Application Requirements
NADD Membership
NADD Membership is a requirement for certification, and all employees of organizations with a NADD Organizational Membership receive member benefits through their employer. Membership Status is documented on your application and confirmed as we process your submission.
If you are not yet a NADD Member, JOIN US!
Application Fee
Access to our easy online application is distributed to candidates after payment of the Application Fee, through a linked Certification Guide on the confirmation screen and by confirmation email.
Pay your Application Fee here: Specialist Application Fee Portal
Organizations with multiple staff to certify may choose to pay their application fees on a case-by-case basis as their staff elect to pursue a certification. An Organization may also contact NADD for coordinated assistance to prepay for multiple certifications and ensure their staff are enrolled and processed smoothly.
Please contact us to discuss your specific needs and how we can assist: specialistcerts@thenadd.org.
Regardless of the payment option you choose, please note NADD’s two tiers of certification pricing:
- Accredited
NADD discounts the cost of our certifications to the employees of NADD-Accredited programs; if you are unsure whether your program is NADD-Accredited, please consult our NADD-Accredited Programs Registry.To learn more about the process and benefits of NADD Accreditation click HERE.
- Non-Accredited
NADD certifications are reasonably priced regardless of your program’s Accreditation status, and they are portable: once NADD-certified, a professional retains their certification regardless of changes in employment status.
Please Note: The NADD Accreditation status of your program and your organization’s NADD Membership status are two distinct considerations.
All applicants to NADD certification programs must be NADD Members, and all employees of an organization that is a NADD Member also receive membership benefits; not all NADD Members will be employed by NADD-Accredited programs.
Application Process, Prerequisites & Elements
Application Process
Access to our easy online application is available to candidates after payment of the Application Fee, through a linked Certification Guide on the confirmation screen and by confirmation email. NADD strives to process all applications within 5 business days, and while applications are usually processed more quickly an incomplete application may take longer.
Upon receiving an application, NADD will review it for completion and communicate directly with the applicant to complete the application if any of the required elements are missing or unclear. When an applicant has successfully met all requirements and their application fees are paid, NADD will guide them through the next steps in the process.
Once an application has been received, the application is nontransferable, nonrefundable, and void after one year.
Application Prerequisites
All applicants must meet 3 prerequisites for acceptance into the Specialist Certification Program, which are documented as part of NADD’s online application process:
- Education
Professionals may present a Master’s level degree in a related field with one year experience, a Bachelor’s level degree in a related field with 2 years experience, or 60 credit hours in the field of ID or Mental health and 3 years of related experience.Post secondary education is not required; however, a thorough explanation of the experience base must accompany the application as equivalence determination resides with the NADD Competency-Based Dual Diagnosis Specialist Certification Program. The review committee may recognize other types of accreditation and certifications as pre-requisites.
- Experience
The applicant will have experience in support of persons with intellectual/developmental disabilities and mental health issues (Dually Diagnosed). This can include volunteerships, internships and externships. For applicants without a post secondary degree other similar credentialing or accreditation or combinations thereof and experience may be accepted. - Ethical Behavior
The applicant’s signed Affirmation of Principles Form is required and shall denote the candidate’s commitment to ethical behavior; employees must be in good standing at their organization.Any disciplinary events, lawsuits past or pending, suspension of privileges from care facilities or professional organizations, or any actions by a state/province or other licensing body related to complaints or actions against an individual must be reported and reviewed by the committee. NADD has established a process for receiving complaints regarding ethical behavior of people who have received this certification. Any intentional misrepresentations or falsehoods submitted by an applicant would be sufficient to deny certification as an unethical act.
Application Elements
When an applicant can satisfy the above prerequisites, they may submit the following items together as a complete application package:
- Completed Online Application Form
- Resume or CV
- Three Letters of Reference
- Brief Scenario Description and Presentation Outline
- Completed Confirmation of Experience Form
- Signed Affirmation of Principles
The Certification Process – Timeline & Stages
Once a Specialist application has been processed and accepted, NADD will communicate directly with the applicant about the status of their application and the next steps in the process. The certification process usually takes between 1-3 months to complete, and encompasses the following stages:
- Interview/Exam
- Certification Evaluation
Interview/Exam
Once the application has been received and reviewed by NADD Staff, an examination interview, via video conferencing will be arranged. The applicant will be asked to prepare a presentation of approximately 20 minutes in duration (no more than 30 minutes). These scenarios should reflect an understanding of the NADD’s 6 core competencies and how they are aligned to the work you do to support individuals with intellectual disabilities and co-occurring mental illness.
The final presentation outline must be provided at least 5 days before the interview
The scenario presentation should include the following elements:
- Brief description of the scenario
- Relevant background information
- Structure/format for addressing the issue(s) presented in the scenario
- Issues that arose and how these were addressed
- Description of the outcome and any follow-up
- Citation of at least two journal articles within the past 5 years regarding aspects of the service delivery, training, emerging best practice techniques etc. (JMHRID, JABA, AJIDD, etc.)
- A rationale for approaches used to resolve the issues presented relating directly to the impact on people with a dual diagnosis.
The scenario presentation should demonstrate a thorough understanding of the Specialist Core Competencies.
Certification Evaluation
Final evaluation of the applicant’s Interview/Exam will be determined based on the candidate’s demonstration of knowledge in the 6 core competency areas. Candidates will receive a copy of their evaluation, with scores and Examiner feedback, at the conclusion of the evaluation process.
The applicant’s competence in each of the six competency areas will be evaluated using the following scale:
1 = Insufficient evidence of competence in this area of Best Practice
2 = Evidence of minimal competence in this area of Best Practice
3 = Evidence of average competence in this area of Best Practice
4 = Evidence of above average competence in this area of Best Practice
5 = Evidence of a superior level of competence in this area of Best Practice
Candidates are required to demonstrate at least an average level of knowledge (a score of at least 3) in all competency areas.
Certification & Recertification
NADD certification is valid for 2 years, and Specialists are entitled to use the credential NADD-DDS in recognition of their achievement.
To renew their credential a NADD-DDS may apply for recertification by paying the Recertification Application Fee for access to our online application to document the completion of 10 hours of relevant continuing education.
Additional Links
For questions about the Specialist Certification Program, please email us at specialistcerts@thenadd.org
