Meeting held as part of the NAADAC 2009 Annual Conference

NAADAC

1001 North Fairfax Street, Suite 201, Alexandria, VA 22314 • 703.741.7686 • 800.548.0497                                • Fax: 703.741.7698  800.377.1136 •  www.naadac.org            

 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE     June 15, 2009               

CONTACT:  Donovan Kuehn        

703.741.7686, ext. 125     This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it  

NAADAC-National Certification Commission to Host Discussion of National

Credentialing Standards

Meeting held as part of the NAADAC 2009 Annual Conference

ALEXANDRIA, Va. — NAADAC, the Association for Addiction Professionals, is inviting two representatives from each nationally established and recognized addictions disorders certifying board to attend discussions on national credentialing standards, testing processes and other issues relevant to the addiction treatment industry.

The meeting will be held in conjunction with the “Sowing the Seeds of Recovery” annual conference and will take place at the Grand America Hotel in Salt Lake City, Utah, on August 18, 2009.

The purpose of the meeting will be to foster relations between the various certifying entities in hopes of working together to best serve the addictions disorders profession in today’s changing environment.

A full discussion incorporating all of the national stakeholders is seen as a first step in setting an agenda for addiction professionals and how the profession will move forward in a changing economic and political climate. As President Obama’s health reform proposals move forward, there is a need for unity among addiction focused professionals.

The discussions will focus on the changes needed in the addiction profession, as laid out by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) in their recent report Ensuring U.S. Health Reform Includes Prevention and Treatment of Mental and Substance Use Disorders: A Framework for Discussion. A key finding of the report focused on the development of a national “centralized credentialing and privileging system across all payers, and a National system for clinician licensing and the licensing and regulation of care delivery systems. This consistency will make it easier for professionals to enter and stay in the field, and for the system at large to achieve a higher level of quality.”

 If you are affiliated with a certifying board and are interested in attending, or merely seeking more information, please contact Shirley Mikell by July 13, 2009, at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or 800.548.0497. For more information on health reform, please visit

www.samhsa.gov/Healthreform/. 

NAADAC, The Association for Addiction Professionals, is the largest organization for addiction-focused health care professionals. Founded in 1974, NAADAC is committed to the professional development of individuals who treat and prevent addiction. NAADAC also works to improve the provision of treatment services through education and advocacy programs.“We help people recover their lives.”