The fees for becoming certified are broken into three payments to DBT-LBC spaced out as each section of the process is completed with an additional fee to Pearson Vue testing centers to take the computer-based exam at one of their locations. Once certification has been granted, there is an annual Maintenance of Certification fee.
First, you will complete an application and once submitted you will be asked for a non-refundable payment of $155. Your application will not be processed until this payment is made. We are using PayPal as the electronic payment mechanism. After the application and first fee is paid, the application undergoes a complete review. All information is primary source verified - we go directly to the educational institution to obtain copies of your degree, verify your ID, license to practice, letters of recommendation, etc. After that step is completed a clinical review of your application is done and communication directly to you via email will be generated as to whether revisions may be needed or approval to select an exam date is granted. The application review takes about 4 weeks or so.
Once your application is reviewed and meets all requirements you will be invited to sit for the exam. Upon reserving your exam date, the next payment of $270 will be requested. (This fee covers the exam development and maintenance, psychometrician fees and other administrative costs that arise from creating multiple versions of a well designed exam.) Now that we have moved to computer-based testing, there will be a fee directly paid to Pearson Vue for use of their testing centers. Currently they are charging $150 to take the exam at their sites. We are very pleased to be able to offer the convenience of more timeframes during the year and more accessible sites to your home locations. We hoped that this would more than offset the add-on fees for Pearson Vue. (See more information under Exam Dates and Locations tab).
After you pass the exam, you will be sent an email requesting you begin the Work Product Demonstration portion of the certification process. Exam results are provided immediately upon completion. Your submission timing for the videos of live therapy sessions will be up to you, but must be provided before 6 months has elapsed since passing the exam. Upon submission of the Work Product, the final payment of $270 will be required. If your first submission of the videos for coding do not pass adherence, you will be allowed to re-submit those videos a second time for no additional fees. This must be accomplished within 6 months of the first failure to pass adherence coding.
Annually, to maintain your certification status, a Maintenance of Certification fee of $95 covers DBT-LBC's review of the information needed to assure you continue to meet the on-going requirements for Certification. These include: maintaining a license to practice with no restrictions; updating the website with the required 15 CEU's for every two-year period following certification; continuing your professional liability insurance; being a participating member of a DBT consultation team; on-going mindfulness practice; keeping your website application current with any changes to your name, address or other contact information. We are pleased to offer tracking of your CE's as you earn them. Merely go into your My Account and click on the CE Unit's tab. There are places to enter all the relevant information needed. When it comes time for your MOC, the only thing needed will be reviewing the application information for accuracy, attesting to that and paying the fee. Your CE's have been tracked for you!
