American Academy Of Experts In Traumatic Stress

What American Academy Of Experts In Traumatic Stress does

The American Academy of Experts in Traumatic Stress (AAETS) is a US-based nonprofit, multidisciplinary professional membership organization founded in 1995 and headquartered at 127 Echo Avenue, Miller Place, New York. It operates as a horizontal professional association serving individuals from more than 200 professions and specialties across the United States and over 30 foreign countries, including mental health professionals, emergency services personnel, educators, criminal justice and forensic professionals, and chaplains. Its stated mission is to advance intervention standards for survivors of trauma, in collaboration with its sister organization, the National Center for Crisis Management, which shares the same Executive Board and jointly recognizes all AAETS credentials.

The Academy's core offerings are organized around membership (Full tiers at $125/yr and Associate tiers at $80/yr, with a 35% first-year discount), an 18-specialty certification catalog split between 14 Traumatic Stress Specialties and 4 Crisis Management Specialties, advanced credentials (Diplomate and Fellowship), and a peer-reviewed Journal (JAAETS). Each specialty certification carries a one-time $250 application review fee. Complementary products include the International Registry, Speakers and Trainers Bureau, Directory of Expert Witnesses, and Deployment Directory; standard reference publications such as A Practical Guide for Crisis Response in Our Schools (6th edition) and Comprehensive Acute Traumatic Stress Management; and online training delivered through a partnership with Starr Commonwealth's National Institute for Trauma and Loss in Children (TLC). Crisis deployment services are operated jointly with the Green Cross Academy of Traumatology under a memorandum of understanding, and the Academy also participates in a three-way mutual recognition agreement with ICISF and the Academy of Traumatic Stress Specialists.

Revenue is generated primarily through recurring membership subscriptions and one-time certification review fees, supplemented by merchandise sales via CafePress (with $2 per item donated to St. Jude or Wounded Warrior Project) and voluntary scholarship contributions. The organization is privately held with no external investors, no disclosed financials, and a micro-staff footprint of 1-10 employees; Dr. Brad Lindell serves as President and Chairman of the sister National Center for Crisis Management. The technology footprint is a standard website-based membership and directory platform with no public API, mobile app, or AI capabilities, and the Academy markets through its site, social media, the JAAETS journal, and partner networks.

Name

American Academy Of Experts In Traumatic Stress

Legal name

American Academy of Experts in Traumatic Stress

Website

https://aaets.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1995

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The American Academy of Experts in Traumatic Stress is a US nonprofit, multidisciplinary professional membership organization offering 18 specialty certifications, Diplomate and Fellowship credentials, publications, and crisis deployment coordination for trauma and crisis management professionals across 200+ professions and 30+ countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Trauma and Crisis Certification Services

NAICS

Educational Support Services (6117), Other Individual and Family Services (624190), All Other Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services (54199)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Disaster Behavioral Health & Psychosocial Support (HLAJAGAM)

akta.pro secondary industries

Community Resilience, Preparedness Training & Exercises (HLAJAGAL), Trauma-Informed Care & Crisis Response (School-Based) (EDAKAMAF), Emergency Management, Disaster Response & Incident Command Training (EDAOAMAD)

Keywords

• Trauma certification programs
• Professional membership services
• Crisis management credentials
• Traumatic stress specialties
• Disaster response deployment

Headquarters

HQ city

Miller Place

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Annual and biennial membership fees from Full and Associate members, with first-year discounts offered to new members.
2. Certification Review Fees: One-time $250 review fee for processing specialty certification applications in Traumatic Stress or Crisis Management areas.
3. Merchandise Sales: Official Academy merchandise sold through CafePress.com, including apparel and accessories with Academy branding.
4. Scholarship Contributions: Voluntary donations supporting scholarship program for members and their immediate families pursuing education in trauma or crisis management fields.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The American Academy of Experts in Traumatic Stress operates as a multidisciplinary professional membership organization that provides credentials, certifications, publications, training, directories, and crisis deployment support to professionals working with trauma and crisis populations. Its core deliverables are Full and Associate individual memberships, 18 specialty certifications across Traumatic Stress (14 areas) and Crisis Management (4 areas), Diplomate and Fellowship advanced credentials, access to searchable member directories, the JAAETS journal and reference publications, and crisis response deployment coordinated with partner organizations.

Product overview

The American Academy of Experts in Traumatic Stress operates as a multidisciplinary professional organization offering a unified membership platform with interconnected certification, education, publication, and deployment services. The core offering is membership (Full and Associate tiers), which provides access to 18 specialty certifications across Traumatic Stress (14 areas) and Crisis Management (4 areas) programs, advanced credentials (Diplomate and Fellowship), and inclusion in multiple searchable directories (International Registry, Speakers Bureau, Expert Witnesses, and Deployment). The Academy publishes the Journal of the American Academy of Experts in Traumatic Stress (JAAETS) and practical guides (including A Practical Guide for Crisis Response in Our Schools and Comprehensive Acute Traumatic Stress Management). Training is delivered through an online course partnership with Starr Commonwealth's Trauma and Loss in Children institute. The organization also maintains a Crisis Hotline Directory and offers a Scholarship Program. Deployment services for crisis response are provided in collaboration with Green Cross Academy of Traumatology.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Full Membership Full individual membership of the Academy for professionals holding a Doctorate, Masters, Bachelors, Associates, or High School Degree (with minimum 2 years of experience working with trauma survivors). Includes access to certifications, directories, journal, and member benefits. First-year rate $80 (reduced from $125); standard rate $125 per year; two-year renewal $225.
• Associate Membership Associate individual membership for students or retired professionals in the trauma and crisis management field. First-year rate $60 (reduced from $80); standard rate $80 per year; two-year renewal $140.
• Certifications in Traumatic Stress Specialties 14 specialty certifications covering Forensic Traumatology (C.F.T.), Bereavement Trauma (C.B.T.), Domestic Violence (C.D.V.), Motor Vehicle Trauma (C.M.V.T.), Sexual Abuse (C.S.A.), Disability Trauma (C.D.T.), Rape Trauma (C.R.T.), Pain Management (C.P.M.), Stress Management (C.S.M.), Illness Trauma (C.I.T.), Crisis Chaplain (C.C.C.), Child Trauma (C.C.T.), Crisis Intervention (C.C.I.), and War Trauma (C.W.T.). One-time $250 review fee per certification application.
• Certifications in Crisis Management Specialties 4 specialty certifications: Emergency Crisis Response (C.E.C.R.), School Crisis Response (C.S.C.R.), University Crisis Response (C.U.C.R.), and Corporate Crisis Response (C.C.C.R.). One-time $250 review fee per certification application.
• Diplomate Credential Prestigious advanced credential awarded by the American Academy of Experts in Traumatic Stress or National Center for Crisis Management, recognizing experience working with survivors of traumatic events and/or crisis management, knowledge, training, and education. One-time review fee: $250.
• Fellowship Credential The highest honor the Academy and National Center for Crisis Management can bestow upon a member. Awarded to Diplomates who have made significant contributions to the field and to the organization.
• Journal of the American Academy of Experts in Traumatic Stress (JAAETS) Official peer-reviewed publication of the Academy featuring articles on PTSD, trauma, and crisis management research.
• A Practical Guide for Crisis Response in Our Schools: Sixth Edition Standard reference publication for responding to school-based crisis situations, used by education professionals and member crisis responders.
• Comprehensive Acute Traumatic Stress Management (CATSM) Comprehensive Academy publication addressing emergent psychological needs before, during, and in the aftermath of traumatic events.
• Deployment Services Crisis response deployment of trained and certified Academy members during times of disaster, coordinated in collaboration with the Green Cross Academy of Traumatology using jointly adopted deployment criteria.
• Trauma and Loss in Children Online Courses Online courses and training workshops delivered in collaboration with Starr Commonwealth's National Institute for Trauma and Loss in Children (TLC), including courses such as ADHD and Trauma, Expressive Art Therapy, and Psychophysiology of Trauma. Counts toward Academy certification and Diplomate requirements.
• Scholarship Program Yearly scholarships of $250–$500 awarded to qualifying members and their immediate families pursuing education or training in traumatic stress or crisis management at accredited institutions.
• Official Academy Merchandise Official merchandise (apparel, mugs, phone cases, accessories) with Academy branding sold through CafePress.com, with a $2 donation made per item to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital or Wounded Warrior Project.

Quantifiable outcome

• Professionals can achieve certification in 18 different specialty areas
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• National Center for Crisis ManagementcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Academy works with its sister organization, the National Center for Crisis Management, to identify expertise among professionals and provide standards for those who provide intervention to survivors of traumatic events. All certifications and credentials are jointly recognized by both organizations. Both organizations share the same Executive Board and collaborate on membership, certifications, and deployment activities.
• Green Cross Academy of TraumatologycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Academy and National Center for Crisis Management work in collaboration with Green Cross Academy of Traumatology in deploying members during times of crisis. The executive board has adopted GCAT's criteria and requirements as a framework for deployment. Both organizations are committed to providing intervention to those exposed to traumatic events and crisis situations. A memorandum of understanding formalizes the collaboration relationship.
• Starr Commonwealth's National Institute for Trauma and Loss in Children (TLC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Academy is collaborating with Starr Commonwealth's National Institute for Trauma and Loss in Children (TLC) to provide online courses and training workshops. These courses can be used to meet training and educational criteria for the Academy's Certification Programs in Traumatic Stress and Crisis Management and the Diplomate credential. TLC's mission is to bring out the best in every traumatized child by training professionals.
• International Critical Incident Stress Foundation (ICISF)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerA three-way agreement exists between ICISF, Academy of Traumatic Stress Specialists (ATSS), and Green Cross Academy of Traumatology. The Academy has ongoing agreement with the National Center for Crisis Management and the American Academy of Experts in Traumatic Stress as part of this mutual recognition network.
• Academy of Traumatic Stress Specialists (ATSS)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPart of the three-way agreement with ICISF and GCAT for mutual recognition of certifications and training across organizations working in trauma and crisis management.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Crisis Prevention Institute (CPI): Larger commercial training provider offering crisis prevention, intervention, and de-escalation certification programs used across healthcare, education, and corporate settings. Overlaps with AAETS' Crisis Management Specialty certifications but operates at significantly greater scale.
• National Association of School Psychologists (NASP): Larger professional association with extensive school crisis response resources, publications, and continuing education programs overlapping AAETS' school-crisis certifications. Broader scope than AAETS but directly competing for school-based trauma training budgets.
• American Psychological Association (APA): The largest professional organization of psychologists in the United States, offering continuing education, credentials, and trauma-related practice resources. Competes for the same mental-health professional membership base as AAETS, with a much wider portfolio.

Direct peers

• Green Cross Academy of Traumatology (GCAT): Sister/partner organization to AAETS in crisis deployment; provides Green Cross Deployment Certification used by AAETS members. Comparable in its focus on certified crisis responders and trauma intervention standards.
• National Center for Crisis Management (NCCM): AAETS' sister organization, jointly recognizing all Academy certifications and credentials, sharing the same Executive Board, and collaborating on membership, certification, and deployment activities. The most direct organizational peer.
• Academy of Traumatic Stress Specialists (ATSS): Professional organization offering certifications for traumatic stress specialists; part of the three-way mutual recognition agreement with AAETS, ICISF, and GCAT. Overlapping certification programs and member base.
• International Critical Incident Stress Foundation (ICISF): Provides training, certification, and resources for Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM) for emergency services and disaster response personnel. A partner of AAETS under the three-way mutual recognition agreement, with directly overlapping training and certification products.
• International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies (ISTSS): The largest international professional membership organization dedicated to traumatic stress studies, offering membership, certifications, publications (Journal of Traumatic Stress), and annual conferences. Directly comparable to AAETS in mission, member base, and product portfolio.
• EMDR International Association (EMDRIA): Professional membership organization for EMDR therapists, offering EMDR-specific credentials, training, and continuing education. AAETS Board of Advisors includes the originator of EMDR; overlapping trauma-credentialing niche.
• Starr Commonwealth: Partner organization through which AAETS offers Trauma and Loss in Children online courses. Comparable in trauma-focused training and certification delivery, with overlap in target audiences (education professionals, clinicians).

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/american_stress
• Facebookfacebook.com/American-Academy-of-Experts-in-Traumatic-Stress-100066554540093
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/american-academy-of-experts-in-traumatic-stress

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about American Academy Of Experts In Traumatic Stress