New Credential For Co-Occurring Mental and Addiction Disorders

As many as 80 percent of recovering addicts also suffer from mental disorders such as depression or bipolar disorder. At best, these individuals alternate between addiction counselors and mental health counselors, a practice studies have shown to be unsuccessful at treating either problem.

In an attempt to treat the two problems and their relationship successfully, the International Certification & Reciprocity Consortium/Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse (IC&RC) has introduced a new certification, the Certified Co-Occurring Disorders Professional (CCDP), expected to pressure current addiction and mental health professionals to obtain more training.

Official educational requirements will not be available until late 2007. However, the IC&RC website, currently lists the following CCDP credentials, similar to those of states such as Iowa and Pennsylvania where CCDP certification has already been introduced.

- Experience: 2,000 hours of co-occurring specific work in the last ten years.
- Education: Master's degree or higher in co-occurring disorder (COD) or behavioral science with a clinical application from a college or university that is accredited by the U.S. Department of Education or the Council on Higher Education Accreditation or an international equivalent if degree is from an international institution. COD specific training events must include a focus on both substance use and mental disorders and consider the interactive relationship between the disorders to qualify. 6 hours must be counselor specific ethics training.
- Supervision: 100 hours, at least ten hours in each of the domains.
- Examination: IC&RC Written Co-Occurring Disorders Professional -- Diplomate Examination.
- Code of Ethics: Applicant must sign a prevention specific code of ethics statement or affirmation statement.
- Recertification: 40 hours of COD specific continuing education every two years.

Read more: IC&RC Announces New Certification for Co-Occurring Disorders Practitioners