Substance abuse counselor requirements tend to vary more by state than other professional counseling roles. This guide provides the typical steps to licensure and clarifies state requirements for substance abuse counselor licensure and certification with a detailed table. Graduates with certifications like CADC and LADC have a wide range of career opportunities available in the field of substance abuse and addiction counseling.

LADC vs. CADC: Comparing Substance Abuse and Addiction Counselor Licensure and Certification

This certification is intended for peer recovery professionals seeking recognition for their work within a particular field. After graduation, future counselors will need to pass an examination as set forth by their state boards. Either faculty will address it, or students will circulate rumors and other stories attesting to its relative difficulty. Certification transferability depends on the reciprocity agreements between state certification boards. Some states may require additional coursework or exams, while others might accept an out-of-state CADC certification outright. It’s advisable to contact the certifying body in the state to which you are moving for specific details.

Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC)

Remote learning makes becoming a certified substance abuse counselor possible without entering a college classroom. Earning an addiction counseling degree online is ideal for students with substantial work or family requirements. Choosing the right counseling degree program is a critical step in becoming a certified or licensed substance abuse counselor. Whether pursuing a bachelor’s, master’s, or doctoral degree, it is essential to select an accredited program that provides comprehensive training in counseling theories, methods, and clinical practice.

Practitioner Training

That time must include two years or 4,000 hours working in direct clinical supervision. A total of 30 contact hours of education and training in the substance use disorder/addiction field should include a total of 12 hours split evenly between training/education for ethics and HIV/other pathogens. Completed applications should be accompanied by a payment of $235, non-refundable, and should include passing scores on the NCC AP’s NCPRSS exam.

The name changed even more in 2001, when the NAADAC became the Association for Addiction Professionals. These alterations were made specifically to reflect the increasingly varied titles and positions held by substance abuse service professionals, including counselors, administrators, social workers, specialists, masters, and therapists. Professional titles that require special credentialing are, however, legally regulated by each state’s practice laws. Individuals who practice without official certification or provide substance abuse and addiction treatment services under a false title without board approval will be held responsible in the court of law. If possible, current and future addiction counselors should strive for a master’s degree. That degree will open far more doors, provide higher salaries, and enable higher status positions.

• NBCC makes significant efforts to maintain current and accurate information on this site.
• A career in substance abuse and addiction counseling typically begins with obtaining the appropriate educational background.
• Counselors without a master’s or doctoral degree need to be supervised under a graduate-level counselor.
• Seeing someone struggle with an addiction, as well as seeing the impact that has on their family and friends is extremely difficult.
• In the case of an addiction counseling degree, one’s degree must come from an accredited program.

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• The involvement of a substance abuse counselor usually begins in an intervention or intake setting.
• And as mental and behavioral health awareness continues to grow, along with access to treatment, so does the demand for qualified substance abuse counselors, also known as addiction counselors.
• They’ll listen without judgment and create a safe space where you feel comfortable opening up.
• As with many jobs in the psychology and counseling fields, substance abuse counseling offers many personal benefits as a result of helping people overcome significant obstacles in their lives.
• Common working environments include private practices, hospitals, rehabilitation centers, and mental health charities.
• These types of counselors’ median annual wages, according to the BLS, range from $59,790 in California to $49,480 in Pennsylvania, two of the states with the greatest employment levels in this profession.

The experience requirement is also lower than what is required of other certificate holders as applicants need only 200 hours of direct practice in a peer recovery environment. A supervisor must verify that experience and then an additional 60 contact hours in academic training is required. Of that, 48 hours must be in the fields of case management, community/family education, screening/intake, or basic pharmacology, among other topics. The remaining twelve hours should be split between ethics training and HIV/other pathogens education. Note that any college credit can be applied towards education/training for this credential.

Other types of courses we have include online video on demand lectures courses that provide for printable copies of the slides used in the videos. substance abuse counseling Those applicants who have successfully achieved certification, or recertification receive a large size official Certificate attesting to substance abuse counseling certification, as well as an official letter of notification. The certificate is suitable for framing and details the official professional certification title, initials that may be used, and time frames for certification. SAMHSA’s practitioner training offers tools, training, and technical assistance to practitioners in the fields of mental health and substance use disorders.