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What You Need to Know About the IC&RC’s Domestic and International Reciprocity

January 17, 2020

The IC&RC or International Certification and Reciprocity Consortium is the definitive international and interstate credentialing and examination body for professionals in the treatment and recovery business. Ultimately, oversight bodies such as the IC&RC protect the public by adding a layer of protection by setting minimum standards for professional certification. However, the IC&RC also provides a very important service for treatment and recovery professionals.

Through its significant network of member boards, in most states and in several countries around the world, treatment professionals who have the experience, education and ultimately certification in any single state can feel comfortable moving to a new state and retaining the same or similar designation. Of course, there are states that did not participate in the IC&RC program, but most do. Further, it is important to remember that some local boards have unique educational requirements (usually as a result of unique demographic particulars of the territory). As such, counselors should be aware of the requirements the local board to which they are applying.

While each state and international board is managed independently, they adhere to the same basic standards and exams which allows for relatively easy reciprocity. Here at The Academy, not a month goes by where one of our students doesn’t ask us about an impending move and how they would bring their certification along with them.

What Certifications are Reciprocal?

The IC&RC provides guidance for the following credentials:

In order to get any one of these credentials, you must go through your local board. For Florida, this is the Florida Certification Board. Once you have completed all of the necessary requirements, upon approval you receive your certification. If you should move or if you spent your time in another state or country, you may be able to reciprocate in that other territory. Doing so requires applying for reciprocity through the IC&RC, being approved by both your home board as well as the board to which you are moving and passing an examination. At this point, your certification will be valid in both states or territories and can be maintained by simply following each local board’s continuing education and recertification requirements.

Does this mean that students can take their certification courses in one state and be certified another?

We receive many inquiries from prospective students around the country who are looking to take courses with us. While they certainly could take our distance learning courses and apply for certification in any of the states for which we are approved education providers, the biggest difficulty is taking the exam. Most states only offer their exams within the state or sometimes in neighboring states. Out-of-state students who wish to reciprocate would have to go through the additional step of applying to and taking the exam with the IC&RC.

In the end, the IC&RC offers a very valuable service in a society that is far more mobile than ever before. Not only do treatment offer clinical services in more than one place more commonly than ever before, we also move more frequently and further than ever. With the backstop that the IC&RC provides, counselors no longer have to worry about whether their certification will be valid in a territory under IC&RC jurisdiction. For more information about the IC&RC you can contact them directly:

3544 North Progress Ave, Suite 101
Harrisburg, PA 17110 USA
+1 717.540.4457
info@internationalcredentialing.org

Or, please learn more about reciprocity by visiting our page: https://www.addictionacademy.com/addiction-certification-reciprocity.php