CERTIFICATION LEVELS

• Level 1 Certification
• Level 2 Certification
• Level 3 Certification
• Trainer Certification

 

To become certified at Level 1 beginning 9/1/08, you must have the following Requirements:

10 Hour Nutrition Education Course Core Requirement	Healthy Edge or The Kentucky Obligation or SNA approved equivalent
10 Hour Sanitation & Safety Course - Core Requirement	ServSafe or KenSafe or SNA approved equivalent course
Academic Experience HS Diploma/GED will be required in 2011 for all levels	Total of 20 Hours

 

To become certified at Level 2 you must have the following Requirements:

10 Hour Nutrition Education Course Core Requirement	Same as above
10 Hour Sanitation & Safety Course Core Requirement	Same as above
20 Hours in Key Area 1 (Operations)	(e.g.) HACCP, Menu planning, Food Prep, Facility Design, Purchasing/Inventory, State-approved alternatives
15 additional hours in Key Area 2 (Nutrition)	(e.g.) Basic Nutrition, Dietary Guidelines, State- approved alternatives
20 Hours in Key Area 3 (Administration)	(e.g.) Personnel Mgt. Business Mgt. Personal wellness, Interpersonal skills, Financial Mgt., Record Keeping, State-approved alternatives
15 Hours in Key Area 4 (Communications/Marketing)	(e.g.) Marketing, Promotion, Customer Service, Communication, Merchandising, State-approved alternatives
Academic Experience:  HS Diploma/GED	Total of 90 Hours

 

To become certified at Level 3 you must have the following Requirements:

10 Hour Nutrition Education Course	Same as above
10 Hour Sanitation & Safety Course	Same as above
35 hours in Key Area 1 (Operations)	(e.g.) HACCP, Menu planning, Food Prep, Facility Design, Purchasing/Inventory, State-approved alternatives
35 hours in Key Area 2 (Nutrition)	(e.g.) Basic Nutrition, Dietary Guidelines, State- approved alternatives
45 Hours in Key Area 3 (Administration) & Key Area 4 (Communications/Marketing) & additional 15 hours of General Electives	(e.g.) Personnel Mgt. Bus. Mgt. Personal wellness, Interpersonal skills, Fin. Mgt., Record Keeping, State-approved alt. e.g.) Marketing, Promotion, Customer Service, Communication, Merchandising, State-approved alternatives
Academic Experience: 2 ways to obtain (College Credits or HS diploma/GED and/or college credits	Total of 150 Hours

What’s the difference between Core Requirements /Key Area Hours and Continuing Education Units (CEUs)?

Core Requirements and Key Area Hours are for those individuals working to obtain certification or move to a higher level of certification.

Continuing Education Units are for those individuals who have already become certified and are working on certification renewal.

Core Requirements and Key Area Hours can be used for CEUs but CEU approved courses may not be used for Core Requirement and Key Area Hours.

Approved Alternative Core Requirement Classes for Kentucky:

KenSafe – Home study course approved by SNA to meet the Core requirement for Sanitation
The Kentucky Obligation (TKO) – Home study course approved by SNA to meet Core Requirement for Nutrition

Key Area Requirements

Key Area Requirement courses:

• Must be at least 2 hours of active instructional time (does not include breaks, registration, warm ups)
• Completed by attending programs/workshops that do not date back farther than five years of the date you apply for initial certification.
• Can be earned by completing college courses or participating in programs/workshops that offer Key Area hours.

Conversion Table for College Credits ~ Levels 2 & 3

1 College Credit =	15 Key Area Hours
2 College Credit =	30 Key Area Hours
3 College Credit =	45 Key Area Hours

 

Certification Application Fees

Certification Level	Member Fee	Non Member Fee
Level 1	$10	$55
Level 2	$12	$65
Level 3	$25	$175

 

Grandfathering

• Effective September 1, 2008, SNA’s Certification program will become an annual program.
• NEW applicants will follow the new requirements described in the Certification Guide.
• Certified individuals will earn CEUs annually and pay an annual renewal fee.
• If your certification is scheduled to expire on or before September 1, 2011, SNA will honor the existing expiration date, you will follow the former certification renewal guidelines and pay the annual fee
• Individuals who have current SNA certification will be enrolled in the new program at the time of their certification expiration date.
  

Certification RENEWAL FEES & CEU requirements

• You have to maintain your certification by renewing annually and paying an annual renewal fee
• Three months prior to your certification expiration date, SNA will mail you a letter and renewal application
• You are only required to submit CEU documentation if you receive an audit notice from SNA
  

Certification Level	Member Annual Renewal Fee	Non-Member Annual Renewal Fee	CEUs
Level 1	$5	$50	6 CEUs
Level 2	$6	$60	12 CEUs
Level 3	$8	$160	18 CEUs

 

General CEU Guidelines

• Individuals are responsible for maintaining documentation of al CEUs earned.
• Core requirements and Key Area Hours can be used for CEUs BUT CEUs cannot be used for Core Requirements and Key Area Hours.
• CEUs are for Certification Renewal only.
• CEUs must be completed and earned within the certification renewal period
• Individuals who earn CEUs by attending programs offered by third part associations do not need to receive approval for those CEUs.
• CEUs must be at least 1 hour of active instructional time should reflect job-related growth experiences.
• CEUs for SNA-sponsored events will be maintained in the SNA database.
  

CEU Documentation For Audits

SNA will notify individuals who are selected for an audit of the CEUs they need to submit. Below is a list of the types of CEU documentation accepted by SNA:

Certificates of Completion Program Agendas Badges

Copies of Rosters Program Books/Brochures Payment Receipts

College or University Transcripts Registration Confirmation Letters

 

Changing Levels

You many move from one level to another by attaining the additional academic and Key Area Requirements for the new level

You must submit an application form, certificates of completion of Key Area hours or college transcripts and payment for the level you are applying for.

You also may downgrade from one level to the next by submitting the certification renewal application and appropriate fee.

If you change certification levels, you will be given a new certification expiration date. You will be expected to meet the CEU requirements and fees for the new level at that expiration date.

You are able to use college courses and participate in programs approved for Key Area Hours to move from one Level to the next.

Trainer Certification

Trainer certification assures that instructors are experienced and trained to provide quality training, courses are standardized, instruction meets the standards of the profession and assures the objectives of the classes have been met, and a database of qualified trainers is maintained.

Professional Experience	Have 2 years of experience teaching adults within the past five years Submit letters of recommendation from your current employer, former employer, or customers indicating your experience as a trainer
Credentials/Academic Experience	Level 3 Certification, SNS, RD, Bachelors, masters or PhD in a related field
Course Requirements	10hr Nutrition Education Course (i.e. Healthy EDGE or SNA approved course) Healthy EDGE must be taught by a SNA Certified Trainer 10 hr Trainer Certification Workshop or Adult Education Training College Course (Minimum 1 College Credit) If you have a college degree in Education, the 10 hour Trainer Certification Workshop requirement is waived.
Total Course Hours	20 Hours