Freedom training department provides a 360-hour diploma in addictive behavior counseling to address the needs of trainees mainly from second and third world countries, who have a humongous problem with SUDs and other addictive behaviors yet with unfortunately very little opportunities for training or support. The International Substance Abuse and Addiction Center of Studies (ISAACS) consequently was established in the year 2000 and as of now, more than 7000 students have graduated its courses, including students from 42 nations, who went back to establish successful programs in their countries. The curriculum had been accredited by NET Training Institute in Florida and the course was recognized by the World Federation of Therapeutic Communities and NAADAC, (the Association for Addiction Professionals). Diploma graduates are eligible for taking board exams in the USA and those of the Global Credentialing and Certifying Center among others e.g. IC&RC, ICAP 1 – 4 and NCAC 1, 2 and MAC. Since 2009, students have been able to participate in the credentialing exams and around 160 out of the 190 who got tested passed the tests with a score above 70% for the ICAPs or 67% for the NCACs. In addition, more than 20 different NGOs, CBOs and Youth agencies and hundreds of leaders are trained and mobilized to conduct prevention outreach for thousands of young people per year to benefit from prevention and resilience evidence-based programs. Freedom, being part of the ministry of the largest Evangelical Church in the region, and through its training programs, has managed to mobilize a network of Faith Based Organizations including around 400 churches, tens of mosques and hundreds of NGOs to be involved in evidence based and value guided services and developmental work with addicts, people who inject drugs, men having sex with men, sex workers and other vulnerable and marginalized populations. This year, we have 10 running diplomas (10 cohorts with around 700 students) aiming at finishing their 360 academic hours, in addition to a group of 30 graduates who are enrolled in a 120-hour practicum, and several other shorter workshops on various topics (e.g. DBT, ACT, Parenting, Schema, Pornography and Workaholism…etc). Students are mainly from Egypt, Saudi Arabia and other parts of the Arab world. Starting 2021, Arabic-speaking immigrants in the USA joined our training program and have finished a 270-hour course. In 2021, 21 of our graduates passed the ICAP 1 and ICAP 2 tests and in 2022, one passed the NCAC1 test and received his credentials through NAADAC. Several others took the ICAP tests in person in March, 2023 and are still waiting for their results. More are getting prepared for online tests.
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