E-Badge Academy Applicant Handbook

The NADSP E-Badge Academy is designed to be a formal system to recognize the knowledge, skills, and values of Direct Support Professionals and Frontline Supervisors working with people with disabilities.

When an organization participates in the NADSP E-Badge Academy, they can enroll their Direct Support Professional and Frontline Supervisor workforce into the E-Badge Academy’s web-based platform certification levels 1, 2, or 3 for DSPs or to a FLS certification for Frontline Supervisors. Each level of certification provides a DSP or FLS with a certificate demonstrating their completion.

The NADSP recommends that DSPs enrolling in the E-Badge Academy through their organization have some work experience to draw from when completing competency badges. Organizations looking to use the E-Badge Academy to train and prepare pre-service DSPs are encouraged to develop internship opportunities to help provide the pre-service DSP with experience to draw from when submitting competency badges.
To enroll in the E-Badge Academy, a local administrator in the participating organization must invite each user to join the E-Badge Academy portal. The DSP/FLS will receive an email with the invitation, which requires them to log on and create a password. If a new user misses the enrollment window, they may contact their local administrator to request a unique email invitation.
Certification is based upon submitting accredited education transcripts and testimonials describing their work concerning CMS competencies and the NADSP Code of Ethics. Direct Support Professionals and Frontline Supervisors must achieve approved badges in three categories for certification.

This document covers E-Badge Academy basics, policies, code of conduct, eligibility and best practices.

For questions on the E-Badge Academy, contact Desiree Loucks Baer at dloucksbaer@nadsp.org.