to communicate effectively with members of the Council and the public
- Demonstrated commitment to dedicate the time necessary to fully participate in all Council activities
- Willingness to learn about the credential and champion for the interests of the public
- At least one Public Member should be either a person with lived experience or a family member who may or may not have participated with employment support services
- Employers who have hired people with disabilities using the supports of employment support professionals
- Should not be a CESP™
- Registered lobbyist for a provider or organization representing the interests of employment support providers
APSE Board Appointee
The APSE Board Appointee is selected by the APSE Board using a process determined by the board. The Appointee will meet all qualifications for an ESPCC member as listed below.Officers
An ESPCC Chair and Vice-Chair are elected by the voting ESPCC members from among the ESPCC members by a majority of the Council. The Vice-Chair position does not automatically transition to Chair. Each position is elected by the Council.Officer Duties
- The Chair presides at ESPCC meetings; approves the agenda for all ESPCC meetings; and performs other duties as appropriate for the Chair position.
- The Vice-Chair presides at meetings in the Chair’s absence and performs other duties of the Chair’s office in case of absence of the Chair, or when requested to do so by the Chair.
Each Officer serves a 1-year term, and is eligible, if re-elected by the ESPCC, for consecutive terms in the same office until the end of his/her term as a Council member.
Orientation
All ESPCC members receive an appropriate orientation the beginning of their initial term, provided by the Certification Director or ESPCC Chair. Orientation about the credential, the importance to public interests, the certification process, and employment supports will be provided to each member as needed, with a requirement for the Public Member.Orientation materials should include but are not limited to: a copy of the ESPCC Policy and Procedure Manual, relevant APSE policies and procedures, candidate handbook, review of application and recertification forms, ESPCC minutes for the previous 3 months, financial reports for the current year-to-date and previous year, and other materials as needed to provide adequate background information for the new member.
Resignation, Vacancies, and Removal
An ESPCC member may resign at any time by providing written notice to the Chair (or to the Certification Director in the case of the Chair’s resignation). The written notice includes the effective date of the resignation. If no date is provided, the Chair determines the effective date.Except for the APSE Board Appointee, all other unscheduled vacancies are filled by appointment by the Chair, with approval of the Council, for the remainder of the term. Unscheduled vacancies in the APSE Board Appointee position will be filled by the entity that made the initial appointment for that position.
An ESPCC member may be removed or suspended, for cause, by a 2/3 vote of the Council members at any regular or special meeting at which a quorum is present. Reasons for removal may include but are not limited to: failure to perform the duties of the office, failure to attend meetings of the Council, failure to be prepared for or fully participate in Council meetings, or acting in a manner not in the best interest of the CESP™ credentialing program.