Certification – Manual and Applications
Alcohol, Tobacco and Other Drug (ATOD) Abuse Prevention Certification has been established in the State of New Hampshire to: provide for consumer protection, promote public confidence, promote professional growth and development and to provide an internationally recognized professional credential for prevention practitioners. Prevention is defined as a proactive process which empowers individuals and systems to meet the challenges of life events and transitions by creating and reinforcing healthy behavior and lifestyles and by reducing risks contributing to alcohol, tobacco and other drug misuse and other related issues.
The purpose of prevention certification is to recognize and ensure that substance abuse prevention practitioners meet competency standards established by the International Certification Reciprocity Consortium (IC&RC) and the Prevention Certification Board of NH.
The CPS Manual with Appendices (application materials) contains the requirements, procedures and application forms for the Certified Prevention Specialist (CPS) designation. The manual & application only forms (requirements with a degree and without) for Certified Prevention Specialist are currently available for download in a PDF format for printing. A Quick Guide is also available for download as a summary of what is required to become a CPS.
CPS Bachelors Degree Application
The Certified Prevention Specialist certification is a beginning-level certification. Any advanced certifications adopted by the Certification Board in the future will require candidates to possess a CPS. Those seeking certification but who do not have extensive experience in the field of ATOD prevention should aspire to fulfill the requirements of the Certified Prevention Specialist.
Re-certification for the Prevention Specialist is every two years and requires an additional forty (40) hours of continuing education in the area of ATOD prevention. All information needed to apply for re-certification can be found in the application below.
CPS Re-certification Application
Advanced Certified Prevention Specialist: The Prevention Certification Board of NH is now offering an advanced credential for certified prevention specialists (ACPS). This advanced credential is for those currently certified as Prevention Specialists (CPS) in NH and are seeking a more advanced certification that involves a focus on organizational leadership and management skills. There are two levels, for those who currently hold the CPS and are initially seeking the advanced credential, and for those who already have their ACPS and are seeking recertification.
Download your ACPS applications here:
Initial ACPS Application- for those with CPS seeking recertification at the ACPS Level in NH
Recertification of ACPS Application- for those with ACPS seeking recertification of ACPS in NH
To pay for CPS or ACPS re-certification via PayPal click on the appropriate payment below (re-cert fee or re-cert plus late fee):
$100 Re-certification Fee for CPS or ACPS
$150 Re-certification with late fee for CPS or ACPS ($100 plus $50 late fee)
To Pay via PayPal for Initial Advanced CPS (ACPS) Fee (initial ACPS or initial ACPS with late fee):
$175- Initial Advance CPS (ACPS)
$225- Initial Advanced CPS (ACPS) with $50 late fee ($175 +$50)
Applications may be scanned and sent to us electronically although the notarized Code of Ethics plus payment in full, must be mailed directly to the address indicated in Contact Us on the right hand side of this page.
Update regarding notarization: The board does require an original signed and notarized Code of Ethics for new certifications and re-certifications. Local banks often provide notary service free of charge to their members and may even offer this service through a drive thru. This will vary depending on individual bank policies. We recommend checking with your bank. If you are still having difficulty accessing a notary, please reach out via email to our board administrator at: [email protected]
All experience and education is based on the six IC&RC Prevention Performance Domains. They are:
- Planning and Evaluation
- Prevention Education and Service Delivery
- Communication
- Community Organization
- Public Policy and Environmental Change
- Professional Growth and Responsibility
The job tasks for each Performance Domain are detailed in the IC&RC section of the manual.
Questions about the certification process should be directed to the Prevention Certification Board of NH by calling the administrator at: 603-573-3356 or emailing: [email protected].