News

Vendome Group, publishers of Addiction Professional and Behavioral Healthcare, and producers of the National Conference on Addiction Disorders (NCAD), today announced a partnership with the International Certification & Reciprocity Consortium (IC&RC), the world’s leading addiction and prevention credentialing organization, and producers of the IC&RC Annual Training Conference. The 2013 National Conference on Addiction Disorders, taking place in September 2013 in Anaheim, California, will be a combined program featuring both the traditional NCAD Conference content and the content from the Annual IC&RC Training Conference, enabling NCAD to continue to broaden its reach.

IC&RC’s partnership with NCAD will expand the conference’s educational curriculum for the professional development and ethical responsibilities of treatment professionals as well as provide training on strategies for the prevention, treatment and recovery of those with co-occurring mental health and substance use conditions.

“We are very excited to collaborate with the global resource for setting the highest standards in addiction-related credentialing,” stated Mark Fried, Vendome Group Executive Vice President. “IC&RC joins a growing list of partnerships with recognized associations that are committed to providing addiction treatment professionals with the highest quality and most comprehensive educational training.”

Incorporated in 1981, IC&RC represents 76 Member Boards, including 24 countries, 47 U.S. states and territories, five Native American territories, and all branches of the U.S. Armed Forces.

“With the proven ability to provide a broad range of leading-edge content, NCAD seemed to be the perfect fit for IC&RC,” says Mary Jo Mather, Executive Director of IC&RC. “The program that we will produce together in 2013 will certainly be unlike any other in the history of either organization – something we are looking very forward to being a part of.”

While IC&RC’s official involvement in the National Conference on Addiction Disorders won’t begin until after the 2012 conference, IC&RC members are invited and encouraged to attend this year to learn from over 85 featured speakers, top-notch presentations, and explore one of the largest exhibit floors of any event in the field.

The 2012 National Conference on Addiction Disorders will be held September 28 – October 2, 2012, at the Gaylord Palms Resort in Orlando, Florida.

For additional information, visit www.NationalConferenceOnAddictionDisorders.com or contact Customer Service at 603.836.0327.

In 2009, IC&RC released a white paper on the necessity for prevention credentialing. Over the last year, the organization's Credentialing Services Committee has prepared white papers for three other credentials:

• "Assuring Public Safety in the Delivery of Substance Abuse Treatment Services: An IC&RC Position Paper on Alcohol & Drug Counselor (ADC) Credentialing" (April 2012)
• "Assuring Public Safety in the Delivery of Substance Abuse Services: An IC&RC Position Paper on the Advanced Alcohol and Drug Counselor (AADC) Credential" (April 2012)
• "Assuring Public Safety in the Delivery of Clinical Supervision of Substance Use Disorder Services" (March 2012)

These documents can be used to educate legislators, treatment providers, educational programs, and others about the importance of credentialing.

Peer Recovery Coaches use their personal experiences of recovery to facilitate and built resilience of persons with addiction, mental illness, or co-occurring substance abuse and mental disorders. Because of this growing area of work, the IC&RC is developing the first international credentialing process for Peer Recovery Coaches.

In an online interview, IC&RC Executive Director Mary Jo Mather talked with Substance Abuse 411 about the credentialing process and exactly what a Peer Recovery Coach is.

IC&RC has selected Deanne Bergen, ICPS, as the recipient of the 2012 IC&RC Prevention Professional of the Year Award. The IC&RC Prevention Professional of the Year Award seeks to honor the best of the best:  the certified preventionist who best embodies the ideal of the profession and of IC&RC. This year, IC&RC received nominations from Arkansas, Delaware, Georgia, Kentucky, Maryland, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Texas.

Bergen was the founding President of the Prevention Credentialing Consortium of Georgia (PCCG). During her four-year tenure, she stabilized the fledging organization. She has worked with Georgia Family Connection Partnership, Inc., Drug Free Coalitions, and Suicide Prevention Awareness in multiple counties, as well as KidsNet Savannah and Positive Parenting and Teen Pregnancy Prevention classes. She has developed multiple trainings, such as Ethics for Preventionists, How to Survive the Credentialing Process, and the Fundamentals of Prevention. She is a true champion within the prevention community locally and statewide. She remains the "go to" person for consultation, training and education and is widely acclaimed in Georgia.

In its nominating statement, PCCG wrote:

“For the past 32 years, Deanne Bergen has devoted every working day to the advancement of prevention. She goes about this mission in an unassuming manner that belies her passion for the work. Frequently confronted with some monumental challenges such as bureaucratic inertia and scarcity of resources, she, nonetheless, doggedly remains focused and on track until positive outcomes are achieved. She maintains a balanced approach to the daily work so as to keep herself refreshed and ready for the next inevitable challenge.”

Substance abuse is one of the greatest public health challenges of our time, and its success depends on a workforce of qualified prevention professionals trained in evidence-based practices. IC&RC’s competency-based Prevention Specialist (PS) credential offers a consistent standard of knowledgeable and well-qualified individuals practicing prevention in our communities. Certified prevention professionals help ensure that programs and their funders are delivering on their mission of ensuring public safety and well-being.

Adopted in 1994, the Prevention Specialist is one of the fastest growing credentials in the field of addiction-related behavioral health care. 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.

Prevention professionals are working all over the world – partnering with parents, community groups, coalitions, faith-based organizations, health care professionals, law enforcement, businesses, and educators – to make a difference in their communities. Among them are the professionals who go above and beyond, truly standing out in their dedication, intelligence, compassion, and effectiveness.  It is those professionals – like Deanne Bergen of Georgia - whom IC&RC seeks to recognize.

Since 1981, IC&RC has protected the public by establishing standards and facilitating reciprocity for the credentialing of addiction-related professionals. IC&RC represents 76 member boards and 45,000 professionals from 24 countries and 47 U.S. states and territories. IC&RC’s seven credentials include counselors, clinical supervisors, prevention specialists, criminal justice, and co-occurring disorders professionals.

In its continued efforts to provided needed services to the prevention, treatment, and recovery field, IC&RC has added a valuable new feature to its website. The IC&RC Employment Exchange offers a rich variety of job listings for professionals, as well as a venue for employers to reach them.

Viewing and applying to jobs is completely FREE, and posting jobs is an affordable $30 for 30 days. Please visit and share the site with colleagues, so that it can become a resource to professionals and organizations everywhere.

Mary Jo Mather, Executive Director of IC&RC, authored an article on the Peer Recovery Coach (PRC) and its role in the continuum of recovery. Entitled "Peer Recovery Coaches: Expanding the Career Ladder," the commentary discusses the rise of the PRC and the need for standardization - but not professionalization - of the role.

In response to this need, IC&RC has approved international standards for Peer Recovery Coaches and is in the process of developing a formal Job Task Analysis and Written Examination.

After thorough review, IC&RC has endorsed THE BASICS, 2nd Edition: A Curriculum for Co-Occurring Psychiatric and Substance Disorders as a study guide for the CCDP examination.

The two-volume set, by Rhonda McKillip, M.Ed., LMHC, MAC, CCDCIII, CDP, contains over 1,600 references, as well as detailed lesson content and handouts for group, topics and information for individual sessions, and a cross-training guide for mental health and chemical dependency professionals.

It is an excellent resource for professionals who are preparing for their exam or who want to further their knowledge of this important subject. Professionals may purchase THE BASICS directly from McKillip's website.

McKillip wil also be one of the featured speakers at IC&RC's second annual training conference, "A Distinct Discipline: The Future of Co-Occurring Disorders Treatment & Prevention" In Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA on October 12 &13, 2012. She will present a general session, entitled "Complete Integration at Your Fingertips: From Curriculum – To Study Guides – To Lesson Plans", and a small-group session.

IC&RC, the world's largest addiction and prevention credentialing organization, is proud to announce that registration is open for its Second Annual Training Conference:

A Distinct Discipline:

The Future of Co-Occurring Disorders Treatment & Prevention

October 12-13, 2012

Crowne Plaza Hotel and Suites

Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA

Conference Sponsored by

Keynote Addresses by

Mark P. McGovern, PhD - "Integrated Behavioral Treatment in the Era of Health Care Reform"

David Mee-Lee, MD

Timothy Sheehan, PhD

Rhonda McKillip, MEd, LMHC, MAC, CCDC III, CDP

Registration Information

Subscribers to IC&RC Professional Services get $10 off!

In addition to 12 hours of top-rate presenters, this fee includes breakfast, lunch, and two breaks on each day of the conference.

Hotel Information

The hotel offers free wireless internet access, a 24-hour business center, an indoor pool, and a complete fitness center. Every room has a 37" flat panel television with over 50 HD Channels, plus a coffee maker, microwave, and refrigerator. The hotel is 100% smoke-free.

IC&RC's group rate is $112 for a king or two double beds, and the discounted room block is available until Sunday, September 16, 2012.

Reserve Your Room Now!

Sponsorships and Exhibitor Opportunities Available

IC&RC is proud to welcome companies and organizations interested in connecting with 400 leaders in the field as sponsors and exhibitors at its 2012 conference:

A Distinct Discipline:

The Future of Co-Occurring Disorders Treatment & Prevention

October 12-13, 2012

Crowne Plaza Hotel and Suites

Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA

Conference Sponsored by  

Learn more by downloading the 2012 Conference Sponsorship Prospectus. If you have questions, direct them to kay@internationalcredentialing.org.

In December 2011, IC&RC began using pretest items on its exams. Pretesting allows IC&RC to streamline its exam development process, provide much needed data on questions, and increase the security of its exams. 

Pretesting began in December 2011 for the Alcohol & Drug Counselor (ADC), Advanced Alcohol & Drug Counselor (AADC), and Clinical Supervisor (CS) exams. In March 2012, IC&RC implemented pretesting for the Prevention Specialist (PS), Certified Criminal Justice Addictions Professional (CCJP), and Certified Co-Occurring Disorders (CCDP) exams. 

On each IC&RC exam there are 25 “unweighted” items that do not count toward candidates’ final scores. Unweighted items are also called pretest items. Pretest items are not identified on exams and appear randomly on all exam forms. All exams are 150 questions in length, including the Advanced Alcohol and Drug Counselor (AADC), which was previously 175 questions.

It is important to include pretest items on an examination, because items should go through a trail period to ensure quality before they contribute to candidates’ scores. Pretesting items provides verification that the items are relevant to competency and contribute toward measuring candidates’ proficiency in the material. The statistical data received from pretesting is analyzed to determine if an item performs within an acceptable range. For example, item statistics tell us if an item is too difficult and possibly outside the candidates’ scope of knowledge or practice, if an item is too easy and does not measure competency, or if the correct answer is misidentified. If an item exhibits acceptable statistical performance, the item can be upgraded to “weighted” status and be included on future examinations as a scored item.

In a larger context, pretesting items allows examinations to stay current with the profession. The field is constantly evolving, and it is important that examinations reflect current practice and the knowledge, skills, and abilities required of competent practitioners. Including pretest items also allows IC&RC to produce more test forms which increases the security of its examinations. 

Overall, pretesting items is in the best interest of candidates as it helps to ensure the quality of future examinations. Pretest items have absolutely no effect on candidates’ scores. For example, if two candidates both answer the same number of weighted items correctly, and one answers all of the pretest items correctly and the other answers none of the pretest items correctly, they both receive the same score and pass/fail status on the exam. In fact, candidates will be protected against poorly-performing items adversely affecting their scores, while at the same time taking an examination that is current with professional trends.