Practical guidance on what credentials to verify, questions to ask, and red flags to avoid before hiring anyone claiming to be an interventionist — important given this industry has no single licensing requirement. How to Vet & Hire a Qualified Interventionist (Checklist)(https://www.addiction-intervention.com/hiring-an-interventionist/how-to-find-an-intervention-professional/)
1. Association of Intervention Specialists (AIS) — The field’s main professional body. Maintains a code of ethics and its own certification board (BRI-I/BRI-II credentials), and is the best starting point for understanding what a legitimate interventionist should look like. [associationofinterventionspecialists](https://www.associationofinterventionspecialists.org/about-ais/)
2. AIS Member Directory — Searchable directory of AIS-affiliated, credentialed interventionists by location. [associationofinterventionspecialists](https://www.associationofinterventionspecialists.org/member-directory/)
3. Pennsylvania Certification Board — Certified Intervention Professional (CIP) — The primary national credential for interventionists, requiring documented supervised hours and continuing education; recognized internationally through the IC&RC (International Credentialing & Reciprocity Consortium) (PCB, Recovery+ Journal). [pacertboard](https://www.pacertboard.org/certified-intervention-professional-cip)
4. ARISE® Network — Find a Certified ARISE Interventionist — Directory of interventionists trained in the ARISE Invitational Intervention model, an evidence-informed, family-inclusive alternative to the traditional “surprise” intervention. [arise-network](https://www.arise-network.com/find-a-certified-arise-interventionist/)
5. Psychology Today — Find an Intervention Therapist — Filterable directory of licensed professionals with intervention experience, cross-referenced with credentials like CIP, LADC, or CADC. [psychologytoday](https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/therapists?category=intervention)
6. Canadian Addiction Counsellors Certification Federation (CACCF) — CCIP Credential — The Canadian equivalent certification, mutually recognized by AIS, useful if you’re referencing resources for Canadian families. [associationofinterventionspecialists](https://www.associationofinterventionspecialists.org/association-of-intervention-specialists-membership/)
7. BRI-I / BRI-II (Board Registered Interventionist) Credentials — AIS’s own certification tier above CIP; families should ask any interventionist whether they hold this and confirm it directly with AIS before hiring. [addiction-intervention](https://www.addiction-intervention.com/hiring-an-interventionist/how-to-find-an-intervention-professional/)
8. CRAFT (Community Reinforcement and Family Training) — An evidence-based, non-confrontational alternative to a formal “intervention event,” where a family member is coached over time to change how they interact with their loved one; supported by clinical research and endorsed by the APA. [apa](https://www.apa.org/pi/about/publications/caregivers/practice-settings/intervention/community-reinforcement)
9. SAMHSA National Helpline — 1-800-662-HELP (4357), 24/7 — while not intervention-specific, staff can help connect families to appropriate intervention and treatment referral resources if you’re not sure where to start ([SAMHSA](https://www.samhsa.gov/find-help/helplines/national-helpline)).
