HHS Region: Region 6 - South Southwest 

Examination: Successful score on the ICRC Prevention Examination

Educational / Training Requirements:

• Education – 120 total continuing education hours across all prevention domains. 90 hours must be prevention specific, 24 hours must be AOD specific, and 6 hours must be in prevention specific ethics. Counselor, treatment, or business ethics do not qualify. Examples of AOD specific education include, but are not limited to, addiction theory, addicted family dynamics, pharmacology, drugs and the brain/body, counseling theory, and the twelve core functions. Examples of prevention specific education include, but are not limited to, prevention curriculum training, community mobilization, planning and evaluation of prevention programs, media messages, social marketing, environmental strategies, and behavioral health promotion.
• One hundred twenty hour practicum in the Prevention domains (see application for domains)

Prevention Experience:

2,000 hours (approximately one year)  of Alcohol, Tobacco and Other Drug (ATOD) prevention work experience

Code of Ethics: Sign a prevention specific code of ethics statement of affirmation that the applicant has read and will abide by the code of ethics

Additional Requirements/Information: State allows block grant monies for training and certification fees.  State requires CPS of all program directors.  Direct Service providers must have the non-reciprocal Associate Prevention Specialist credential which does not require the exam.

Pre-IC&RC Certification Level Title: Associate Prevention Specialist

Pre- IC&RC Certification Level Requirements:

• Formal Training: Documentation of 120 clock hours, or equivalent college semester hours, of education; of which 90 hours must be prevention specific. Six hours must be specific to prevention ethics and can be part of the 90 hours of the prevention specific education. The remaining 24 hours of education must be AOD specific. 
• Ethics: All applicants for designation as an APS must sign and agree to comply with the ethical standards as set forth in the Texas System of Certification for the APS designation. All professional ethical complaints must be resolved prior to designation. The ethical standards are included in this application packet. 
• Supervised Practicum: All applicants must show documentation of a one hundred twenty (120) hour Practicum with a minimum of ten (10) hours in each of the six (6) Prevention domains: A form for documenting the supervised practicum is included in this application package. 
• Education: A minimum of a High School Diploma or GED is required for designation and must be documented through official transcripts. 
• Experience: All applicants must document a minimum of 3000 hours of substance abuse prevention work experience. A form is included in this application package on which the work experience should be documented. 
• Evaluation: Applicants are required to submit the Supervisor’s competency evaluation included in this application packet.
   

Advanced Title: Advanced Certified Prevention Specialist - A reciprocal credential

Advanced Requirements:

• Formal Training: Applicants must provide documentation of two hundred (200) prevention education hours. Twenty -four (24) hours must be titled as specific Alcohol and Other Drug (AOD) training. Six (6) of these hours must be Ethics education specific to Prevention.
• Education and Experience: Applicants must provide documentation of either: Associates Degree plus 10,000 hours (approximately five years) of Alcohol and Other Drug (AOD) prevention work experience. Forms are included in the application package on which the work experience and education verification should be documented. Please send official transcripts to verify degree. OR Bachelor’s, Master’s or Doctoral Degree plus 4,000 hours (approximately two years) of Alcohol and Other Drug (AOD) prevention work experience. Forms are included in the application package on which the work experience and education verification should be documented. Please send official transcripts to verify degree. 
• Ethics: All applicants for certification as an ACPS must sign and agree to comply with the ethical standards as set forth in the Texas System of Certification for the ACPS credential. All professional ethical complaints must be re solved prior to certification. 
• Written Test: All applicants for certification as an ACPS must complete and satisfactorily score a passing grade on the IC&RC International Written Prevention Specialist Examination. 
• Practicum: All applicants must show documentation of a one hundred twenty (120) hour supervised Practicum with a minimum of ten (10) hours in each of the six (6) Prevention domains: Planning and Evaluation, Prevention Education and Service Delivery, Communication, Community Organization, Public Policy and Environmental Change, and Professional Growth and Responsibility. 
• Residency: All persons who apply for the ACPS certification through the Texas Certification Board should be a resident of Texas. At least fifty percent (51%) of the applicant’s work should be done in the State of Texas. Exceptions to the residency requirement will be considered on an individual basis by petition to the Texas Certification Board.

Certification & Licensing Board: Texas Certification Board (TCBAP) https://www.tcbap.org