Goals and Initiatives for 2009

What is TAAP? TAAP is a state level membership association for Addiction Professionals. TAAP is an affiliate of NAADAC, the National Association for Addiction Professionals. TAAP offers academic opportunities, networking opportunities, and legislative advocacy to its members.

TAAP Initiatives for Work with the TAPNET program to promote peer assistance for addiction counselors and interns. 2. To change the statute relating to prior convictions for counselor inters. 3. Adapt requirements for Certified Prevention Specialists to ensure candidates are better prepared to sit for the certification exam. 4. To remove the oral portion of the state LCDC licensure exam.

Peer Assistance As of September 1, 2008 every licensed chemical dependency counselor and counselor intern must show access to a DSHS approved peer assistance program in order to obtain or renew their license, in accordance with Senate Bill 155. TAAP has worked with an independent 501(c)3, TAPNET, to create a peer assistance program to meet this need.

TAPNET TAPNET will work with impaired counselors to offer recovery from substance abuse and mental illness, while maintaining their state license. Impaired counselors will be able to keep their LCDC license if they agree to participate in a two year monitored peer assistance program and meet all program requirements.

Proposed changes in statute relating to Peer Assistance As part of its 2009 Legislative agenda, TAAP wishes to change the statute relating to prior convictions for LCDC Counselor Interns. The current statute states that individuals are not eligible to apply for counselor intern status until five years after their last conviction. The goal for this legislative session is to change the statute to three years after the last conviction if the individual agrees to participate in peer assistance. This would open the field to more individuals, while still protecting the public and the integrity of the field.

Certified Prevention Specialist The Certified Prevention Specialist (CPS) is an IC&RC reciprocal certification offered through TAAP’s certification arm, TCBAP, for professionals working in the field of prevention. Requirements to obtain the CPS include a combination of work experience, education hours, a supervised practicum, and a passing score on the International CPS exam. Currently in Texas, individuals do not have to meet any requirements in order to sit for the CPS exam. DSHS has imposed competency requirements for prevention funding, which has created a “rush” of many unprepared applicants sitting for the exam.

CPS Pass Rates Pass rates dropped in June 2008, due to a large number of unprepared applicants sitting for the exam, in response to funding restrictions.

Proposed Changes to CPS Exam Requirements Beginning in June 2009, in order to sit for the CPS exam, applicants will have to have completed 100 prevention education hours. This will ensure that applicants are better prepared to take the exam and should help to raise the CPS pass rate.

LCDC Oral Exam As of June 2008 the IC&RC has discontinued the use of the CPM Oral exam for certifying counselors. The IC&RC has adapted its written exam to incorporate a competency component, which includes 13 questions relating to a typical client case study. Many states have also discontinued use of the oral exam. In current Texas law, both a written and an oral exam are still required for licensure as an LCDC.

LCDC Written Exam Pass Rates Since incorporation of the oral exam competency component, in June 2008, pass rates have remained relatively stable.

LCDC Oral Exam Removal Following suit with the International Board, TCBAP and TAAP will work to remove the CPM oral component from the licensure requirements for Texas. The new written exam available for IC&RC will still ensure competency in the material which has been covered by the oral exam.

Join Us! 2009 Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment Legislative Conference February 25, 2009 Austin, TX Register online at Sponsored by:

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