The NCCA re-accredited both the Family (FNP) and the Adult-Gerontology Primary Care (AGNP) certification programs for five-year periods. The FNP program received initial NCCA accreditation in 1997, and the AGNP program was accredited the same year it was launched in 2013. Founded 25 years ago in 1993, the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners Certification Board (AANPCB) is a professional certification organization acting in the public interest by establishing and enforcing education, examination, experience and ethics requirements for nurse practitioner certification. Currently, there are over 119,300 AANPCB certified NPs with 99,564 FNPs, 10,867 AGNPs, 8,318 Adult NPs, 451 ENPs, and 187 Gerontological NPs that may use the NP-C trademarked credential.

AANPCB received accreditation renewal of its programs by demonstrating compliance with the NCCA’s Standards for the Accreditation of Certification Programs. NCCA is the accrediting body of the Institute for Credentialing Excellence. Since 1977, the NCCA has been accrediting certifying programs based on the highest quality standards in professional certification to ensure the programs adhere to current standards of practice in the certification industry. To view the standards visit http://www.credentialingexcellence.org/p/cm/ld/fid=81. There are 254 NCCA accredited programs that certify individuals in a wide range of professions and occupations including nurses, financial professionals, respiratory therapists, counselors, emergency technicians, crane operators and more. Of ICE’s more than 330 organizational members, over 100 of them have accredited programs.

The mission of ICE is to advance credentialing through education, standards, research, and advocacy to ensure competence across professions and occupations. NCCA was founded 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 organizations/programs which demonstrate compliance; and serve as a resource on quality certification. ICE and NCCA are located at 2025 M Street, N.W., Suite 800, Washington, DC 20036-3309; telephone 202/367-1165; facsimile 202/367-2165.