Certification & Accreditation

The AIRS Certification Program awards professional credentials internationally to individuals who successfully complete the selected AIRS Certification Program exam for information and referral practitioners in the following specialties:

CIRS — Certification for I&R Specialists

CIRS-A — Certification for I&R Specialists in Aging

CRS — Certification for Resource Specialists

The AIRS Certification Program is based on established standards for the field of information and referral. The program identifies specific competencies and related performance criteria, which describe the knowledge, skills, attitudes and work-related behaviors needed by I&R practitioners to successfully execute their duties.

The AIRS Certification Program recognizes the candidate’s work experience and incorporates documentation of professional performance in the candidate’s work setting and training the individual may have received. Certification does not depend exclusively on academic accomplishment.

The AIRS Certification Program utilizes an examination process that provides clear, objective guidelines for measuring the knowledge, skills, attitudes and work-related behaviors of I&R practitioners. A candidate is first confirmed as eligible to take the examination according to an assessment of the various criteria within their application. The examination itself is administered on a Pass/Fail basis.

A candidate for Certification does not have to be an individual member of AIRS, an employee of an organizational member of AIRS or a member of an AIRS affiliate. However, AIRS members and members of paid affiliates can apply for Certification and Recertification at a reduced rate as a membership benefit.

• For individual certification forms and details click here.
• For upcoming certification testing dates and details, click here.
• The National Association of State Units on Aging has developed an on-line study guide for I&A Specialists taking the CIRS-A.
• Other AIRS publications. 

AIRS Agency Accreditation

Accreditation determines whether an organization meets The AIRS Standards for Professional Information and Referral through a three phase process:

Phase 1) Application, Documentation and Consultation — The agency works with the AIRS staff liaison to review accreditation criteria, documentation requirements and answer questions regarding the  process.

Phase 2) Onsite Review — Once the applicable documents have been supplied, reviewed and approved, an onsite review is conducted to ensure the agency is operating in accordance with the accreditation criteria.

Phase 3) Award — Following the site visit, a report with a recommendation from the review team  is completed and submitted to the chair of the AIRS Accreditation Program for approval and a letter is sent to notify the agency of the results.

The following agency 2-1-1 VIRGINIA centers have received accreditation:

Council of Community Services 
Family Resource and Referral Center
The Planning Council United Way of Central Virginia
United Way of Greater Richmond & Petersburg

For more information about accreditation  Click here.