1. To ensure that CSFDE candidates have already demonstrated competency in forensic mental health evaluation and are appropriately vetted, applicants must be Certified Forensic Mental Health Evaluators (CFMHEs) 
2. Successful completion of NBFE’s 8-hour "Suitability and Fitness for Duty Evaluation Workshop"
3. Successful completion of NBFE’s 1.5-hour on-demand webinar entitled "The Mental Health Professional's Role in Prevention and Mitigation of Police Violence and Burnout”
4. Successful completion of NBFE’s 2-hour “Trauma, Compassion Fatigue, Resiliency, and Law Enforcement” webinar
5. Verification of participation in an experiential learning activity designed to gain a deeper understanding of the demands and duties of first responders (submitted using NBFE's online submission form).  Candidates may choose one (1) of three options to fulfill this requirement:
   1. Option 1: a minimum of 24 hours of ride-alongs with patrol officers (as many as 10 hours may be substituted by ride-along hours with paramedics, EMTs, or firefighters), documented through NBFE’s ride-along form;
   2. Option 2: a minimum of 24 hours of documented employment or volunteer work as a law enforcement officer, firefighter, emergency medical technician (EMT), or paramedic; OR
   3. Option 3: at least three (3) interviews with first responders (i.e., law enforcement officers, EMTs, paramedics, or firefighters) and an APA-formatted paper related to those interviews with a score of at least 75% using NBFE’s first responder interview paper rubric.
6. A score of 75% or higher on NBFE's 100-question CSFDE written examination (to be completed virtually in 3 hours or less).  For exam instructions, complete this request form.

The CSFDE credential automatically renews each year upon successful renewal of the certificate holder's CFMHE credential.  There is no additional annual renewal fee for the CSFDE credential.