ABO program receives NCCA accreditation

The American Board of Optometry (ABO) is pleased to announce that its board certification program has been accredited by the National Commission for Certifying Agencies (NCCA) for a five-year period.

The ABO received NCCA accreditation of its program by demonstrating compliance with the NCCA’s rigorous Standards for the Accreditation of Certification Programs.

“Receiving NCCA accreditation is another significant step in assuring credibility of the ABO,” said Paul C. Ajamian, O.D., ABO chairman of the board. “We will continue to pursue such measures to advance our process and our profession.”

The NCCA is the accrediting body of the Institute for Credentialing Excellence (ICE) (formerly the National Organization for Competency Assurance).

Since 1977, the NCCA has been accrediting certifying programs based on the highest quality standards in professional certification to ensure the programs adhere to modern standards of practice in the certification industry. The NCCA Standards are comprehensive and cover all aspects of the certification program(s), including administration, assessment development and recertification. NCCA standards are consistent with The Standards for Educational and Psychological Testing (AERA, APA, & NCME, 1999) and are applicable to all professions and industries.

There are 270 NCCA accredited programs that certify individuals in a wide range of professions and occupations, through organizations including the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners, the American Board of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, the American Physical Therapy Association, the Behavior Analyst Certification Board, the Board of Pharmacy Specialties, the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants, and the National Board of Certification and Recertification for Nurse Anesthetists.

Of ICE’s more than 330 organizational members, 119 of them have accredited programs.

ICE’s mission is to advance credentialing through education, standards, research, and advocacy to ensure competence across professions and occupations.

NCCA was founded as a commission whose mission is to help ensure the health, welfare, and safety of the public through the accreditation of a variety of certification programs that assess professional competence.

NCCA uses a peer-review process to: establish accreditation standards; evaluate compliance with these standards; recognize programs that demonstrate compliance; and serve as a resource on quality certification.

For more information on NCCA accreditation, visit www.credentialingexcellence.org/ncca.