About IC&RC's Credentials

IC&RC is built on the belief that credentialing advances the addiction and prevention profession. 

Credentialing facilitates standardized practice across a wide variety of settings and regulatory environments. Most importantly, it ensures trained, ethical professionals are available to clients, families, and communities around the globe.

IC&RC establishes, monitors, and advances reciprocal competency standards for six reciprocal credentials:

These credentials are recognized worldwide as the gold standard for competency in the field, and they are written into U.S. state and national practice regulations and insurance legislation.

Developing a Credential

The foundation of a credential is the Job Analysis (JA), a methodical process of determining what elements of practice and knowledge are important to assess as part of a certification examination.

To develop the JA, we gather Subject Matter Experts working in the field from all around the country and world to contribute what tasks, knowledge, skills, and abilities they use in their jobs. Then IC&RC creates a public survey for professionals to weigh in on whether they do, in fact, complete the proposed tasks in their work – and how important they would rate them. The survey is announced on IC&RC’s website, plus it is sent to IC&RC member boards and other relevant organizations for distribution.

Under the guidance of a psychometrician from our international testing company, a second group of Subject Matter Experts reviews the survey results, adjusting the original tasks, knowledge, skills, and abilities to reflect the input of thousands of professionals. This final document is called the Job Analysis, and it serves as the blueprint for the examination. The process used by IC&RC directly links an examination score to a specific job and ensures that each examination is valid, reliable, and legally defensible.

To ensure they reflect the latest practices, IC&RC credentials and examinations are updated following this process every five to seven years. This rigorous test development sets IC&RC apart from other credentialing organizations.