Section 0780-05-18-.16 - CERTIFICATION(1) Certification by the National Foundation for Credit Counseling or the Financial Counseling Association of America shall meet the requirements of T.C.A. § 47-18-5506(9).(2) Notwithstanding the previous paragraph, the Director may approve a training program or certifying organization providing certification to be a certified counselor and/or certified debt specialist if the Director finds, based on the totality of the information provided, that the training program or certifying organization meaningfully authenticates the competence of individuals providing services under the Act. Approval by the Director shall be valid for a period of two (2) years from the date of approval, at which time the training program or certifying organization shall make a new request for approval. A training program of certifying organization shall provide the following information in its request for approval: (a) The name of the certifying organization or entity providing the training program;(b) The phone number, mailing address and e-mail address - if applicable - of the certifying organization or entity providing the training program;(c) A list of other states that have approved the training program or certifying organizations to be approved;(d) The number of years that the training program or certifying organization has offered certification for debt management counseling;(e) A complete list of the curriculum required to be completed, the topics covered, the number of hours to complete the program, and the number of persons currently certified; and(f) Such other information as the Director may request in order to determine that the training program or certifying organization meaningfully authenticates the competence of individuals providing services under the Act.(3) Notwithstanding any language in this rule to the contrary, any debt management service currently registered with the Division on July 1, 2016, whose certified counselors or certified debt specialists are certified by a training program or certifying organization not approved under this rule shall have until January 1, 2018, for all employees to become certified by a company approved under this rule and for all future certifications to be done in compliance with such requirement.Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 0780-05-18-.16
Original rule filed October 28, 2016; effective 1/26/2017. Rule renumbered from 0780-08-01.Authority: T.C.A. § 47-18-5532.