Eight Hour Accelerated Facilitator Training

I recently read on an Anger Management site about an "accelerated course" for certification as a facilitator for anger management. This course offers 8 hours and a 4 hour supervision for it's participants. As a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and a Registered Nurse working with anger clients for almost 30 years, I have several questions and concerns.
1. Are we certifying people who vicariously through this course serve their own need to manage their own anger?
2. How do we determine the level of competence and knowledge behind and beyond the training of the individual receiving the certification?
There was a recent article in the L.A. Times written by Anna Gorman which brings up a few good arguments about the validity of teaching anger management. One statement by L.A County Superior Court Judge Peter Meeka says, " Anybody can set up a program, call it anger management and hope to get court referrals. You keep your fingers crossed and hope they are doing a good job". Meeka goes on to say that he would support statewide legislation to apply the same standards of anger management to the standards of domestic violence programs.
Regarding road rage, a law written by Assemblyman Herb Wesson (D-Culver City) that went into effect in January 2005 has Judges increasing their referrals and allowing them the authority to order defendants to complete a "court approved anger management or "road rage" course. However, he goes on to find that he was not aware that court approved programs do not exist in most counties. Wesson then goes on to say he will talk with members of the Assembly Judiciary Committee about setting statewide standards. "If you don't have these things in place, it could lead to abuses".
While my program is in Florida there is the same concern about who is learning how to facilitate and how many hours are sufficient to give a person the knowledge to facilitate anger management classes.
I have observed persons who have no knowledge of teaching, therapy or any mental health expertise becoming certified by those who teach anger management with fair to poor results, no matter how good the supervision is. As a Clinician, I need to assess who would be appropriate for my teaching or who would be better served by attending therapy to address the deeper underlying issues of their rage.
Offering an 8 hour "accelerated course" for facilitators in my humble opinion dilutes the years of schooling and education most facilitators go through to help people in crisis. In addition to the CEU's required to keep my licenses, I advocate professionals having to meet standards set by monitoring agencies.
I urge those who take courses in "accelerated" anger management to be cautious in spending money that appears to be a quick way to make money. Think about the effect you may have on a person with anger or rage if you cannot effectively diffuse an angry episode. I urge those in the American Association of Anger Management Provider network to consider the ramifications of teaching such a course.
Who in the end do we want to serve?
Linda Losi RN, LCSW, CAMF
www.angertrends.blogspot.com