About Alcoholism - Alcoholism Information, Research and Treatment
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The Alcohol and Drug Problems Association of North America (ADPA) has launched a national initiative to establish a certification process for drug- and alcohol-abuse treatment workers.
Announcing the action, association president H. Leonard Boche [said] that the first step would be the convening of a meeting to include representatives of relevant national, state, and local organizations affected by the process. Invitations were sent to groups representing the people to be certified, their prospective employers, and representatives of regulatory agencies.
Mr. Boche emphasized that ADPA's action in initiating the process does not mean it intends to become the actual certification body, or even the permanent focus for activity in this field. The ADPA is acting purely as a catalyst, said Boche, in response to what appears to be an "urgent need."
The ADPA policy statement claims: "A national certifying body is essential to assure minimum standards of care for citizens with substance-abuse problems; it is essential to provide clarity of position and status for addiction counselors, and to allow for lateral as well as vertical mobility; and it will expedite the coverage of chemical-dependency treatment through third-party funding sources, enhance the Insurance of coverage for addiction problems under pending national health-insurance legislation, and provide a basis for a higher degree of standardization from state to state,"
