International Recovery Institute

What International Recovery Institute does

International Recovery Institute (IRI) is a privately held training and certification organization founded in 2015 in Huntington Beach, California, by Nanette Zumwalt (CADC, CCJP, CIP; founder of Hired Power, the first recovery coaching company, established 2002) and Dr. Judith Landau (MD, DPM, LMFT; developer of the ARISE Comprehensive Care with Invitational Intervention methodology and Transitional Family Therapy, with 50+ years of clinical research and over 200 peer-reviewed publications). The company delivers a multi-level certification program for Recovery Specialists — practitioners who support individuals and families affected by substance use disorder, addiction, and behavioral or mental health challenges in treatment facilities, homes, and community settings. Its core intellectual property is a trauma- and research-informed curriculum integrating Transitional Family Therapy, ARISE methodology, and Safe Passage protocols, validated through decades of work with WHO, NIDA, NIAAA, SAMHSA, and CDC. IRI is dually accredited as a NAADAC and CCAPP Approved Education Provider, enabling graduates to earn CEUs accepted by state licensing boards.

The product portfolio spans a Pre-Requisite Course ($99–$299), Level 1 Training ($675, 28 CEUs), Level 2 Training ($675, 27 CEUs), a Self-Paced Modular platform of 10 on-demand modules ($99 each or $135 bundle), an Advanced Specialized CEU Course catalog ($50–$200 per course), and both Virtual ($500) and Comprehensive (50%-of-current-rate) Refresher Training for alumni whose CRS credential is nearing expiration. Distribution is primarily direct-to-consumer via self-serve online registration, supplemented by multi-day in-person training events across U.S. cities (St. Augustine FL, Long Beach CA, Austin TX, Rochester NY), virtual live cohorts, a TPN.health marketplace listing, and a B2B on-site Facility Consulting program. The company operates with 6 employees, no disclosed funding or institutional investment, and serves primarily individual practitioners and mid-market treatment organizations domestically in the United States.

Revenue mechanics combine course-ticket pricing (one-time per enrollment), bundle discounts (e.g., free Pre-Requisite when registering Levels 1 and 2 simultaneously), and a recurring $49/year CRS certification maintenance fee. Recurring revenue is modest in proportion, given the small certified alumni base and the 2-year certification cycle. Pricing for the B2B facility program is not publicly disclosed. The company operates on an event-driven and direct-to-consumer GTM motion, supported by organic SEO, social media (Facebook, Instagram), free educational webinars as lead magnets, and a testimonials-driven trust strategy.

Name

International Recovery Institute

Legal name

International Recovery Institute

Website

https://internationalrecoveryinstitute.net

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

International Recovery Institute is a private, NAADAC- and CCAPP-accredited training organization founded in 2015 that certifies Recovery Specialists through multi-level trauma-informed courses. It serves individual practitioners and treatment facilities across the United States with in-person, virtual, and self-paced programs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Behavioral Health Training & Certification

NAICS

Educational Support Services (611710), Technical and Trade Schools (6115), Vocational Rehabilitation Services (62431)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Peer Support, Recovery Coaching & Sober Living Services (HLAFACAN)

akta.pro secondary industry

Short-Term Certificate & Micro-Credential Programs (International) (EDAIAIAI)

Keywords

• Recovery specialist training
• Peer recovery certification
• Addiction counseling education
• Behavioral health training
• Continuing education CEUs

Headquarters

HQ city

Not publicly disclosed

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Recovery Specialist Certification Training: IRI generates the majority of its revenue through multi-level training and certification programs. Fees are charged per course tier (Pre-Requisite, Level 1, Level 2). In-person and virtual formats are available. Bundle pricing incentivizes registration for multiple levels simultaneously. Certification maintenance fees (annual and multi-year) provide a recurring revenue stream.
2. Advanced Specialized CEU Courses: Advanced training webinars (e.g., Addiction & Mental Health in Older Adults $200, Advanced Ethics & Standards $125, Crisis De-Escalation $100, Cultural Awareness $125) provide per-course revenue from existing certified specialists seeking continuing education credits and skill specialization.
3. Self-Paced Modular Webinars: 10 core competency on-demand modules sold individually at $99 each or pre-paid for all 10 at a 15% discount ($135 total). Each module awards a Certificate of Completion with CEUs and counts toward certification coursework requirements.
4. Virtual Refresher Course: A self-paced 4-module virtual refresher course priced at $500, designed for alumni whose initial certification is 4+ years old. Awards 10 CEUs and extends certification by 2 years. An alternative to the full refresher training at 50% cost.
5. Facility and Program Consulting / On-Site Training: IRI offers on-site staff training for treatment facilities, including a 3-day on-site program, consultation calls, a 3–6 month follow-up assessment visit, and access to a supervisory support group. Revenue is generated through facility sponsorship and consulting engagements.
6. CRS Certification Maintenance Fees: Annual maintenance fee of $49 per year or $98 for two years. Certified Recovery Specialists must pay this fee to retain their IRI credential, with a 3-month grace period after expiration. Includes malpractice insurance proof requirement.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

International Recovery Institute is a professional training and certification organization that prepares individuals to work as Peer Recovery Specialists, Recovery Coaches, Sober Coaches, Sober Companions, Family Support Specialists, and related behavioral health roles. Its core product is a multi-level certification curriculum (Pre-Requisite, Level 1, Level 2) culminating in the nationally accredited IRI Certified Recovery Specialist (CRS) credential, supplemented by self-paced modular webinars, advanced CEU courses, refresher training, and on-site facility consulting.

Product overview

International Recovery Institute offers a comprehensive training and certification ecosystem for Recovery Specialists, structured as a progressive multi-level curriculum. The core offering comprises the Pre-Requisite Course (mandatory intro), Level One Training (fundamentals and application), and Level Two Training (advanced professional development), which together lead to the IRI Recovery Specialist Certification. Supplementary offerings include Self-Paced Modular Training (10 on-demand modules that count toward certification), Advanced Training Courses (targeted CEU-earning specializations), and Virtual/Comprehensive Refresher Training for certification maintenance. The organization also provides Facility and Program Consulting services and an IRI Certified Facility Program for organizations seeking to train staff. All courses award Continuing Education Units and are accredited by NAADAC and CCAPP.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Pre-Requisite Course Mandatory virtual, self-paced introductory course covering the Recovery Specialist role, skills, tools, ethics, and standards; awards 5 CEU hours and is required before Level 1 and Level 2 training. Priced at $99 when bundled with Levels 1 & 2, or $299 if taken separately.
• Level One Training Recovery Specialist Fundamentals and Application course covering advanced role, skills, tools, ethics, family healing processes, recovery capital building, and crisis de-escalation; awards 28 CEU hours and is delivered as 3-day virtual or in-person training plus 3 hours of homework and 4 hours of consultation. Priced at $675.
• Level Two Training Advanced training covering co-occurring disorders, medication-assisted treatment, professional standards, motivational interviewing, cultural awareness, and trauma/grief patterns; awards 27 CEU hours and is delivered as 2-day virtual or in-person training plus 5 hours of homework and 4 hours of consultation. Priced at $675.
• IRI Recovery Specialist Certification Nationally accredited certification awarded upon successful completion of the Pre-Requisite, Level 1, and Level 2 courses plus consultation groups; valid for 2 years with annual maintenance requirements including 10 CEUs, malpractice insurance verification, and a $49 annual fee (or $98 for two years). NAADAC and CCAPP accredited.
• Self-Paced Modular Training Flexible on-demand learning platform with 10 core competency modules covering recovery specialist skills, ethics, family roles, community collaboration, trauma, crisis management, and resilience. Each module costs $99 with CEUs awarded; pre-paying for all 10 saves 15% ($135). Modules count toward CRS certification coursework requirements.
• Advanced Training Courses Targeted advanced courses for certified recovery specialists to build specialization in specific areas, including Addiction & Mental Health in Older Adults (8 CEUs, $200), Advanced Professional Standards (2 CEUs, $50), Crisis De-Escalation and Resilience (4 CEUs, $100), Advanced Motivational Interviewing, Resources to Counter Trauma, Recovery in the Music Industry, Advanced Ethics & Standards (5 CEUs, $125), Cultural Awareness and Competence, and Practical Recovery Planning.
• Virtual Refresher Course Self-paced 4-module virtual refresher course covering Recovery Specialist Fundamentals, Application, Development, and Professional Standards; awards 10 CEUs and extends certification for 2 additional years. Priced at $500.
• Comprehensive CRS Refresher Training In-person or virtual comprehensive refresher training for IRI alumni priced at 50% of the current training rate; includes 14 modules and 24 CEUs covering professional ethics, mental health/dual diagnosis, industry standards, family systems, and crisis management, extending certification for 2 additional years.
• Facility and Program Consulting Consulting services for treatment facilities and programs to establish credibility in recovery specialist training; includes on-site staff training, consultation calls, assessment visits, and access to supervisory support groups. Pricing requires inquiry.
• IRI Certified Facility Program Certification program where IRI trains facility staff as Recovery Specialists; includes an initial director meeting, 3-day on-site training, consultation calls, a 3-6 month on-site assessment visit, and access to a supervisory support group. Enables facilities to earn the IRI Certified Facility designation.

Quantifiable outcome

• 24+ CEUs awarded upon completion of the certification program (Pre-Requisite + Level 1 + Level 2 combined)
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Hired PowercoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2015Hired Power (founded 2002) is the pioneering addiction recovery services company co-founded by Nanette Zumwalt, who also co-founded IRI in 2015. Hired Power was the first recovery coaching company in the industry and established the model that IRI's training curriculum is built upon. IRI and Hired Power maintain a close operational relationship — Hired Power staff (including Poppy Carmelo, Brandi Bradberry) serve as IRI trainers, and Hired Power is a primary employer of IRI-certified graduates.
• ARISE NetworkcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2015The ARISE Network is the organizational entity behind the ARISE Comprehensive Care with Invitational Intervention methodology, developed by Dr. Judith Landau, IRI's co-founder. The ARISE model is one of the two fundamental bases of IRI's training curriculum, alongside Hired Power's recovery coaching framework. The ARISE evidence-based, best practice model for engaging addicted individuals and families is taught as part of IRI certification courses.
• WHO (World Health Organization)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDr. Judith Landau has served as a consultant to the WHO Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse in Geneva and most recently consulted to WHO's Public Health section about communities dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic. This relationship brings global research credibility to IRI's training methodology.
• UNODC (United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDr. Judith Landau currently serves as a consultant to the UNODC Prevention, Treatment and Rehabilitation Section (PTRS) in Vienna. This advisory role extends IRI's research base and methodology recognition to a global policy level.
• NIDA, NIAAA, SAMHSA, CDC, NIMH (U.S. Federal Research Agencies)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDr. Judith Landau has been principal investigator on research conducted through these U.S. federal agencies. These research partnerships underpin the evidence-based nature of IRI's curriculum, providing empirical validation for the training content taught at IRI.
• University of RochesterminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDr. Judith Landau worked as a former professor of psychiatry and family medicine at the University of Rochester, where she and faculty developed the Evidence-Based, Best-Practice Transitional Family Therapy (TFT) — the first integrative model of family therapy. This academic partnership provided the foundational research for IRI's training methodology.
• TPN.healthminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorIRI courses are listed on the TPN.health education platform, a professional development marketplace for behavioral health professionals. TPN.health distributes IRI's on-demand course (Recovery Specialist Fundamentals & Application) to its subscriber base, expanding IRI's reach beyond its own website and direct marketing channels.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Faces & Voices of Recovery: Faces & Voices of Recovery is a national recovery advocacy organization that promotes the development of the recovery community and runs training/leadership programs for recovery professionals. It is comparable as a broader industry actor addressing the same credentialing and professionalization challenges IRI targets.
• SMART Recovery: SMART Recovery is a large nonprofit offering mutual-support groups and a family & friends program, plus training for facilitators. It competes for organizational and individual mindshare in recovery support training and is comparable to IRI in serving the broader recovery workforce ecosystem.
• PESI: PESI is a large-scale continuing education provider for behavioral health, counseling, and addiction professionals, offering on-demand and live CE courses. It is comparable to IRI as a competing source of CEU-bearing training for the same addiction and behavioral health practitioner audience.
• California Consortium of Addiction Programs and Professionals (CCAPP): CCAPP is an Approved Education Provider that certifies addiction counselors in California and runs its own training and credentialing programs. It is comparable to IRI as both an accreditor/industry body and an alternative training pathway for the same addiction professional market.
• NAADAC, the Association for Addiction Professionals: NAADAC is the primary national association for addiction professionals and operates as an Approved Education Provider that issues CEUs to the same professionals IRI trains. It is the broader industry umbrella that both accredits IRI and offers its own competing training and certification pathways.

Others

• C4 Recovery Foundation: C4 Recovery Foundation is an international recovery-focused nonprofit that convenes and educates addiction treatment and recovery professionals. It is comparable as an adjacent industry player organizing the recovery workforce that IRI certifies.
• TPN.health: TPN.health is the behavioral health professional education marketplace where IRI lists its on-demand training. While not a direct competitor, it is comparable as a distribution channel and adjacent platform serving the same behavioral health CEU buyer persona.

Direct peers

• Connecticut Community for Addiction Recovery (CCAR): CCAR runs one of the most established recovery coach and peer specialist training programs in the U.S. Like IRI, it trains and certifies peer recovery workers and offers structured curricula; it competes for the same prospective students and training contracts in the recovery specialist certification market.
• Addiction Academy: Addiction Academy provides continuing education and certification programs for addiction professionals, including counselors and recovery specialists. It is comparable to IRI as a fee-based, CEU-issuing training provider targeting the same buyer persona of working addiction professionals.
• Sober College / The Academy: Sober College offers recovery-focused higher education and certification-style programs for people in recovery and those working in the recovery field. It is comparable to IRI as a competing training provider that combines recovery education with credentialed outcomes for a similar target market.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/InternationalRecoveryInstitute
• Instagraminstagram.com/internationalrecoveryinstitute
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/international-recovery-institute

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about International Recovery Institute