HHS Region: Region 6 - South Southwest
Title: Certified Prevention Specialist
Examination: Applicants must pass the IC&RC Prevention Specialist Examination.
Educational/Training Requirements: 120 total hours across all domains of which 24 hours must be ATOD specific with 6 hours of Prevention Ethics
Prevention Experience: 2,000 hours of Prevention experience across the domains
Supervised Prevention Experience: 120 hours specific to the domains with 10 hours in each domains
Examination: Applicants must sign a Prevention specific code of ethics statement.
Recertification Requirements: 40 hours of continuing education hours earned every two year which includes 6 hours of prevention ethics.
Pre- IC&RC Certification Level Requirements:
- Certified Prevention Intern (CPI)
- Experience: Verify 6 months or 1,000 hours or more of employment, paid or voluntary, within the past three (3) years engaged in working in the field of prevention; substance abuse, teen pregnancy, domestic violence, suicide, are examples of acceptable areas.
- Education: Verification of 50 contact hours-prevention specific training. Eighteen (18) hours of this training must be Alcohol, Tobacco, and Other Drugs (ATODA) specific training. Only training hours documented/received within the past five (5) years, prior to the date of submitting your application packet, will be accepted, unless the classes were from university or college, each college credit hour equals 15 CEU’s. Submit copies of the training certificates and or unofficial college transcripts. In-service training must be documented and will be reviewed for approval by the Board. Submit copy of High School Diploma or equivalent or College Degree.
- Code of Ethics: The applicant must document 6 hours of prevention ethics training and provide a signed “Code of Ethics” and Statement of Understanding.
- Supervision: Complete the evaluation checklist form as provided by the Board.
- Reference: Submit three (3) letters of peer support evaluating character and competency of the applicant, and one must be from a current supervisor, one must be from peer within in agency and one must be from an outside agency endorsement letter to the professionalism of the applicant.
- Recertification: Every 2 years; 40 contact hours (CEU’s) must be completed within the 2-year period, of which 6 hours in Prevention Ethics is mandatory, the remainder general and or ATODA Prevention trainings are acceptable with no more than 50% on-line (unless they are college credit hours as part of a relational on-line Degree Program).
Advanced Title: Senior Certified Prevention Specialist (SCPS)
Advanced Requirements:
- Holds a current certification as a Certified Prevention Specialist.
- Experience: Five (5) years or 10,000 hours of providing supervisory, administrative or management work experience in the field of ATODA prevention.
- Education: 120 hours prevention specific training. Fifty (50) hours of this training must be specific ATOD training.
- Supervision: 144 hours supervised performance hours specific to the IC&RC six (6) Prevention performance domains. The six domains are:
- Planning and Evaluation
- Education and Skill Development Community Organization
- Public and Organizational Policy Professional Growth and Responsibility
- Program Management and Supervision
- Reference: Five (5) professional references Code of Ethics: The applicant must sign a code of ethics statement of affirmation . Six (6) hours of Prevention Specific Ethics Training.. Re-Certification: Forty-(40) hours of continuing education hours, which includes (six) 6 hours in Prevention Ethics and (six) 6 hours of Leadership, Management, or Supervisory Skills training related to the Behavioral Health Field must be earned in two years.
Certification & Licensing Board: New Mexico Credentialing Board for Behavioral Health Professionals (NMCBBHP) https://www.nmcbbhp.org
