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The American Academy for Certification of Brain Injury Specialists (AACBIS) offers a national program that certifies people who work with brain injury survivors. Certification is offered to a wide variety of populations, from entry-level staff to experienced professionals, and isn’t restricted to any one profession or discipline.

Brain Injury Certification Levels

There are two certification levels, each of which represents a different level of skill and experience: Certified Brain Injury Specialist (CBIS) and Certified Brain Injury Specialist Trainer (CBIST).

To be eligible for CBIS, applicants must:

• Have worked with at least one brain injury survivor 10 hours per week for at least 12 months.
• Have had an experience that included formal supervision or that was done was the applicant worked under a professional license. 
• Have the equivalent of a high school diploma.

To be eligible for CBIST, applicants must:

• Have a bachelor’s degree.
• Have five years of direct clinical experience in brain injury with two years at the supervisory level; or three years of direct research experience in brain injury; or three years experience developing brain injury rehabilitation programs or units.
• Have adequate skills in the areas of raining, supervision, and teaching within the brain injury discipline.

Topics Covered During Certification

During the certification process, applicants will follow a course that will ensure they have adequate knowledge in the following areas:

• Incidence and epidemiology of brain injury
• Continuum of services
• Brain anatomy and brain-behavior relationships
• Functional impact of brain injury
• Effective treatment approaches
• Children and adolescents with brain injury
• Health and medical management
• Family issues
• Legal and ethical issues