Press Releases

NAADAC, the Association for Addiction Professionals, has partnered with Orion Healthcare Technology and OakTree Collaborative to offer a web-based professional development software system designed for addictions, mental health, substance use disorder and peer recovery professionals. This partnership will help build the foundation for a model that will positively impact workforce development and growth of professionals and agencies in these fields. Marketed under the name of OakTree Supervisi... Read More

On February 9-10, 2023, NAADAC hosted its third annual Engagement in the Black Community Virtual Summit. The summit, which was organized by NAADAC’s Critical Issues in the Black Community Committee (CIBCC), highlighted critical issues within the Black community as they relate to addiction treatment, recovery, and healing. This year’s summit was the largest Engagement in the Black Community Virtual Summit to date, with over 2,300 people in attendance. Attendees joined together to f... Read More

Over the last two years, the American Mental Health Counselors Association (AMHCA) and NAADAC, the Association for Addiction Professionals, have met to talk about the role of professional associations in setting competency standards, as well as the need to address co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders. NAADAC and AMHCA have complementary missions that are focused on helping our respective members provide the best clinical and wrap-around services in their communities.&nb... Read More

NAADAC stands with the LGBTQ+ community, and we are sending support and comfort as the community's safety has been compromised once again. NAADAC condemns in the strongest of terms hateful acts of violence against the LGBTQ+ community, including the event that took place in Colorado Springs on November 19–20, 2022. We send our deepest condolences to the victims and their loved ones. NAADAC believes that love is love, and that every person, regardless of gender expression or sexual... Read More

On October 7 - 12, 2022, hundreds of nationally recognized speakers, NAADAC and NCC AP leadership, and addiction professionals from across the globe gathered at the JW Marriott Indianapolis for the NAADAC 2022 Annual Conference & 50th Anniversary Celebration!  NAADAC 2022 Annual Conference & 50th Anniversary Celebration attendees included NAADAC members, addiction professionals from across the country, nationally recognized speakers, exhibitors, and international addiction profe... Read More

NAADAC is proud to announce that Angela E. Maxwell, PhD, CPS, has officially assumed her role as the new President of NAADAC, the Association for Addiction Professionals, a national organization that represents the professional interests of more than 100,000 addiction counselors, educators and other addiction-focused health care professionals in the United States, Canada, and abroad. Maxwell's two-year term as NAADAC President began on October 10, 2022. Maxwell's inauguration is... Read More

NAADAC is proud to announce that the recentlyelected additions to the NAADAC Executive Committee have taken office. Every two years, NAADAC members have the opportunity to select officers who will determine the direction of the Association and represent their geographical regions on the NAADAC Executive Committee. All NAADAC members are eligible and encouraged to vote for the candidates within their region. All 2022-2024 terms began on Monday, October 10, 2022. The new members of the Execut... Read More

NAADAC, the Association for Addiction Professionals, recognizes the fundamental rights, dignity and worth of all people. The NAADAC/NCC AP Code of Ethics states, “Providers shall offer services that demonstrate appropriate respect for the fundamental rights, dignity and worth of all clients.” (Principle IV, Section IV-1 Respect).  Inherent in these rights is personal autonomy over one’s body, including the right to make decisions about one’s own reproductive syste... Read More

NAADAC and the National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC) Foundation are pleased to congratulate the recipients of the 2022 Minority Fellowship Program for Addictions Counselors (MFP-AC). Fifty fellows were selected for this year's MFP-AC. Laura Adkerson, University of the Cumberlands  Isabel Anderson, Appalachian State University Skye Anfield, Lewis & Clark Graduate School of Education and Counseling Sylvanus Ariole, Metropolitan State University Brian Baldonado, The ... Read More

Susie Mullens, Licensed Psychologist, LPC, AADC, has stepped into her new role as the NAADAC Mid-Atlantic Regional Vice President (RVP). Mullens – who won the 2022 election to serve as the next Mid-Atlantic RVP – began her term early due to the untimely death of the sitting Mid-Atlantic RVP, long-time NAADAC member and leader, Ron Pritchard, CSAC, CAS, NCAC II. Mullens is a licensed psychologist, licensed professional counselor, certified advanced alcohol and drug counselor, and s... Read More

NAADAC’s 2022 Advocacy in Action Conference and Virtual Hill Day was our biggest advocacy event ever! Over 900 NAADAC members and other addiction professionals from across the country and around the globe gathered virtually on April 19-21, 2022, to attend briefings on legislation, learn about important advocacy issues, and receive robust trainings on effective advocacy in preparation for virtual meetings on Capitol Hill. The Advocacy in Action Conference featured speakers from governme... Read More

Last month, the addiction profession lost an esteemed leader in our community, NAADAC Mid-Atlantic Regional Vice President Ron Pritchard, CSAC, CAS, NCAC II. He passed away on February 16th at the young age of 81. NAADAC would like to thank and honor our long-time friend and leader, Ron Pritchard, for all he did for NAADAC, the addiction profession, and the clients we serve. Pritchard, Owner/Lead of Addiction Program Consultants (APC), had an extensive background in substance use disorde... Read More

NAADAC, the Association for Addiction Professionals, has released a position statement drafted by NAADAC’s Critical Issues in the Black Community (CIBC) Committee discussing the unique and complex disparities relating to substance use and addiction within Black populations across the United States. NAADAC periodically releases position statements detailing NAADAC’s stance on specific issues, and this paper will be part of a multi-part series exploring the many critical issues faci... Read More

NAADAC, the Association for Addiction Professionals, has released a position statement on the decriminalization and legalization of cannabis use across the United States. NAADAC periodically releases position statements discussing NAADAC’s stance on specific issues, and this paper is part of a multi-part series exploring NAADAC’s position on cannabis. NAADAC represents the professional interests of more than 100,000 addiction counselors, educators and other addiction-focused heal... Read More

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) has launched an Office of Recovery, within the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Mental Health and Substance Use, to advance the agency’s commitment to, and support of, recovery for all Americans. NAADAC applauds SAMHSA on the creation of this new office. "The creation of the Office of Recovery is an important step being taken by SAMHSA," said NAADAC Executive Director Cynthia Moreno Tuohy, BSW, NCAC I... Read More

NAADAC is proud to announce that NAADAC Executive Director Cynthia Moreno Tuohy, BSW, NCAC II, CDC III, SAP, has been awarded the Friend of NASADAD Award by the National Association of State Alcohol and Drug Abuse Directors, Inc. (NASADAD), a private, not-for-profit educational, scientific, and informational organization dedicated to fostering and supporting the development of effective alcohol and other drug abuse prevention and treatment programs. The Friend of NASADAD Award is given to an... Read More

Every two years, NAADAC members have the opportunity to select a Regional Vice President who will represent their state affiliate on the NAADAC Executive Committee, with four of NAADAC’s eight regional positions being up for election each year. All 2021-2023 terms begin in September 2021, immediately following the Annual Board of Directors Meeting. This year, the Mid-Central, North Central, Southeast, and Southwest Regional Vice President positions came up for election. NAADAC only rec... Read More

NAADAC is proud to share that Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) Acting Director Regina M. LaBelle has sent a letter of recognition and thanks to NAADAC President Mita M. Johnson and to addiction professionals everywhere in honor of National Addiction Professionals Day.  "On behalf of the Biden-Harris Administration, I extend my deepest thanks and gratitude to all addiction professionals for their dedication to service, compassion, and excellence," wrote LaBelle. &... Read More

Every year on September 20th, NAADAC, the Association for Addiction Professionals, takes time to recognize and celebrate vital players of the health system and continuum of care in honor of National Addiction Professionals Day. Started by NAADAC in 1992, the day was established to commemorate the hard work that addiction professionals do on a daily basis. As part of its National Addiction Professionals Day celebration, NAADAC honors its 2021 NAADAC Award Winners. This year, NAADAC presented ... Read More

NAADAC stands with the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community in the face of the violence and atrocities that have been and are sadly continuing to be perpetrated against its members. We acknowledge the overwhelming pain and trauma the community is experiencing in the wake of the senseless attacks in Georgia and across the country. We are speaking up against hate, xenophobia, and violence. NAADAC condemns all levels and types of violence and recognizes that violence is particul... Read More

On February 25-26, 2021, NAADAC hosted the successful Engagement in the Black Community Summit. The summit, which was organized by NAADAC’s Critical Issues in the Black Community Committee (CIBCC), highlighted critical issues within the Black community as they relate to addiction treatment, recovery, and healing. Over 1,300 people attended the virtual event, and attendees all joined together to foster a greater sense of diversity, open-mindedness, and inclusion within the addiction comm... Read More

NAADAC is proud to introduce Angela E. Maxwell, PhD, CPS, as the new President-Elect of NAADAC, the Association for Addiction Professionals. Her two-year term began on October 18, 2020. Maxwell is the Prevention Services Director for Alcohol and Drug Services in High Point, NC. She oversees services in ten counties across central North Carolina and has worked in substance use prevention for 25 years. She is also the co-founder of Aspire Training and Consulting Group, LLC. Maxwell has a Bach... Read More

Mita M. Johnson, EdD, LPC, MAC, SAP, CTHP II, has officially assumed her role as the new President of NAADAC, the Association for Addiction Professionals, a national organization that represents the professional interests of more than 100,000 addiction counselors, educators and other addiction-focused health care professionals in the United States, Canada, and abroad. Mita’s two-year term as NAADAC President began on October 18, 2020. Mita has been practicing in the world of mental hea... Read More

NAADAC's first virtual conference, the NAADAC 2020 Annual Conference: Learn, Connect, Succeed, hosted on our virtual conference platform from September 24 - 26, 2020, was a huge success! Over 1,300 attendees from all 50 states and 13 countries and 35 virtual exhibitors participated in this year's Annual Conference. Attendees included NAADAC members, addiction professionals from all around the world, nationally recognized speakers, exhibitors, and sponsors. The three-day event include... Read More

Every year on September 20th, NAADAC, the Association for Addiction Professionals, takes time to recognize and celebrate vital players of the health system and continuum of care in honor of National Addiction Professionals Day. Started by NAADAC in 1992, the day was established to commemorate the hard work that addiction professionals do on a daily basis. As part of its National Addiction Professionals Day celebration, NAADAC honors its 2020 NAADAC Award Winners. This year, NAADAC presented&... Read More

NAADAC, the Association for Addiction Professionals, and the National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC) Foundation, are pleased to announce that the 2021 application period for the National Board for Certified Counselors Minority Fellowship Program for Addictions Counselors (NBCC MFP-AC) is now open. The NBCC MFP-AC is made possible by a grant awarded to the NBCC Foundation in collaboration with NAADAC by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). This progr... Read More

The National Certification Commission for Addiction Professionals (NCC AP) is proud to announce that it has released updated exams for the National Certified Addiction Counselor, Level I (NCAC I), National Certified Addiction Counselor, Level II (NCAC II), and Master Addiction Counselor (MAC) credentials. The new exams are available as of September 1, 2020. The newly updated NCAC I, NCAC II, and MAC exams have undergone a rigorous revision, beta testing, and psychometric analysis, and these ... Read More

Across the country, individuals, families, and communities are dealing with trauma and loss that is compounding a history of trauma. We acknowledge that the pain and suffering felt in our communities is real, and, like you, are experiencing renewed and legitimate anger, grief, frustration, and sorrow. We stand against the injustices in our society. NAADAC's mission is to lead, unify and empower addiction focused professionals to achieve excellence through education, advocacy, knowledge, ... Read More

The NAADAC 2019 Annual Conference: Navigating the Addiction Profession, held at the Renaissance Orlando at SeaWorld in Orlando, FL from September 28 - October 3, 2019, was a huge success! Over 1,000 attendees and over 100 exhibitors participated in this year’s Annual Conference. Attendees included NAADAC members, addiction professionals from across the country, nationally recognized speakers, exhibitors, and international addiction professional representatives. The six-day ev... Read More

Every year on September 20th, NAADAC, the Association for Addiction Professionals, takes time to recognize and celebrate vital players of the health system and continuum of care in honor of National Addiction Professionals Day. Started by NAADAC in 1992, the day was established to commemorate the hard work that addiction professionals do on a daily basis. NAADAC is the largest membership organization for addiction-focused healthcare professionals and represents the professional int... Read More

NAADAC is honored to announce that its NAADAC Medical Professional of the Year Award has been renamed in honor of the late Davida Coady Gorham, MD, PhD. The award will be henceforth known as the Davida Coady Gorham Medical Professional of the Year Award. Historically, the Medical Professional of the Year Award has been presented to a medical professional who has made an outstanding contribution to the addiction profession. Dr. Coady Gorham embodied the spirit of this award, and in fact ... Read More

NAADAC, the Association for Addiction Professionals, is excited to announce its strategic partnership with Clocktree Systems, Inc., to provide an affordable, HIPAA compliant telehealth platform to its members to allow them to meet with clients anytime, anywhere. NAADAC members can try out the Clocktree platform for up to 10 hours per month for free with Clocktree’s starter plan or use up to 100 hours each month for the discounted price of only $41.65 per month for the lifetime of their... Read More

The National Certification Commission for Addiction Professionals (NCC AP), under the auspices of NAADAC, the Association for Addiction Professionals, will now provide psychologists with a nationally recognized credential. Effective February 2018, the American Psychological Association Practice Organization (APAPO) College of Professional Psychology’s Certificate of Proficiency in the Treatment of Alcohol and Other Psychoactive Substance Use Disorders has fully transitioned to the NCC ... Read More