Credentialing World Tour: United States – Healthcare-specific

Certified Administrator of Volunteer Services (CAVS)

What It Is

Certified Administrator of Volunteer Services (CAVS) is the certification sponsored by the Association for Healthcare Volunteer Resource Professionals (AHVRP)  and accepted by the American Hospital association.  AHVRP is the premier professional membership society for volunteer services, retail operations and related support services disciplines in healthcare settings. It provides education, recognition for personal and professional achievements, and national networking, as well as affiliation and collaboration with the American Hospital Association on public policy and advocacy issues related to healthcare volunteer services and retail operations.

The CAVS Program has three components:

• Eligibility requirements that are a blend of education and experience, and profile the individual who is likely to be successful on the Certification Examination.
• A 110-item multiple-choice Certification Examination of regularly performed tasks considered essential to competent practice.
• A renewal requirement. Certification is valid for three years after which it must be renewed through retaking and passing the Certification Examination or documenting 45 contact hours of continuing professional education.

Certification promotes excellence in healthcare volunteer services administered by:

• Professionally recognizing those qualified individuals who meet the eligibility requirements of the CAVS Program and pass the required examination.
• Encouraging continued personal and professional growth in the practice of healthcare volunteer services administration.
• Providing a national standard of knowledge and practice required for certification, thereby assisting employers, the public and members of other health professions in the assessment and evaluation of the qualifications of the volunteer services administrator.

How It Is Earned

To be eligible to take the CAVS Examination, a candidate must work in a job where at least 50 percent of his/her time is related to volunteer management. In addition, candidates must fulfill one of the following requirements for education or work experience:

• Baccalaureate degree or higher plus two years of associated professional experience in healthcare volunteer services management.
• Associate degree plus three years of associated professional experience in healthcare volunteer services management.
• High school diploma or equivalent plus four years of associated professional experience in healthcare volunteer services management.

The CAVS Candidate Handbook and Application is a publication that addresses eligibility requirements, content of the Examination, regulations related to testing and how to apply for the Examination. As stated in the Handbook, test items are not selected from any single reference or set of references. The intent of the Examination is to test for mastery of a well-defined body of knowledge that requires a blend of education and experience in the profession.  The Handbook and a CAVS Review Guide are available from AHVRP at http://www.ahvrp.org/ahvrp/programs/certification.html.

A pencil and paper version of the CAVS Examination is administered at the AHVRP annual conference, and is also offered occasionally at state conferences upon special arrangement.  An online version of the exam is administered by the Council for Certification in Volunteer Administration (CCVA) using the ExamSoft e-testing software.

There are no established “testing centers” – candidates make their own local arrangements, and many choose to use a computer at their worksite, a local college, or on their personal laptop. Candidates work with CCVA to identify an appropriate individual to proctor and supervise the exam.

Individuals wishing to take the CAVS Exam must apply to CCVA at least 60 days in advance. This allows ample time to download the software, take the practice test online and become familiar with the e-testing system. When a candidate is ready to take the CAVS Exam, a password is sent to his/her proctor to access the Exam.

Costs of the Examination is $250 for a member of AHVRP and $375 for non-members. Renewal costs $135 for members and $225 for non-members.

How It Evolved

The predecessor of AHRVP was the American Society for Directors of Volunteer Services (ASDVS), one of the formal professional societies of the American Hospital Association.  Three ASDVS affiliated state groups had developed their own successful state certification programs: Ohio since 1978, North Carolina since 1982, and Florida since 1990.  In 1998, the ASDVS board of directors included certification as a part of the ASDVS Strategic Plan and charged the Professional Development Committee with the responsibility of designing a national certification program.  The Ohio, North Carolina and Florida affiliates shared their state-level expertise and the Committee examined related national certification programs to best craft a program for ASDVS as a whole.  Approximately 200 individuals have earned the designation since 1998.

Contributors’ Reflections

Credentialing in hospitals is a deeply ingrained business practice in all clinical and patient service professions, yet many hospital administrators are simply not aware a CAVS exists. The application process for certification bonuses is standard in most hospitals but often times volunteer leaders assume they will qualify so they do not apply.  As AHVRP leaders continue to promote the CAVS, we have witnessed some movement by a select few hospital industry leaders in awarding annual credentialing bonuses for a CAVS.  In addition, we are now seeing a CAVS being required when hiring new salaried volunteer leaders.

Some of the challenges faced by hospital volunteer leaders in pursuing a CAVS are linked to funding, internal recognition for the effort and time limitations. The hospital environment is fast-paced, highly regulated and oftentimes unpredictable. The human need never ends; the day never ends. More often than not, the salaried volunteer leader runs a department of only one or two other staff, yet manages very large patient service volunteer programs requiring continued personal supervision.  Even though it makes total sense that the knowledge gained from certification might ease some of the pressures of the job, taking time away to work on one seems impossible.  And if no recognition or reward from hospital administration is on the horizon, many choose not to even try.  However, many do and they all echo the same sentiment upon earning their CAVS: the personal satisfaction and validation the CAVS brings to their professional lives makes it all worth it.

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