Today’s communities face a myriad of challenges—violence, drug abuse, crime, illness—but these problems and the long-term damage they can cause can be prevented with appropriate education and intervention. Prevention-based programs are taking that message to schools, workplaces, faith-based organizations and community centers in the United States and 22 countries around the world. The success of these programs relies on a competent, well-trained, ethical and professional workforce of Prevention Specialists.

IC&RC’s competency-based Prevention Specialist (PS) credential offers a consistent standard of knowledgeable and well-qualified individuals practicing prevention in our communities. Credentialed prevention staff ensures that programs and funders deliver on their mission of protecting public safety and well-being.

Prevention as a Profession

The Affordable Health Care for America Act of 2010, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s (SAMHSA) “8 Strategic Initiatives” and the 2009 National Drug Control Strategy have placed prevention in the forefront of healthcare reform efforts across the country. Local, state and national organizations are struggling to keep up with the tremendous demand for new prevention professionals.

In keeping with its tradition of establishing high-quality practice standards for substance abuse counselors and clinical supervisors, IC&RC provided leadership in developing professional practice standards for Prevention Specialists. This credential is recognized worldwide as the gold standard for competency in the field, and it is written into U.S. state and national practice regulations and insurance legislation.

Credentialing 101

Credentialing provides much-needed standardization to the still-evolving profession of Prevention Specialist. Becoming credentialed demonstrates competency, by having professional expertise and qualifications verified by an independent evaluator. It recognizes achievement of a standard of professional education and experience necessary to provide quality prevention services. The internationally recognized standards for Prevention Specialist are:

Experience: 2000 hours of Alcohol, Tobacco and Other Drug (ATOD) prevention work experience.

Education: 100 hours of prevention specific education. Fifty hours of this education must be ATOD-specific. Six hours must be specific to prevention ethics.

Supervision: 120 hours specific to the domains, with a minimum of 10 hours in each domain:

1. Planning & Evaluation;

2. Education & Skill Development;

3. Community Organization;

4. Public Policy & Environmental Change;

5. Professional Growth & Responsibility.

Examination: Applicants must pass the IC&RC Written Prevention Specialist Examination.

Code of Ethics: Applicants must sign a prevention-specific code of ethics statement or affirmation statement.

Recertification: 40 hours of continuing education earned every two years.

A Field of Opportunity

Adopted in 1994, the Prevention Specialist is one of the fastest growing credentials in the field of addictionrelated behavioral healthcare. There are now more than 50 U.S. states, territories and countries that offer a reciprocal prevention credential:

• Alabama • Albuquerque Area Inter- Tribal Council • Arizona • Arkansas • Bermuda • Bulgaria • California • Canada • Colorado • Connecticut • Cyprus • Delaware • District of Columbia • Estonia • Finland • Florida • Georgia • Greece • Hawaii • Iceland • Idaho • Indian Health Service (IHS) Nashville Area • Illinois • Indiana • Iowa • Kansas • Kentucky • Latvia • Lithuania • Louisiana • Malta • Maryland • Michigan • Minnesota • Mississippi • Missouri • New Hampshire • New Jersey • New Mexico • New York • Norway • North Carolina • Ohio • Oklahoma • Oregon • Pacific • Pennsylvania • Rhode Island • South Carolina • South Dakota • Southwest • Sweden • Tennessee • Texas • U.S. Army • U.S. Navy • Virginia • Washington • West Virginia • Wisconsin

For more information, go to International Credentialing.org to find a local Member Board. Each IC&RC Member Board has unique procedures, requirements and documents, so specific questions about pursuing a Prevention Specialist credential should be directed to the local board. 

Mary Jo Mather is the Executive Director of IC&RC, which has protected the public since 1981 by establishing standards and facilitating reciprocity for the credentialing of addiction-related professionals. Today, IC&RC represents 76 member boards and 45,000 professionals from 45 U.S. states and 22 countries. IC&RC’s seven credentials include counselors, clinical supervisors, prevention specialists, and criminal justice and co-occurring disorders professionals.

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