Certification

Standards and Procedures

In 1996, the South Carolina Association of Prevention Professionals and Advocates (SCAPPA) assumed responsibility from the South Carolina Department of Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse Services (SC DAODAS) for providing prevention specialist certification. With this authority, SCAPPA strives to provide the South Carolina prevention workforce with the highest quality certification programs possible. The process of certification in South Carolina is recognized by the International Certification & Reciprocity Consortium (IC&RC), an internationally and nationally recognized certification program for prevention and treatment professionals. SCAPPA offers two types of certification-Certified Prevention Specialist and Certified Senior Prevention Specialist.

Certified Prevention Specialist

• One year or 2,000 hours of paid or volunteer ATOD prevention experience;
• 150 clock hours of training in the five prevention core areas, 6 hours of this training must be in Professional Ethics; and 50 hours of this training must be ATOD specific;
• 120 hours of work with an approved mentor in the prevention core areas;
• a passing score on the written IC&RC exam;
• a passing score on the oral exam conducted by the SCAPPA Certification Review Committee;
• and a bachelor's degree (preferred).

Certified Senior Prevention Specialist

• five years or 10,000 hours of ATOD prevention experience, three years of which must be paid experience;
• 300 clock hours of training in the five prevention core areas; 6 hours of this training must be in Professional Ethics (if not successfully completed previously); and 100 hours of this training must be ATOD specific;
• 200 hours of work with an approved mentor in the prevention core areas; (Some of these hours may be earned by working as a mentor).
• a passing score on the IC&RC written exam (if not taken previously);
• a bachelor's degree (preferred)

Certification can be accomplished by following the five easy steps listed below:

STEP ONE: Send a written request, along with the appropriate fee, asking for the Certification Application package. Be sure to include a mailing address where the material can be sent to you via Fed Ex (cannot deliver to a Post Office box).

You will receive the SCAPPA Prevention Specialists Certification Manual on CD.

Obtain approval for all training/education to be used toward your certification. (Application form is on the CD and on this website under Training. Already-approved training/education events do not have to be resubmitted for approval by the Certification Training Review Committee. (Review the list of SCAPPA-Approved Training under the Training Section of this website). 

STEP THREE: Submit the completed application form along with all training documentation.

STEP FOUR: Request to take and pass the written examination. It is administered through Computer Based Testing Sites across South Carolina.

STEP FIVE: Successfully complete an oral examination with the Peer Review committee. This will be scheduled after passing the written examination.

To Request Certification Application click here

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