Certified Brain Injury Specialist (CBIS)

The UAMS Brain Injury Program offers this course annually to professionals who would like to learn more about how to provide comprehensive and effective care to people with brain injuries.

The Brain Injury Program will fund a limited number of spots, and they are filled on a first-come, first-served basis. Participants will be required to purchase their own book from the Brain Injury Association of America.

We will begin enrolling this fall and run the course after the new year. You will receive an email with the finalized details and the opportunity to reserve your spot when we open up the list. 

About the Course and Qualifications:

The Certified Brain Injury Specialist (CBIS) course is an intensive training program designed by the Brain Injury Association of America. It covers a wide range of topics related to brain injury. Upon completion of the course, participants will be eligible to take the CBIS certification exam.

Eligibility Requirements: 

• Applicants must have 500 hours of currently verifiable direct contact experience with an individual or individuals with brain injury. 
• Experience can be paid employment and/or academic internship. Volunteer work and self-recovery does not qualify.
• The qualifying experience must have included formal supervision or have been conducted while the applicant operated under a professional license. If the applicant is operating under a professional license, then he/she must be in good standing.
• Applicants must have a high school diploma or equivalent.

Course Requirements & Important Dates:

• All interest form responses need to be submitted no later than Monday, December 2, 2024.
• Those who fill out the interest form will be invited to attend 1 of 3 interest meetings to explain the process and expectations for the course. Those will be held on December 13, 2024 at the following times:
  • 9:30am – 10:30am
  • 1:30pm – 2:30pm
  • 6:30pm – 7:30pm
• For those that register, it is a requirement to attend the following classes in order to be eligible:
  • Introduction Class (virtual):
    • December 18, 2024 (time TBD)
  • Review Class 1 (in-person in Little Rock, location TBD):
    • April 2, 2025 from 8:00am to 12:00pm
  • Review Class 2 (in-person in Little Rock, location TBD)
    • April 4, 2025 from 8:00am to 4:00pm

You can read more about the CBIS course at:

https://www.biausa.org/professionals/acbis/certified-brain-injury-specialist/cbis-information-eligibility

Questions? Contact Brandi Dawson at bdawson@uams.edu