Nicotine Treatment Specialist Credentialling

APPLY FOR CREDENTIALLING AS A NICOTINE TREATMENT SPECIALIST

Who is a Nicotine Treatment Specialist?

A Nicotine Treatment Specialist (NTS) is a professional with the skills, knowledge and training to provide effective, evidence-based interventions, education, research, health promotion and policy for tobacco dependence across a range of intensities. The NTS may be a psychologist, general practitioner, pharmacist, nurse, researcher, or drug and alcohol counsellor and may work in hospitals, community health centres, medical and dental practices, smoking clinics, telephone quitlines, drug and alcohol treatment programs and mental health centres or work independently. The NTS may engage not only in providing treatment but also in education and research activities about tobacco dependence.

Why apply for professional credentialling with ASVCP?

Credentialling with ASVCP is free for APSAD members and provides a mechanism to formally recognise Nicotine Treatment Specialists working in Australasia. Once credentialled, Nicotine Treatment Specialists receive a certificate of credential.

Standards for Credentialling as a Nicotine Treatment Specialist

The following criteria must be met for this category:

• Current APSAD Individual or Individual Reduced-Fee member.
• A current registered qualification in nursing/ medicine/ pharmacy/ AOD/ physiotherapy/ psychology/ health education or relevant qualifications as deemed suitable by the committee.
• A minimum of 1 year work in the field of smoking cessation.
• Work a minimum of 4 hours per week or 16 hours per month of smoking cessation-related work (this includes research, education, training or treatment) per week. 
• Successful completion of a smoking cessation training course.
• Stated commitment to adhere to evidence-based clinical practice guidelines.

How to apply for Nicotine Treatment Specialist Credentialling?

To be able to apply for credentialling, applicants must be a current member of APSAD. If you are interested in applying for the NTS credential and are an existing APSAD member please complete the NTS Application Form online. 

If you are not currently a member, you can apply for membership, then complete the NTS application form.

ASVCP NTS Credentialled members must earn a minimum of 10 CPD points annually and remain a financial member of APSAD to renew their ASVCP Nicotine Treatment Specialist Credential.

To renew your NTS Credential download and complete the CPD Activity Table then complete the CPD Renewal form - make sure you upload your completed activity table.

Evaluation of Applications

The ASVCP-SIG Credentialling Committee approves applications in accordance with Membership Application Guidelines. The ASVCP SIG Credentialling Committee comprises four members with qualifications and over five years' of experience in the delivery of smoking cessation interventions. The Credentialling Committee will assess all applications based on the information provided. The Committee reserves the right to seek additional material if necessary. The recommendations of the Committee are sent to ASVCP-SIG Chair for approval. Successful applicants will receive a certificate of credentialling. Explanations for non-acceptance will be made and are provided to applicants when notified in writing of the outcome.

MEMBERSHIP CHANGES JULY 2023

MEMBERSHIP CATEGORY CHANGES

We’re making APSAD membership simpler and fairer.

From 1st July 2023 APSAD will provide a more inclusive membership model, with your membership fee based on your annual income. We feel that means-testing is the fairest way to segment our membership categories. If you earn less, you shouldn’t miss out on any essential benefits of APSAD membership.

CATEGORIES

• Individual full-fee Member
• Individual reduced-fee* Member
• Individual free^ Member
• Subscriber - APSAD Discussion Forums (no cost)
• Organisational Member 

* for DANA Affiliates and those with a gross yearly income of between $35,001 and $80,000 (e.g. concession, retired, early career)
^ for students and those with a gross yearly income of less $35,000

ORGANISATIONAL MEMBERSHIP

Institutional membership is now Organisational Membership with Organisational Members nominating the level of membership based on the number of discounted conference registrations rather than the number of professional staff employed. Organisational members can change the level of membership annually, and can also increase their membership level during the year to receive more discounted registrations.

ANNUAL MEMBERSHIP FEES

Membership Fee Changes come into effect on 1st July 2023 (all prices include GST).

Students

STUDENTS

What is a student?

• Enrolled in an undergraduate or a postgraduate degree,
• Full-time study, or
• Part-time study with a gross income < $35,000/pa (not including scholarship money)
• Students may be studying but are not limited to: medicine, pharmacology, public policy, psychology, social work, sociology, criminology, public health, mental health/psychiatry, counselling, nursing, economics and rehabilitation counselling.

What do I need to apply for membership as a student?

• Applications for student membership must include;
  • a copy of your student ID,
  • the name of the institution where you are studying,
  • the course you are enrolled in,
  • how far into the course you are and the length of the course and,
  • your Supervisor's name and signature on the application.

Membership renewal only requires a copy of your student ID.

DANA Affiliate

DANA AFFILIATE

Exclusively for financial DANA members, this option provides a reduced fee on APSAD membership with full membership to both APSAD and DANA. APSAD and DANA have enjoyed a close relationship for many years, this initiative flows from that relationship.

DANA is the Drug and Alcohol Nurses of Australasia. DANA is the peak nursing organisation in Australasia for nurses, nurse practitioners  and midwives with a professional interest in alcohol and other drug issues. DANA also welcomes others who share the aims of DANA, to promote collaborative partnerships that aim to achieve similar goals.

APSAD members are also able to join DANA at a reduced rate.