PHILADELPHIA, June 22, 2015 /PRNewswire/ --

Prestigious accreditation demonstrates Elsevier's commitment to lifelong learning 

The International Association for Continuing Education and Training (IACET) has awarded accreditation status to Elsevier's DirectCourse, which provides online learning designed to train the direct service workforce that supports persons with disabilities by helping them remain in home and community settings and assisting them to be employed. The online training curricula will now offer Continuing Education Units (CEUs) to individuals seeking to acquire or maintain professional licenses and/or certifications.

"We are pleased to begin a relationship with DirectCourse as an Authorized Provider," said Sandra L. Williams, PhD, President of IACET and Associate Professor and consultant at Northeastern Illinois University in Chicago. "DirectCourse joins nearly 500 organizations around the globe that have had their programs vetted by third-party experts in continuing education to ensure the highest possible standards are met."

DirectCourse is part of Elsevier, a world-leading provider of scientific, technical and medical information products and services. DirectCourse's suite of online training curricula includes:

• The College of Direct Support (CDS)
• The College of Employment Services (CES)
• The College of Personal Assistance and Caregiving (CPAC)
• The College of Recovery and Community Inclusion (CRCI)

"We are proud that DirectCourse education programs have been certified by IACET," said Hajo Oltmanns, Senior Vice President, Performance Management & Services, Elsevier Clinical Solutions. "We know that direct care professionals - from mental health professionals to certified nursing assistants - will understand that DirectCourse programs can help them maintain the current certifications or advance to another level of certification for their careers."

"Our new relationship with IACET is a demonstration of our commitment to lifelong learning and high standards for all of our programs, and we are very pleased to join such an elite group of organizations that offer excellent continuing education and training programs," Oltmanns added. "For licensed Mental Health Counselors, Certified Peer Specialists, Licensed Social Workers and others working in the field that carry licenses and/or certifications for which CEUs are needed to maintain those credentials, DirectCourse can now offer those credits."

In order to achieve Authorized Provider accreditation, DirectCourse completed a rigorous application process, including a review by an IACET site visitor, and a demonstration of adherence to the ANSI/IACET 1-2013 Standard addressing the design, development, administration, and evaluation of its programs. DirectCourse has pledged its continued compliance with the Standard and is now authorized to issue IACET CEU's. In addition, DirectCourse is now linked to the IACET web site and is recognized as offering the highest quality continuing education and training programs.

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About IACET  

The International Association for Continuing Education and Training (IACET) is a non-profit association dedicated to quality continuing education and training programs. IACET is the only standard-setting organization approved by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) for continuing education and training. The ANSI/IACET Standard is the core of thousands of educational programs worldwide. For more information, please visit http://www.iacet.org or call +1-703-506-3275.

About Elsevier 

Elsevier is a world-leading provider of information solutions that enhance the performance of science, health, and technology professionals, empowering them to make better decisions, deliver better care, and sometimes make groundbreaking discoveries that advance the boundaries of knowledge and human progress. Elsevier provides web-based, digital solutions - among them ScienceDirect, Scopus, Elsevier Research Intelligence and ClinicalKey - and publishes nearly 2,200 journals, including The Lancet and Cell, and over 33,000 book titles, including a number of iconic reference works. Elsevier is part of RELX Group plc, a world-leading provider of information solutions for professional customers across industries.

Media contact
Christopher Capot
Director, Corporate Relations
Elsevier
+1-917-704-5174
c.capot@elsevier.com

SOURCE Elsevier