ACSM and NCPAD Specialty Certification

There are 50 million people (approximately 20%) in the United States that have reported some type of disability. ACSM professionals have the potential to make a significant contribution by earning the specialty certification to safely and effectively assist in the inclusion of people with disabilities into various exercise settings. The role of this certified professional would be to assess the needs of a person or a program and follow these basic steps to ensure that all people are given the same opportunity to participate in physical activity.

• Ensure that the physical environment meets accessibility requirements.
• Ensure that all programs and services that are offered to the general population are also offered to people with disabilities, making every attempt to integrate programs instead of offering "special" programs.
• Ensure that written materials and other means of communication are accessible.
• Ensure that policies and procedures do not discriminate against people with disabilities or limit their participation.
• Recommend necessary adaptive equipment to allow people with disabilities to participate fully, including accessible fitness, sports, or recreation equipment. 
• Provide necessary staff training on how to use adaptive equipment and how to adapt activities for different kinds of disabilities.