A START Coordinator plays a vital role on a START Clinical Team. A START Coordinator does not replace any one member of an existing system of support. Rather, they collaborate and facilitate change through the way they understand, interact with, and respond to the people and systems they serve. Based on the premise that there is no value in expertise if it is not shared, START Coordinators continuously share knowledge with system partners to build capacity. The goal of START coordination is to help the person and system of support achieve stability making START services no longer necessary. This goal is accomplished through specialized practices (e.g., outreach, cross-systems crisis planning, assessment, and intervention) that build on the principles and values of START.
What is START Coordinator Certification?
Coordinator Certification indicates a demonstration of effective implementation of the START model. Achieving the rigorous training and practice standards set by the National Center for START Services® (NCSS), as part of the well-respected Institute on Disability at UNH, verifies fidelity to the mission, values, principles, and approaches of START. Additionally, certification validates specialized knowledge in the field of IDD-MH (intellectual and developmental disabilities and mental health needs). Being a certified START Coordinator affords opportunities to contribute to the broader field through valuable research and networking opportunities. The competencies required for certification have been identified by the National Center for START Services® through best practices in learning, data collection, and input from experts in the field of IDD-MH, including members of the START network and persons with lived experiences of IDD-MH as well as their families.
Coordinators receive a certificate signifying their accomplishment of Coordinator Certification which includes Continuing Education Units (CEU’s) through the University of New Hampshire. This certification requires on-going continuing education hours and renewal every 2 years. This certification can remain active even if a Certified Coordinator leaves their START program via joining the Certified Coordinator Network (CCN).
How can I get certified?
To become a certified START coordinator, you must be employed by a START program. You can learn more about where START programs are located across the country by visiting the START Programs Locations Page.
The National Center for START Services® offers many training options for the community that do not require employment by a START program. If you are interested in learning more about these training opportunities, check out the Training and Professional Development pages.
The START Coordinator Curriculum was developed to ensure that START team members are equipped with the knowledge and skills necessary to be effective specialists in the mental health aspects of IDD. The START Coordinator Curriculum consists of four main elements: the Coordinator Training Group, active START coordination, START program-specific training, and ongoing engagement with NCSS.
START Coordinator Certification Course
This online course consists of recorded trainings and reading assignments that provide in-depth training on the mental health aspects of intellectual and developmental disabilities and the START model, including overviews of the specific assessments, tools, and approaches utilized by START Coordinators. The curriculum was developed by the National Center for START Services® which includes people with the lived experience of IDD-MH and their families, University of New Hampshire (UNH) faculty, and START network partners from across the country. It is intended to provide a conceptual framework from which to build upon. The course is asynchronous. The course is complimentary to the training received by START program leadership and NCSS.
Coordinator Training Groups (CTGs)
Coordinator Training Groups (CTGs) are synchronous (live and interactive) online learning forums facilitated by NCSS staff that are designed to deepen a Coordinator’s understanding and application of the content presented in the Coordinator Course. CTGs meet virtually via Zoom videoconferencing once a week for 19 weeks and corresponds with the Coordinator Course.
Active START Coordination
Direct application of START principles and practices is vital to full integration of the curriculum content and facilitated CTG discussions into your daily work. One key practice of a START Coordinator is the development and implementation of the Cross-Systems Crisis Prevention and Intervention Plan. The development process integrates all core aspects of START coordination including system engagement, biopsychosocial approaches, and wellness-based interventions.
Program-Specific Training
Program-specific training is integral to the START model. As system consultants, it is important that Coordinators understand the culture and other factors that impact the systems in which they work. Coordinators will receive training specific to the protocols, tools, and assessments that are required by their specific programs. Ongoing clinical training and supervision are also a part of the training Coordinators receive from their respective programs.
NCSS Engagement
START programs and team members receive ongoing support from the National Center for START Services® (NCSS). NCSS supports programs and individuals through training, consultation, ongoing data collection and analysis as well as leading research initiatives in the field of IDD-MH.
Training offered includes:
- ongoing support from NCSS Project Facilitators
- the availability of individual and group office hours
- consultation to ensure START model fidelity in practice
- technical assistance with START tools and data tracking
- for leadership members, ongoing practice groups
NCSS also offers enhanced training via quarterly Continuing Practice Workshops and the annual National Online Training Series.
What is the Certified Coordinator Network and who joins?
The Certified Coordinator Network (CCN) is for anyone who has previously been a Certified START Coordinator and is no longer an active employee of a START Program.
There is a $200 fee to join the network and this payment aligns with the renewal of the persons’ START Coordinator Certification expiration date. START Coordinator Certifications are active for 2 years after their certification date even if they depart their START program during this time.
Perks and Benefits of the Certified Coordinator Network
The Certified Coordinator Network supports maintaining an active START Coordinator Certification and helps to sustain connection with the national START network following a person’s departure from a START program. It also provides access to evidence-informed materials and training opportunities that ensures a Certified START Coordinator remains apprised of the most up to date best practices in the field of IDD-MH.
Benefits At-A-Glance:
- Stay connected with a subscription to the NCSS News and Views
- First to know about upcoming events and trainings
- 15% discount for NCSS Professional Development courses
- Mobile Crisis
- Care Coordinators
- Direct Support Professionals
- 988 Training for National Suicide Lifeline Counselors
- Discount for Applied Positive Psychology
- Discount for the START National Training Institute
- Complimentary enrollment in the National Online Training Series (NOTS)
- The potential to access an average of 30 CEUs per year
Join the Certified Coordinator Network
If you are or have been a Certified START Coordinator, you can join the Certified Coordinator Network by emailing NCSS training.
Common Questions:
Q: If I’m in year 1 of my 2-year renewal cycle, what action do I take right now?
A: Email NCSS training with your name, certification date, and personal email. You are in good standing andYou will receive all benefits associated with the CCN. When you renew at year 2, you will submit your application for START Coordinator Certification Renewal and the $200 fee.
Q: How do I get discount codes?
A: Throughout the year, you will receive emails with upcoming events, trainings, registration announcements and discount codes.
The purpose of certification renewal is to ensure that all START Coordinators continue to actively integrate current research, training, and best practices in their application of the START model. Certification renewal also reflects START’s value of remaining open to learning and teaching.
Coordinators must apply for certification renewal every two years. This application requires proof of ongoing learning and application of START principles and practices. It is expected that Certified START Coordinators keep records of trainings received and given as part of the requirements for certification renewal.
