CSA Code of Professional Responsibility and the CSA Board of Standards

CSA Code of Professional Responsibility: provides ethical standards and rules of conduct for all CSAs.

CSA Board of Standards (BOS): is an independent, nonprofit corporation that investigates formal complaints lodged against CSAs for alleged violations of the CSA Code. The BOS reviews all complainant cases and disciplines CSAs when appropriate.

The BOS operates independently from the SCSA and the Certification Council. The Certification Council refers any complaint it may receive concerning a CSA’s conduct to the BOS. For details, click on http://www.csa.us/EthicsEssentials.aspx.

For a complete description of the CSA certification program, see the CSA Candidate Handbook.

The difference between a certification program and a certificate program:

The CSA designation program is a certification program. People are eligible for the CSA exam based on requirements established by the independent SCSA Certification Council. These requirements include certain levels of education and/or experience related to the field of aging and working with seniors. In addition, professionals who hold the credential must adhere to a professional code of conduct, the CSA Code of Professional Responsibility, which is enforced by the independent Board of Standards, and the SCSA Membership Rules. Also, to recertify the credential, CSAs must fulfill continuing education requirements, also established by the Certification Council.

The CSA designation program is not a certificate program (where one completes a course, takes an exam, and is awarded a certificate of completion). Graduates of certificate programs do not hold a professional credential; do not become members of an organization; are not required by virtue of having the certificate to follow a professional code of conduct; and do not have to fulfill continuing education requirements related to the certificate.