INDUSTRY INSIGHT
FUNERAL SERVICES
SPONSORED CONTENT
ALPHABET
SOUP
I
can imagine what you may be thinking. What is with all those
letters? Behind my name are FD, Supervisor, CFSP, CPC, CCO and
CFC. Those designations are on letterhead, advertisements and
correspondence from Perman Funeral Home. What do all those letters
mean?
FD The Pennsylvania State Board of Funeral Directors issues a
license to hold oneself as a Funeral Director. The requirements to
be a Funeral Director in Pennsylvania include the following: 60
credit hours of college-level instruction (an associate degree is not
required); a diploma from an accredited Mortuary School; one full
year of internship under the auspices of a preceptor Funeral Director;
pass a National Board Exam given by the International Conference
of Funeral Service Examining Boards; and pass a Pennsylvania State
Board of Funeral Directors exam.
SUPERVISOR Pennsylvania Funeral Code states that a funeral
home corporation must have a Licensed Supervisor overseeing the
operation of the funeral home.
CFSP The Certified Funeral Service Practitioner program was
developed by the Academy of Professional Funeral Service Practice,
http://www.apfsp.org. Candidates are required to complete 180 credit
hours of diverse courses to achieve the CFSP designation. It is not a
common designation among Funeral Directors. There are over 3,000
Funeral Directors licensed in Pennsylvania. Currently, there are only
49 CFSPs in PA.
The academy also requires 20 hours of continuing education
annually to maintain the CFSP designation. To maintain a Funeral
Director’s license in Pennsylvania, Funeral Directors are only required
to have 6 hours of continuing education classes every two years. The
educational contrast between what the academy requires and what
the State Board of Funeral Directors requires is substantial.
CPC The Certified Preplanning Consultant course is offered by the
National Funeral Directors Association. The CPC program’s mission
and purpose is to promote expertise and professionalism in advance
funeral planning. The two-day course involves funeral preplanning
principles, Federal Trade Commission Funeral Rule compliance,
funding options, contract standards, marketing principles and
creating meaningful ceremonies.(1) With many people inquiring
about preplanning a funeral, this course provides current information
about government regulations and compliance and what families are
considering when making prearrangements.
CCO The Certified Crematory Operator program is a two-day course
also offered by the National Funeral Directors Association. It covers
best practices for safe, proper, and ethical crematory operations
and excellence in service to cremation families.(2) The course also
includes the topic of cremation due diligence. It is really important for
families to receive the best possible cremation service. The two-day
CCO course was excellent in explaining and understanding proper
procedures and the entire cremation process. This program is not
required in Pennsylvania for a Funeral Director license.
CFC The Certified Funeral Celebrant program is a three-day course
offered by the InSight Institute, the training arm of InSight Publishing.
InSight was founded by author, lecturer and pastor Doug Manning,
who began to study the concept of grieving and the role that the
funeral played in assisting a healthy grief journey and recovery.
A Funeral Celebrant serves by providing a funeral service, memorial
service or tribute that is personalized and individualized to reflect the
personality and lifestyle of the deceased after consultation with the
family and other loved ones and coordination with the funeral home.
(3) Many families do not have a church affiliation or any religious
affiliation. A Funeral Celebrant can design and perform a ceremony
that is not religious but spiritually, emotionally and intellectually
satisfying.
Continuing education in Funeral Service is key to always improving
what we do for families and the deceased. I am continually reminded
that change is constant. Change is even more prevalent today than
ever before in Funeral Service. Families are asking us to do things
differently and personally meaningful for them. We accommodate
those requests.
I became licensed as a Funeral Director in 1990 and became
Supervisor of Perman Funeral Home in 2000. I received my Certified
Funeral Service Practitioner designation in 2011. I became a CPC in
2016. I took and passed the CCO program in 2015. I became a CFC in
2005.
While some courses and programs are required to be a Funeral
Director, most are not. These elective courses have helped me to
better assist those we serve.
The letters behind my name are visible proof of a commitment
to providing excellent service, meaningful options and valuable
assistance to families. All funeral homes are not the same. Neither are
all funeral directors.
I’ll let you know when I add to the Alphabet Soup.
1-2
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www.nfda.org
https://insightbooks.com/celebrants
This Industry Insight was written by Frank Perman, FD,
Supervisor, CFSP, CPC, CCO, CFC. He is the owner of Perman
Funeral Home and Cremation Services Inc., 923 Saxonburg
Boulevard at Rt. 8 in Shaler Township. Mr. Perman
believes an educated consumer makes the most personal,
affordable and memorable decisions. Inquiries may be
made to Mr. Perman at 412-486-3600 or emailed to frank@
permanfuneralhome.com.
Shaler | Fall 2016 | icmags.com 1