The California Consortium of Addiction Professionals (CCAPP) is one of several organizations recognized and approved by the California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS). If you want to work in a DHCS-approved facility, CCAPP credentialing is crucial.
What Is A CCAPP Credential?
CCAPP is a credentialing body, which means they are authorized by the state to issue credentials for many addiction specialist professionals. The only two other organizations that can issue approved credentials are the California Association for Alcohol and Drug Educators (CAADE) and the California Association of DUI Treatment Programs (CADTP).
Each of these organizations provides different credentials, so needing CCAPP credentialing or CAADE credentialing or CADTP credential really depends on the type of credential you wish to earn. There are many types and levels of certifications, and what you opt for depends upon your interests and, sometimes, your current level of education, but there really is something out there for everyone interested in addiction counseling.
In general to become an addiction counselor, you will need 315 hours of approved education, a specific amount of practicum hours, and you must pass the IC&RC written exam for your specific credential. Practicum hours are basically a work experience or internship where you gain real-world experience before really heading out into the field.
Once you have completed your educational requirements, passed the IC&RC exam and completed your practicum, you still will need to earn a specific amount of supervised work hours in order to earn the credential. These hours, however, will be paid work hours, and you will be handling all or most of the tasks that fully credentialed counselors handle on a day-to-day basis.
It is important to note that one of these credentialing bodies, the CAADE, lost its accreditation with the state of California awhile back and has just recently regained its credentialing authority. This issue was a nightmare for many counselors that had to scramble and transfer their credentials to CCAPP, which has never been suspended.
Sober College – Your First Step In The CCAPP Credentialing Process
At Sober College, we are a CCAPP-approved education provider, and we can provide you with the educational requirements you need for several of CCAPP’s available credentials, including CADC-I, CADC-II, CADC-III and a Prevention Specialist credential.
All three CADC credentials require 315 hours of CCAPP-approved education, a 255-hour practicum and a passing score on the IC&RC written exam. The difference between the three CADC options really lies in your educational background.
For those seeking CADC-I certification, a college degree is not required. However, if you have an associate’s degree in behavioral science or an allied mental health profession, you will only need 2,080 hours of supervised work experience after you’ve completed your 315 hours of education and passed your exam. If you do not have a degree, you will need to complete 3,000 hours of work experience.
For CADC II certification, you will complete the same education hours, the practicum hours and pass the exam, but you will need to complete 6,000 hours of work experience, regardless of any college degrees you have earned.
CADC III certification requires only 4,000 hours of work experience and the same education hours, practicum and exam requirements. However, you can only become a CADC III if you have a bachelor’s degree, so this option is not available for everyone.
Still, no matter which level you opt for, we can provide you with quality education that truly prepares you for your future as an addiction counselor. We also can help you find suitable facilities for your practicum experiences. The practicum experience takes about 6-8 weeks to complete and those 255 hours will count toward your overall work experience needed for your CADC credential.
If you wish to earn your California Certified Prevention Specialist (CCPS) certification, we can help with this as well. For this CCAPP credentialing option, you must complete 120 hours of CCAPP-approved prevention education, a 120-hour practicum and earn a passing score on the IC&RC Certified Prevention Specialist exam.
How Our CCAPP Credentialing Program Works
With our CADC programs, you can learn either in-class or online. Our in-class option meets one weekend per month at our Los Angeles-area campus, and you can finish this program in just six months.
If you don’t live nearby or just prefer an online education option, we have that as well. Our regular online program can be completed in six months, but we also offer a self-paced program that allows you to complete your educational requirements in just three months or you can take up to 18 months to complete the program.
Our Prevention Specialist program is available exclusively online, and can be completed in just six months, as well. We offer rolling admissions for both our CADC and Prevention Specialist programs, so you can get started at any time.
If you want to learn more about CCAPP credentialing, you can check out the CCAAP website at ccapp.us. If you are ready to enroll in one of our programs, just head to the Get Started tab at the top of this page.
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