Mr. Spare has been involved in the delivery of mental health and substance abuse treatment services since he received his Counseling Masters Degree in 1975. He also furthered his studies and skills with a Masters of Divinity Degree (1980) from Saint Paul School of Theology.

Mr. Spare is a Licensed Professional Counselor and a gubernatorial appointee to the State Committee for Professional Counselors. He is also a Certified by the National Board for Certified Counselors. Mr. Spare has been recognized by the State of Missouri as a Certified Advanced Substance Abuse Counselor and a Certified Compulsive Gambling Counselor.

Mr. Spare has previously served as a member of the Kansas City, Missouri Mayor's Commission on Human Rights, The Greater Kansas City AIDS Council, Ryan White Title I and II Planning Council, Co-Chair of the Mayor's Commission on Lesbian and Gay Concerns; and Chair of the Human Rights Project.

Mr. Spare is the Program Director of the Therapeutic Intervention Center in Kansas City, Missouri. Samuel U. Rodgers Health Center hired him to open their methadone treatment program in 1989. The program was one of the first programs accredited as an opioid treatment program by CARF, and received accreditation from the State of Missouri Division of Alcohol and Drug Abuse (the accrediting body for Missouri) in 2003. It also has behavioral accreditation from the Joint Commission on the Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations.

He currently chairs the Missouri Association for the Treatment of Opioid Addiction and represents them on The American Association for the Treatment of Opioid Addiction Board of Directors. In addition, he is chair of the Missouri Council on Problem Gambling Concerns, and the Missouri Alliance to Curb Problem Gambling. He is also a member of the Missouri Advisory Council on Alcohol and Drug Abuse.

Mr. Spare also has a private counseling practice and has served as a consultant and educator throughout the United States in the areas of mental health, substance abuse, compulsive gambling, HIV / AIDS, program accreditation and program management.