CE Hours FAQ
Q: Can I get CE credit for a program previously attended and reported?
A: Once CE hours have been earned for a specific program, it cannot be resubmitted for credit again, regardless of whether it is in a new recertification period. Credit can only be earned once for any given program.
Q: If I earn extra CE hours in my qualifying period, can I transfer them to the next 3-year period?
A: Sorry, no, you cannot. CE cannot be transferred to future recertification periods.
Q: May I use a Subsequent Approval Form?
A: You may no longer submit Subsequent Approval Forms are no longer accepted. The only way to report your CE hours and upload required documentation is via the My Certification page of your record. Physical, e-mailed, or faxed documents sent to CBDM will not be accepted or returned.
Q: Can I report Trade/Food Shows for CE hours?
A: You can earn a maximum of five CE hours per three-year recertification period by attending/viewing exhibits at food shows. Credit is awarded on the basis of time. Food demonstrations, bake-offs, ice carving, and food presentations are eligible for trade/food show hours. Required documentation includes proof of attendance, program brochure with list of exhibitors and time allocated to the trade/food show, and a brief description of how the program was a valuable learning experience and how it will impact your current or future professional practice.
Q: Do in-service programs qualify for CE hours?
A: Yes. However, if the content relates to company/facility policy, procedure, production, HR issues, etc., it will not qualify for CE. Attending an in-service program at your facility related to Nutrition, Foodservice, Personnel and Communications, Health Care, and/or Sanitation and Safety is an eligible CE activity. The CE hours must be reported and required documentation uploaded via the My Certification page. Required documentation includes the program agenda with date, time, topics, and objectives, as well as a brief summary and evaluation of what was learned and how it applies to the industry. Additional documentation includes a summary of purpose and evaluation of how the program was a valuable learning experience and how it will impact your current or future professional practice. Business portions of meetings, training employees, facility policies and procedures, or new employee orientations do not qualify for continuing education hours.
Q: Do I need to enter any online ANFP courses?
A: Yes. CE can be earned for college courses completed at an accredited post-secondary educational institution. Each semester/credit hour is worth 18 CE credits. The CE must be reported and required documentation must be uploaded via the My Certification page. A maximum of 36 CE hours can be reported for college coursework in a three-year recertification period. Required documentation includes course description, transcript showing course description, a passing grade of C or higher, and a brief summary of what was learned and evaluation of how it enhances your competency as a CDM, CFPP.
Q: What types of programs are considered “Sanitation and Safety”?
A: Examples include programs that address safe food handling and storage, infection control, time and temperature regulations, foodborne pathogens, food allergy prevention, HACCP principles, HIV/AIDS, disaster preparedness, and pandemic disease are eligible for sanitation CE. The CE hours must be reported and required documentation uploaded to the My Certification page of your record.
ANFP offers you many sanitation CE options, such as ANFP Online Course titles in Food Safety, and the ongoing Food Protection Connection articles available in Nutrition & Foodservice Edge magazine in the ANFP Marketplace.
Q: What types of programs qualify for a professional ethics program?
A: If you do not maintain your credential through required CE hours and certification maintenance fees, you will no longer be certified. You will need to reinstate your credential. To become certified again, you must qualify for the exam under a current pathway of eligibility, submit an exam application with fees for review and approval, and pass the CDM Credentialing Exam. You will only be eligible to earn CE once you have completed the reinstatement process and while your certification is active. No CE can be earned for education programs attended during your inactive period.
Q: How do I know if my CE hours will be approved?
A: CE hours are not approved on a per activity basis but will be reviewed during the CE audit process. All CDMs are encouraged to refer to the CBDM Guide to Maintaining Your CDM, CFPP Credential for acceptable CE activities and types of required documentation.
Q: How do I know if I am short CE?
A: A reminder is sent in February to CDMs who have less than the required CE hours by the last year of their three-year recertification period. Another reminder is sent in March to CDMs who are still short of CE hours CBDM strongly recommends that you keep track of your CE hours for your current CE recertification period by checking your CE report online. Simply log in to your profile online at www.CBDMonline.org and select “My Certification”. You will see CE activity that you reported and documentation that you electronically uploaded. If you have any questions, contact ANFP Professional Development Services via e-mail at info@CBDMonline.org or phone at 800.323.1908.
Q: How do I report my CE hours and submit required documentation for the CE activities?
A: CDMs are responsible for electronically entering CE into their record and uploading the required supporting documentation. There are other options such as mobile devices, tablets, or utilizing public computers, if you do not have a computer of your own.
Q: How can I check my CE status online?
A: Enter Member Login on the ANFP website at www.ANFPonline.org. Go to "My Certification" in you record.
IMPORTANT: Always keep a copy of all CE-related of documentation for two consecutive three-year recertification periods.
A: Once CE hours have been earned for a specific program, it cannot be resubmitted for credit again, regardless of whether it is in a new recertification period. Credit can only be earned once for any given program.
Q: If I earn extra CE hours in my qualifying period, can I transfer them to the next 3-year period?
A: Sorry, no, you cannot. CE cannot be transferred to future recertification periods.
Q: May I use a Subsequent Approval Form?
A: You may no longer submit Subsequent Approval Forms are no longer accepted. The only way to report your CE hours and upload required documentation is via the My Certification page of your record. Physical, e-mailed, or faxed documents sent to CBDM will not be accepted or returned.
Q: Can I report Trade/Food Shows for CE hours?
A: You can earn a maximum of five CE hours per three-year recertification period by attending/viewing exhibits at food shows. Credit is awarded on the basis of time. Food demonstrations, bake-offs, ice carving, and food presentations are eligible for trade/food show hours. Required documentation includes proof of attendance, program brochure with list of exhibitors and time allocated to the trade/food show, and a brief description of how the program was a valuable learning experience and how it will impact your current or future professional practice.
Q: Do in-service programs qualify for CE hours?
A: Yes. However, if the content relates to company/facility policy, procedure, production, HR issues, etc., it will not qualify for CE. Attending an in-service program at your facility related to Nutrition, Foodservice, Personnel and Communications, Health Care, and/or Sanitation and Safety is an eligible CE activity. The CE hours must be reported and required documentation uploaded via the My Certification page. Required documentation includes the program agenda with date, time, topics, and objectives, as well as a brief summary and evaluation of what was learned and how it applies to the industry. Additional documentation includes a summary of purpose and evaluation of how the program was a valuable learning experience and how it will impact your current or future professional practice. Business portions of meetings, training employees, facility policies and procedures, or new employee orientations do not qualify for continuing education hours.
Q: Do I need to enter any online ANFP courses?
A: No, all ANFP online courses are automatically entered once the course, course quiz and course evaluation are completed. These courses are audit proof. To ensure the courses are reported in your record, they should not be completed until at least 24 hours after the certification has been activated or reinstated.
Q: Can I earn CE for college coursework?A: Yes. CE can be earned for college courses completed at an accredited post-secondary educational institution. Each semester/credit hour is worth 18 CE credits. The CE must be reported and required documentation must be uploaded via the My Certification page. A maximum of 36 CE hours can be reported for college coursework in a three-year recertification period. Required documentation includes course description, transcript showing course description, a passing grade of C or higher, and a brief summary of what was learned and evaluation of how it enhances your competency as a CDM, CFPP.
Q: What types of programs are considered “Sanitation and Safety”?
A: Examples include programs that address safe food handling and storage, infection control, time and temperature regulations, foodborne pathogens, food allergy prevention, HACCP principles, HIV/AIDS, disaster preparedness, and pandemic disease are eligible for sanitation CE. The CE hours must be reported and required documentation uploaded to the My Certification page of your record.
ANFP offers you many sanitation CE options, such as ANFP Online Course titles in Food Safety, and the ongoing Food Protection Connection articles available in Nutrition & Foodservice Edge magazine in the ANFP Marketplace.
Q: What types of programs qualify for a professional ethics program?
A: Beginning June 1, 2019, one of the required 45 CE hours must pertain to professional ethics. Professional ethics encompasses standards, values and guiding principles related to personal and business behaviors of professionals. Related topics include business/code of conduct, confidentiality, conflict of interest, diversity and inclusion, HIPAA/privacy and patient rights/dignity.
Q: What happens if I don’t meet the requirements for CE and the annual certification fee?A: If you do not maintain your credential through required CE hours and certification maintenance fees, you will no longer be certified. You will need to reinstate your credential. To become certified again, you must qualify for the exam under a current pathway of eligibility, submit an exam application with fees for review and approval, and pass the CDM Credentialing Exam. You will only be eligible to earn CE once you have completed the reinstatement process and while your certification is active. No CE can be earned for education programs attended during your inactive period.
Q: How do I know if my CE hours will be approved?
A: CE hours are not approved on a per activity basis but will be reviewed during the CE audit process. All CDMs are encouraged to refer to the CBDM Guide to Maintaining Your CDM, CFPP Credential for acceptable CE activities and types of required documentation.
Q: How do I know if I am short CE?
A: A reminder is sent in February to CDMs who have less than the required CE hours by the last year of their three-year recertification period. Another reminder is sent in March to CDMs who are still short of CE hours CBDM strongly recommends that you keep track of your CE hours for your current CE recertification period by checking your CE report online. Simply log in to your profile online at www.CBDMonline.org and select “My Certification”. You will see CE activity that you reported and documentation that you electronically uploaded. If you have any questions, contact ANFP Professional Development Services via e-mail at info@CBDMonline.org or phone at 800.323.1908.
Q: How do I report my CE hours and submit required documentation for the CE activities?
A: Effective June 1, 2019, CDMs are required to submit all CE hours electronically and upload required documentation via the My certification page by the end of their three-year recertification period ending on May 31 of the third year. Physical, e-mailed, or faxed documentation sent to CBDM will not be accepted or returned. Individuals selected for the audit will receive communication from CBDM on required actions, including how to submit CE activities via the My Certification page. A tutorial is available on CBDMonline.org.
To ensure CE activities are recognized and recorded to your record, please do not submit CE activities until at least 24 hours after your certification has been activated or reinstated.
- Log in at www.CBDMonline.org
- Under "My Account Links," go to “My Certification”.
- Select “Report CE”.
- Complete all pertinent fields for your CE activity. If it is a Prior Approved program, be sure to select “Prior Approved” for the program type and enter the CBDM approved provider number that is on your certificate of completion as well as all other requested information.
- Select "Add Document" Upload all supporting documentation as specified. For prior approved programs, you will need to upload the certificate of completion. Select “Save” after uploading each document.
- Select “Report.” After uploading the documents for all CE activities reported, "Submitted" status will show for CE hours submitted and documentation uploaded electronically.
A: CDMs are responsible for electronically entering CE into their record and uploading the required supporting documentation. There are other options such as mobile devices, tablets, or utilizing public computers, if you do not have a computer of your own.
Q: How can I check my CE status online?
A: Enter Member Login on the ANFP website at www.ANFPonline.org. Go to "My Certification" in you record.
IMPORTANT: Always keep a copy of all CE-related of documentation for two consecutive three-year recertification periods.