Certified New Parent Educator (CNPE)

CAPPA is an international certification organization for Doulas, Childbirth Educators and Lactation Educators. Since our foundation in 1998, we have certified thousands of perinatal professionals.  As one of the first and most comprehensive perinatal organizations in the world, CAPPA is respected for its longevity and its commitment to excellence in both education and unsurpassed student and member support. Choosing an organization for your education is an important decision. CAPPA offers stability that you can be confident in as you invest in your education and career.

Certification Course Options

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Scope of Practice

CAPPA New Parent Educators fill an important role in educating and supporting families and the community by providing comprehensive, evidence-based information. As respected professionals, CAPPA New Parent Educators work in public-health clinics, hospitals, care-providers’ offices, and private settings throughout the world.

How CAPPA New Parent Educators work with families

New Parent Educators work with families during pregnancy and postpartum; offering support, encouragement, information, and referrals as needed. New Parent Educators can be found working in a variety of settings to offer their services to families. Families can find them working as public health educators, hospital/community educators, in care providers’ offices and in private practice as educators.

How CAPPA New Parent Educators work within the healthcare system

New Parent Educators are educators, not clinicians. They therefore work with the healthcare system by encouraging and promoting excellent communication between the new family and the health care team, encouraging informed decision making and self-advocacy, supporting the choices of the new family, providing non-clinical care, and offering appropriate referrals when their observance uncovers situations that require healthcare attention or support.

Clinical Limitations of CAPPA New Parent Educators

CAPPA New Parent Educators are non-clinical professionals. CAPPA New Parent Educators do not dispense medical advice, diagnose medical conditions, interpret medical diagnoses or clinical results, perform clinical procedures, or prescribe/administer medications or treatments of any kind. Educators do not offer information that directs families to act against medical advice.

CAPPA does not train its certified professionals to prescribe, perform, or provide complementary/alternative therapies including, but not limited to, essential oils, placenta medicine, herbal treatments, etc. CAPPA professionals do not prescribe, perform, or provide alternative/complementary therapies as part of their role as a CAPPA certified professional. Those who are trained, certified, licensed, or a recipient of a degree in these therapies are required to present these services as separate from their role as a CAPPA certified professional.

CAPPA Standards

CAPPA New Parent Educators work within CAPPA’s standards of practice to uphold the following (available to read as individual documents): code of conduct, a grievance policy, mission statement, vision statement, organization philosophy, and social media policy. CAPPA New Parent Educators use current evidence-based information in their practice. They maintain their knowledge and skills through continuing education. They work within the legal framework of their individual community and region.

CAPPA Certified New Parent Educators:

  • Offer non-biased newborn and postpartum information, support, encouragement, guidance, referrals, and education to families
  • Educate on newborn and postpartum care options and resources
  • Encourage informed decision making
  • Model and teach effective communication
  • Help families understand their rights according to current healthcare policy and legal statutes
  • Work closely with the new family as they explore their values and needs surrounding the newborn and postpartum period
  • Encourage the family to seek care that reflects their values and needs
  • Provide education and support to all members of the new family
  • Provide culturally sensitive adult based education
  • Refer to healthcare professionals when support requires clinical assessment, a need for prescription, or medical diagnosis
  • Seek to foster a cooperative, respectful, and positive atmosphere with the care team

The CAPPA New Parent Educator is not a clinician and therefore does not:

  • Diagnose medical conditions
  • Interpret medical diagnoses or clinical results
  • Prescribe or give dosages of herbal or over-the-counter medications
  • Administer treatment of medical conditions
  • Perform clinical procedures

Traditional Course ( For students who take an In-person or Virtual training )

Course Fees*

This course is designed for students who choose to take a training class with approved Faculty.  Training classes have in-person, virtual, and hybrid options!

Training Class $550.00 and up
Annual Membership A $75.00 value, the first year of membership is included in training class fee.
CAPPA Academy $175.00
New Parent Educator Booklets Bundle $65.00
Starting Total Cost** $790.00 and up, not including cost of books
**Additional fees may apply, such as extensions, resubmissions, or rush result fees.
*All fees listed in USD.

Course Requirements

  • Be at least 18 years of age.
  • Attend a CAPPA New Parent Educator training class.
  • Read selected books from the CAPPA New Parent Educator Required Reading List.
  • Read the CAPPA New Parent Educator Training Manual (received at training).
  • Complete all requirements below within 2 years of the training class.
  • Become a Member of CAPPA.
  • Enroll in the New Parent Educator Traditional Course in CAPPA Academy and complete the items below.
    • Pass the Scope of Practice Pretest. A 100% passing grade is required.
    • Read and watch the video clips from the Understanding Your Newborn Booklet.
    • Read and watch the video clips from the Understanding Breastfeeding Booklet.
    • Read and watch the video clips from the Postpartum Health & Baby Care Booklet (formerly Mother & New Baby Care).
    • Student teach or submit a video of (1) 30-minute lesson OR (2) 15-minute lessons. Hand in a detailed outline and curriculum for the presentations taught.
    • Obtain 2 letters of recommendation from a certified childbirth educator, certified labor doula, midwife, OB, pediatrician, certified lactation consultant, certified lactation educator or certified postpartum doula.
    • Complete the module assessment form.
    • Create a Resource List with information on local support for parents. A guide for creating this list is found in CAPPA Academy.
    • Sign and agree to the following:
      • Code of Conduct
      • Social Media Policy
      • Grievance Policy
      • CAPPA Mission
      • CAPPA Approach
      • CAPPA Vision
      • Scope of Practice
    • Pass the multiple-choice exam. A passing grade is 85% or higher. If a student does fail an exam, resubmission fees may apply.
    • Pass the essay exam. The essay exam is graded on a pass-fail basis. If a student does fail an exam, resubmission fees may apply.
  • Mail all completed materials to:
     PO Box 340
     Hoschton, GA 30548
  • Please view all of CAPPA’s Policies and Procedures.

Last Updated 9/18/2020

The CNPE training program is designed to train and certify professionals to work with with families during pregnancy and the postpartum period, offering support, encouragement, information, and referrals as needed.  New Parent Educators can be found working in a variety of settings to offer their services to families. Families can find them working as public health educators, hospital/community educators, in care providers’ offices and in private practice as educators.

For more information, email info@cappa.net or call 770-965-9777.

Upcoming Training

New Parent Educator Training – LIVE ONLINE (Kimberly Bepler)

April 3, 2024 - April 5, 2024, starting at 8:30 am MDT

New Parent Educator – Boston, MA and LIVE ONLINE (Bryn Yozzo)

May 4, 2024 - May 5, 2024, starting at 10:00 am EDT

New Parent Educator Training – Braintree, MA and LIVE ONLINE (JoAnna Becker)

May 4, 2024 - May 5, 2024, starting at 10:00 am EDT

New Parent Educator Training – San Diego, CA (Kimberly Belper)

June 1, 2024 - June 2, 2024, starting at 8:30 am PDT

New Parent Educator Training – Burlington, VT and LIVE ONLINE (Laura Nance and Bryn Yozzo)

June 21, 2024 - June 22, 2024, starting at 8:00 am EDT

New Parent Educator Training – LIVE ONLINE (Kimberly Bepler)

September 12, 2024 - September 14, 2024, starting at 8:30 am PDT

New Parent Educator Training – LIVE ONLINE (Kimberly Bepler)

September 12, 2024 - September 14, 2024, starting at 9:30 am MDT

New Parent Educator Training – In Person OR Live Online (Teresa Maskery)

September 14, 2024 - September 15, 2024, starting at 8:30 am EDT

New Parent Educator Training – Washington, DC (JoAnna Becker and Bryn Yozzo)

October 26, 2024 - October 27, 2024, starting at 8:00 am EDT

New Parent Educator Training – Washington DC Area and LIVE ONLINE (Bryn Yozzo)

October 26, 2024 - October 27, 2024, starting at 8:00 am EDT
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