Every individual who has attained certification must seek recertification by the end of the two-year certification period.
Steps to Recertification:
- Complete the recertification application form and return it no later than August 30th of the year of the credential’s expiration date. (Application forms will generally be mailed to the certified individual at least sixty (60) days prior to the expiration of their credential. However, it remains the responsibility to the certified professional to obtain, complete and submit recertification documents in a timely way.
- Furnish documentation of forty (40) hours of continuing education. These hours must consist of a minimum of 40 contact hours of training which has been given approved continuing education status by the Certification Board.
- Six (6) of the forty (40) hours of continuing education must be “addiction specific,” by which is meant that the course title, description or content clearly indicates that the training addresses chemical and behavioral dependencies directly. For example, “Group Therapy” would not meet the criteria, whereas “Group Therapy for Alcoholics” would.
- Pay the required fee.
Obtaining Approved Status for Training:
Certification Board approval for continuing education hours/events may be gained in a variety of ways:
- By the sponsoring agent: The individual, agency or institution sponsoring the training submits an application and fee to the Certification Board. The Board reviews the materials and, if appropriate, approves a set number of contact hours.
- By the individual attending the training: The individual attending the training submits an application and fee to the Certification Board. The Board reviews the materials and, if appropriate, approves a set number of contact hours.
- By the trainer or faculty member: The person teaching the course or workshop submits an application and fee to the Certification Board. The Board reviews the materials and, if appropriate, approves a set number of contact hours.
Procedures and applications for these processes may be obtained from the Certification Board.
Late Fee:
A late fee of $75 is charged to any re-certification applicant if the application has not been postmarked by August 30th.
Inactive Status:
- Once a certified professional fails to submit the re-certification packet by August 30th of the year in which he/she is supposed to re-certify, the credential is considered to be "inactive" and may not be used until re-certification is obtained. The individual may not identify him/herself as a Certified Prevention Specialist (CPSI or CPSII), Alcohol and Drug Counselor (ADC), Counselor in Service (CIS), Adavanced Alcohol and Drug Counselor(AADC), Certified Clinical Supervisor (CCS), or Certified Criminal Justice Addiction Professional and must notify his/her employer of the inactive status of the credential in question. Since the Certified Clinical Supervisor (CCS) credential requires that the individual holds an active ADC credential, one's CCS will also become inactive if the ADC or AADC credential becomes inactive.
- The individual can regain his/her credential up to 90 days past the expiration date by completing the re-certification process and paying all late fees ($75.) After the 90 day period, your certification will be null and void and the individual will have to re-apply, complete all certification paperwork and take all tests in order to be re-credentialed.
Extension of the Recertification Period:
Once a certified professional fails to submit the re-certification packet by August 30th of the year in which he/she is supposed to re-certify, the credential is considered to be “inactive” and may not be used until re-certification is obtained. The individual may not identify him/herself as a Certified Prevention Specialist (CPSI or CPSII), Alcohol and Drug Counselor(ADC), Counselor in Service (CIS), Advanced Alcohol and Drug Counselor (AADC), Certified Clinical Supervisor (CCS), or Certified Criminal Justice Addiction Professional (CCJP) and must notify his/her employer of the inactive status of the credential in question. Since the Certified Clinical Supervisor (CCS) credential requires that the individual holds an active ADC or AADC credential, one’s CCS will also become inactive if the ADC or AADC credential becomes inactive.
The individual can regain his/her credential up to 90 days past the expiration date by completing the re-certification process and paying all late fees ($75). After the 90 day period, your certification will be null and void and the individual will have to re-apply, complete all certification paperwork and take all tests in order to be re-credentialed.