Authorized providers are collaborators with the American Red Cross in providing quality Health and Safety Services training in local communities. Authorized providers can be your local:

• College
• Hospital
• Park District
• YMCA

American Red Cross training materials incorporate the most current standards of care that meet Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Guidelines for First Aid and the Emergency Cardiovascular Care Guidelines. The Red Cross brand is trusted and recognized as being the premier health and safety training organization.

American Red Cross training is standardized and recognized by national, state and local authorities.
Proof and validity of training can easily be provided to regulatory agencies.

Promoting American Red Cross Courses
The American Red Cross of Greater Chicago Chapter is committed to providing you with the highest level of customer service including:

• Technical and programmatic support  Providing marketing materials are to promote your training programs at little or no cost 
• Administrative support, including issuing course certificates and maintaining instructor and student records

The Role of the American Red Cross Authorized Provider
Through the Authorized Provider Agreement, you have agreed to provide American Red Cross instructional programs in accordance with that program’s standards and objectives. The Authorized Provider Agreement outlines the mutual expectations, rights and responsibilities of both the Red Cross chapter and the authorized provider.

Following the guidelines in this document:

• Ensures the integrity of American Red Cross programs
• Protects all parties involved—the authorized provider, the Red Cross, and the instructor
• Outlines in writing how business will be conduced with the Red Cross

American Red Cross Responsibilities to the Authorized Provider
To assist authorized providers in offering quality training, the Red Cross is committed to providing:

In addition, the American Red Cross will:

Authorized Provider's Responsibilities
Authorized Provider responsibilities are outlined in the Authorized Provider Agreement such as:

Instructor Support
Successful training depends largely on the quality of the instructor. Both the American Red Cross and you have an obligation to support your instructor(s) in providing the best training possible.

In accordance with the Authorized Provider Agreement, the Red Cross will provide the following:

Certification &Authorization
An instructor candidate will become certified when he or she successfully completes all requirements for the instructor specialty course. The candidate's signature on the Instructor Certificate indicates his or her willingness to conduct courses according to the requirements and procedures established by the American Red Cross.

Certified instructors may only teach once they have received authorization. To obtain authorization to teach, the instructor should call (312) 729-6132 or email chicagoCS@usa.redcross.org.

The chapter that initially authorizes an instructor to teach is the instructor's unit of authorization (home chapter). The instructor's unit of authorization is responsible for providing the instructor with information on chapter-specific policies and procedures and for re-authorization of the instructor.

Teaching in Another Location
If an instructor wants to teach in another chapter's jurisdiction, he or she must notify first and obtain extended authorization from their home chapter. If an instructor teaches in another jurisdiction, it is his or her responsibility to provide copies of the Course Record to his or her unit of authorization.

Supporting Instructor Development
As a collaborator with the American Red Cross, your organization can help identify potential instructor candidates. The benefits to you include the ability to encourage instructor development and the opportunity to strengthen your ability to offer training to your constituencies.

Selecting an Instructor Candidate
To ensure the quality of American Red Cross Health and Safety Services training programs, these are some characteristics to consider: