Prevention Specialist (PS) 

To be eligible for reciprocity to other IC&RC jurisdictions, credentials obtained through Member Boards must meet the following IC&RC minimum standards:

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 ten hours in each domain.

Examination

Applicants must pass the IC&RC PS 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.

IC&RC credentials can only be obtained by meeting the requirements of the local Member Board where you live or work at least 51 percent of the time. The application process and specific requirements varies for each jurisdiction, so professionals seeking credentialing must contact the local board.

New JTA for PS

On May 1, 2013, IC&RC announced the completion of a new Job Task Analysis (JTA) for the Prevention Specialist. A JTA is the methodical process of determining what elements of practice and knowledge are important to assess as part of a certification examination and serves as the blueprint for the examination. The updated Prevention Specialist Job Task Analysis, which includes new domains, will be used to develop a new examination to be administered for the first time on December 13, 2013 by IC&RC member boards. To learn more, download the Announcement.

New PS Domains

1. Planning and Evaluation
2. Prevention Education and Service Delivery
3. Communication
4. Community Organization
5. Public Policy and Environmental Change
6. Professional Growth and Responsibility

Candidate Guide

As a service to the profession, IC&RC provides a Prevention Specialist (PS) Candidate Guide for students preparing for examinations and their work in the field. IC&RC offers this resource free of charge and updates the publications on an ongoing basis.

As part of the certification process, IC&RC requires Prevention Specialists to sign a Code of Ethics. While Code of Ethics are determined by each individual member board, NAPPA's Code of Ethical Conduct for Prevention Professionals is a valuable resources for all Prevention Specialists.

Prevention Resources

IC&RC released a position paper, "Credentialing of Prevention Professionals Is a Critical Component to Implementing National Health Care Reform." This is a valuable addition to the White Paper, "Assuring Public Safety in the Delivery of Substance Abuse
Prevention Services."

There is also a brochure released September 2012, "Prevention Specialist: A Credential for Your Career & Your Community."
 
 

298 South Progress Avenue Harrisburg, PA 17109 USA • Phone: +1 717 540 4457 • Fax: +1 717 540 4458 • info@internationalcredentialing.org

Powered by Wild Apricot Membership Software