Life Care Planning Certificate

College

  • Center City Campus
  • College of Rehabilitation Sciences

Degree Earned

  • Certificate

Program Length

12 months

Program Type

  • Online

Prerequisites

An entry level (bachelors, masters or clinical doctorate) professional degree in health, education or related field

Contact

Name: Center for Outcomes & Measurement

Contact Admissions

Contact Number(s):

Leadership

Positions:
  • Interim Associate Dean of Research
  • Director, Center for Outcomes and Measurement
  • Professor, Department of Occupational Therapy

901 Walnut Street
Suite 642
Philadelphia, PA 19107

New Tuition Rates

Introducing an exciting update: Jefferson University's Life Care Planning Certificate has revised tuition rates for the Fall Semester of 2024, making your goal of becoming a life care planner more affordable than ever.

The Life Care Planning Advanced-Practice Certificate is designed for professionals in health, special education, vocational rehabilitation or related fields with a minimum of a bachelor’s degree.

Professionals interested in becoming a Life Care Planne rwould benefit from this program, as the Life Care Planning Advanced-Practice Certificate provides education on the Standards of Practice in Life Care Planning and training in how to apply those standards to developing a Life Care Plan (LCP). Jefferson’s Life Care Planning Graduate Certificate also provides training in United States Civil Procedures and Rules for Evidence and exposure to depositions and trials.  

Those who complete the Advanced-Practice Certificate in Life Care Planning will understand the purpose and content of the LCP, apply Standards of Practice for Life Care Planning to develop a LCP, and develop an understanding about litigation related to forensic life care planning.

After successfully completing the four courses, students will receive a post-professional certificate of completion. The credits may be applied to the Post Professional OTD program offered in the Jefferson College of Rehabilitation Sciences and can be used toward pre-certification training hours to qualify for the Certified Life Care Planner (CLCP)™ credential through the International Commission on Health Care Certification (ICHCC).

Distinguishing Features of Jefferson's Life Care Planning Graduate Certificate

  • The LCP Graduate Certificate coursework (four 3-credit courses) meet rigorous criteria set by the college and university curriculum committees and approval processes.  
  • Course material is current and up to date with most recent information.
  • Course material (readings, resources, video) are made available on our university electronic platform, Canvas.
  • A scaffolding approach is used throughout the courses to build your knowledge and comfort for creating a life care plan.
  • Students have access to the university library for all resources and materials.
  • The primary textbooks are provided electronically via the library at no additional cost.
  • An lawyer, who is also a credentialled Life Care Planner and Vocational Rehabilitation Courselor, teaches the litigation content of the curriculum.
  • The curriculum includes modules regarding "the business of LCP" for those who are thinking about creating a business.
  • This graduate certificate not only prepares you to obtain your LCP credential, it is also designed to prepare you to be competent in all aspects of LCP.

What is Life Care Planning?

Life Care Planning is an interdisciplinary specialty performed by trained healthcare and education professionals. According to ICHCC, "a Life Care Plan (LCP) is a comprehensive document that chronicles the medical and rehabilitative histories of a person who has chronic health care needs and/or who has experienced some form of trauma that has altered the individual’s functional capabilities regarding activities of daily living and/or the essential functions of work where applicable. The plan identifies the respective diagnosis(es) related directly to the trauma or the chronic health condition as documented in the medical records and the evaluation records, as well as identifies required medical and rehabilitative services, medical supplies, durable medical equipment, medications, support services, the need for barrierfree living environmental/home modifications, and the costs incurred for the individual to achieve as close to premorbid functioning and independence as possible. The plan details the costs associated with maintenance of the maximum level of function achieved (independent vs. dependent), and provides a detailed projection of potential complications and their projected associated future costs if applicable.  The plan further documents the individual’s premorbid medical history to assess any potential influences of earlier medical needs on the current trauma.”  Preparation of the LCP involves extensive and comprehensive assessment of the client’s past and anticipated needs, which is accomplished, in part, by review of existing medical, nursing and therapy records and possible interviews with the medical, nursing and therapy teams involved in care.

The Life Care Planning Graduate Certificate may be used toward the pre-training hours required by the International Commission on Health Care Certification (ICHCC) for the Certified Life Care Planner (CLCP) credential. Information on the CLCP and the qualifications required by ICHCC for the CLCP credential may be found on their website.

Faculty

Mary Jane "MJ" Mulcahey, PhD, OTR/L, CPPC, CLCP, FASIA Professor, Department of Occupational Therapy
Professor, Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Sidney Kimmel Medical College
Director, Center for Outcomes and Measurement
Interim Associate Dean of Research
215-503-2888