Fellow Program

Purpose

The purpose of the fellow program is to recognize expertise, experience, and contribution to the field of life care planning. The program recognizes those life care planners who have achieved a high level of skill and who use their skills and knowledge to promote the advancement of life care planning.

The College of Life Care Planning Excellence

The College of Life Care Planning Excellence was formed to recognize those life care planners whose expertise, experience, and contribution to the field of life care planning are exemplary. The College rewards those life care planners who have achieved a high level of skill and who use their skills and knowledge to promote the advancement of life care planning. The College of Life Care Planning Excellence grants its Fellow designation based on criteria established nearly 20 years ago.

The Fellow designation (FIALCP) was first established through the International Academy of Life Care Planners (IALCP) in 1996. IALCP was a privately owned professional membership association at that time. Its goals were to serve the advanced practice educational needs of life care planners and to promote the application of Standards of Practice for Life Care Planners (now in its third edition) in the field. In 2006 IALCP became a professional section of the International Association of Rehabilitation Professionals [IARP], however, it continues to maintain the same goals.

Applicants for the Fellow designation are life care planners who may self-nominate to be considered for the Fellow distinction. An applicant must be a member of the International Association of Rehabilitation Professionals and have a minimum of a bachelor’s degree. They must maintain licensure, registration, and/or credentials required to practice in their profession of origin.

Three FIALCP Fellows review the completed applications. The review process is blind (the reviewers do not know the identity of the applicant and the applicant does not know the identity of the reviewers). Applicants who meet the minimum threshold score will be awarded the Fellow designation. Those who do not meet the minimum threshold score are provided information to determine which areas require improvement or clarification.

On the application, eleven criteria of skilled practice are delineated. Successful applicants are expected to consistently demonstrate skill and knowledge in each criterion. Each criterion is scored as a pass or fail. All three reviewers must agree on a pass of all ten criterion. If all three reviewers do not agree, they may hold a conference call for discussion and reconsideration on the decision. If consensus cannot be reached, the application will be denied. The decisions of the reviewers are final. The review process is conducted using objective criteria. To ensure the integrity of the review process and the Fellow program, exceptions to the criteria will not be made. The application fee is $350. This fee covers expenses of the Life Care Planning IALCP Section for the review process, clerical support, and certificates.

Renewal of the Fellow designation occurs every five years on the anniversary of the same month that the original designation was awarded. Renewal applications have a fee of $175. Being recognized with the College’s FIALCP designation is an affirmation of excellence in the life care planning community of rehabilitation.

Emeritus Fellow Designation

  1. Life care planning fellows with a long history of exceptionally distinguished service in the field will be granted emeritus status upon death or retirement if they consistently maintained their fellow status once awarded.

  2. Upon retirement, an emeritus request can be made by the fellow or by an individual on behalf of the fellow, via email, to a member of the IALCP board of directors. The board reserves the right to request additional information; it will respond to the applicant within three months by email.

  3. Fellows granted emeritus status will be so noted by an asterisk by their names in the list of fellows on the website.

  4. There will be no fee to maintain emeritus status.