Certification Regulations Pass — CAADAC Applauds NOCA Requirement |
| Posted by Administrator (admin) on Apr 05 2007 |
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Certification Regulations Pass — CAADAC Applauds NOCA Requirement
Excerpt from FREEDOM May-June 2005
On April 1, 2005 the California Department of Alcohol and Drug Programs (DADP) officially implemented its Counselor Certification Regulations, marking the first time in the Department’s history that staff in licensed and certified facilities be required to demonstrate any qualifications to treat addiction.
“Obviously it’s not what we had hoped for,” said CAADAC President Warren Daniels upon hearing the news. “We will continue to advocate for the inclusion of higher standards to better protect the public, and compliment both the ‘clinical model’ and the social models,” stated Daniels.”
There are several positive aspects to the new regulations, as well as some crucial shortcomings. “The best outcome of this entire process has been the Department’s inclusion of the NOCA (National Organization for Competency Assurance) standards to determine whether a certifying organization is actually requiring an appropriate level of education and testing in order to assure competence” remarked Daniels. “I am confident that CAADAC is equipped to meet the standard because our tests have been scientifically validated, our core competency requirements have been well-documented and we have a long history of analytically matching our occupational needs to our assessment tools.”
There are currently ten organizations listed by the Department as being approved as certifying organizations. Each has two years in which to receive its NOCA certification or be dropped from the list of approved organizations.
“I know there will be some backlash to this process,” said Daniels. “It will be difficult for our CAADAC counselors who have worked for many years and who have invested thousands of dollars in their education and testing to stand by while others sign up for the same professional distinction CAADAC counselors have spent years achieving. This is one of the many serious flaws in the regulation. CAADAC counselors just need to be patient and understand that any organization willing to hand out certificates for an application and $50 won’t pass the NOCA standard and will be gone in a year from now. Anyone who is really interested in gaining appropriate credentials for the long term needs to look closely at what they are investing in and choose wisely. ”
Another positive aspect of the regulations is their reliance on the Addiction Counseling Competencies: The Knowledge, Skills and Attitudes of Professional Practice (TAP 21). “As the discussion moves toward licensure and regulated certification, certain key issues are beginning to gel, and they focus mainly on competency standards,” said Daniels. In addition, a five year time period for counselors to gain certification may become a blessing in disguise according to Daniels, “If the department adheres to the NOCA requirement, there may be only a few organizations who will be able to offer certification and accordingly their standards are high, requiring a five year commitment in some cases.”
- Sherry Daley
Certification Regulations Pass — CAADAC Applauds NOCA Requirement
Excerpt from FREEDOM May-June 2005
On April 1, 2005 the California Department of Alcohol and Drug Programs (DADP) officially implemented its Counselor Certification Regulations, marking the first time in the Department’s history that staff in licensed and certified facilities be required to demonstrate any qualifications to treat addiction.
“Obviously it’s not what we had hoped for,” said CAADAC President Warren Daniels upon hearing the news. “We will continue to advocate for the inclusion of higher standards to better protect the public, and compliment both the ‘clinical model’ and the social models,” stated Daniels.”
There are several positive aspects to the new regulations, as well as some crucial shortcomings. “The best outcome of this entire process has been the Department’s inclusion of the NOCA (National Organization for Competency Assurance) standards to determine whether a certifying organization is actually requiring an appropriate level of education and testing in order to assure competence” remarked Daniels. “I am confident that CAADAC is equipped to meet the standard because our tests have been scientifically validated, our core competency requirements have been well-documented and we have a long history of analytically matching our occupational needs to our assessment tools.”
There are currently ten organizations listed by the Department as being approved as certifying organizations. Each has two years in which to receive its NOCA certification or be dropped from the list of approved organizations.
“I know there will be some backlash to this process,” said Daniels. “It will be difficult for our CAADAC counselors who have worked for many years and who have invested thousands of dollars in their education and testing to stand by while others sign up for the same professional distinction CAADAC counselors have spent years achieving. This is one of the many serious flaws in the regulation. CAADAC counselors just need to be patient and understand that any organization willing to hand out certificates for an application and $50 won’t pass the NOCA standard and will be gone in a year from now. Anyone who is really interested in gaining appropriate credentials for the long term needs to look closely at what they are investing in and choose wisely. ”
Another positive aspect of the regulations is their reliance on the Addiction Counseling Competencies: The Knowledge, Skills and Attitudes of Professional Practice (TAP 21). “As the discussion moves toward licensure and regulated certification, certain key issues are beginning to gel, and they focus mainly on competency standards,” said Daniels. In addition, a five year time period for counselors to gain certification may become a blessing in disguise according to Daniels, “If the department adheres to the NOCA requirement, there may be only a few organizations who will be able to offer certification and accordingly their standards are high, requiring a five year commitment in some cases.”
- Sherry Daley
Last changed: Apr 06 2007 at 5:44 AM
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