For many years, professionals and organizations have asked for a way to demonstrate legitimate competence in Motivational Interviewing.
At the same time, the field has been clear about what that standard must be:
Not attendance.
Not familiarity.
Not intention.
But demonstrated skill.
As of May 1, 2026, the Institute for Individual and Organizational Change (IFIOC) will launch a certification process built on that standard.
This certification is grounded in a simple principle:
Competence in Motivational Interviewing is demonstrated through practice.
Practitioners will be evaluated using fidelity-based measurement, including the Motivational Interviewing Competency Assessment (MICA), to assess how MI is applied in real conversations.
The standard is intentionally clear.
Certification is not based on completing a course. It is based on consistently demonstrating competency.
This reflects the direction the field has been moving for years.
It aligns with the growing recognition that fidelity matters, that outcomes depend on how Motivational Interviewing is actually practiced, and that professionals deserve a meaningful way to demonstrate their skill.
This work has been developed by the IFIOC team, including Aly Gibson, John Gilbert, and Austin Portch, with a focus on creating a process that is rigorous, practical, and aligned with the spirit of Motivational Interviewing.
The goal is not to replace the broader conversations happening within MINT.
It is to meet a clearly identified need in the field:
A certification that reflects real-world competence.
For practitioners, this creates a new opportunity.
For organizations, it provides a clearer signal of workforce capability.
And for the field, it represents a step toward closing the gap between learning Motivational Interviewing and demonstrating it with fidelity in practice.
More information, including the certification manual and FAQs, will be released soon on the IFIOC website.
–Casey Jackson, Founder & CEO
Follow along on LinkedIn, Instagram, and Facebook to learn more about the upcoming MICA Certification process with IFIOC.