Changing careers might seem daunting but at Sober College School of Addiction Studies, we make it easy for anyone to become a certified drug and alcohol counselor. Counseling is a rewarding career, but before you dive into this new field, we’d like to share some helpful information.
Is Addiction Counseling Right For You?
The work of a certified drug and alcohol counselor can be extremely rewarding as you help other heal from addiction every day on the job. Many people wonder if the best counselors are those who have made it through rehab and on toward a successful recovery. While people who have struggled with addiction can make excellent counselors, you don’t have to have dealt with addiction yourself in order to become a successful addiction counselor.
Compassion and patience are two skills that are needed for addiction counseling, as well as good listening skills and communication skills. Keep in mind that actual counseling tasks are just part of what to expect, and there is a great deal of paperwork involved in this job. If you possess strong organizational skills and time-management skills, these will be of great benefit to you as a certified drug and alcohol counselor. So, let’s take a good look at what a counselor actually does and the different types of counseling jobs that are available.
What is a Certified Drug and Alcohol Counselor?
In general, these professionals help support rehab and recovery for patients at in-patient and outpatient facilities. In some cases, they also might provide support for people in the criminal justice system or even work as a community resource specialist. There are several types of certified drug and alcohol counselors, and these include:
RADT (Registered Alcohol & Drug Technician)
This is an entry-level position, ideal for anyone who wants to get started on their path toward becoming a certified drug and alcohol counselor. A RADT is a technician that supports the staff at a rehab or recovery facility. Your tasks could include collecting samples (blood, urine, hair, etc.), ensuring that patients follow rules, helping patients adhere to their daily schedules and more.
Becoming a RADT is easy, and it is a great way to determine whether or not a career as a certified drug and alcohol counselor will be a good fit for you. To earn RADT certification, you’ll need to complete nine hours of approved education as well as completing some necessary paperwork. There also is a $40 application fee and you will need to provide a copy of your driver’s license.
You can learn more about becoming a RADT at CCAPPcredentialing.org. This is California’s credentialing organization, and they provide certification and credentials as well as training and support for many types of addiction professionals.
CADC (Certified Drug and Alcohol Counselor)
This is one of the most common types of certified drug and alcohol counselor jobs. A CADC handles a wide variety of tasks, most of which fall under what is known as the “12 Core Functions” of addiction counseling, and these include:
- Screening
- Intake
- Orientation
- Assessment
- Treatment Planning
- Counseling (Individual, Group & Family/Significant Others)
- Case Management
- Crisis Intervention
- Client Education
- Referral
- Reporting & Record Keeping
- Consultation (with other professionals)
There are three levels of CADC, including a CADC-I, CADC-II and a CADC-III. All three of these must complete 315 hours of approved education and pass the IC&RC Alcohol and Drug Counselor Exam. All three levels of CADC also must complete 255 practicum hours, which are internship hours at an approved facility.
The differences lie in the number of supervised work experience hours that are required. For a CADC-I, 2,080 hours are required if you have earned an associate’s degree in behavioral science or an allied mental health profession. 3,000 hours will be required for those with no degree.
A CADC-II must complete 6,000 hours of supervised work experience, regardless of any college education, although you do not need any level of a college degree to become a CADC-I or CADC-II. A CADC-III only needs to complete 4,000 hours, but this person does need to have earned a bachelor’s degree. For all three levels, your practicum hours will be counted as part of this total, and, aside from the practicum, all of these supervised hours will be paid work.
One Important Note: CADC is a common term for an addiction counselor, but some states will call this job something else, such as an Alcohol and Drug Counselor or ADC. While the name might differ, the education and training requirements usually are similar, and we can help with educational requirements in most states.
LAADC (Licensed Advanced Alcohol and Drug Counselor)
If you want to become a certified drug and alcohol counselor and you have earned a master’s degree in behavioral science or an allied mental health profession, then you can work toward earning your LAADC credential.
In addition to your degree, you will need to complete 300 hours of alcohol and drug counseling-specific education, complete 4,000 hours of work experience and pass the IC&RC Advanced Alcohol and Drug Counselor exam. Some CADCs work toward earning a master’s degree and their LAADC credential. If you invest in professional liability insurance coverage, you also can apply for a LAADC-S credential, which will mean you will be a supervisor.
Additional Specialty Certifications
Once you’ve become a CADC or LAADC, you also can earn specialty certifications such as Certified Co-Occurring Disorder Professional (CCDP), a Certified Criminal Justice Addiction Professional (CCJP), a Medication-Assisted Treatment Specialist (MATS) and many more. There are also recovery-related credentials such as a Certified Recovery Program Manager (CRPM).
Certified Drug and Alcohol Counselor Salary Facts
The salary of a certified drug and alcohol counselor varies by state and by years of experience. According to Salary.com, the median income for a substance abuse counselor in the United States was about $55,000 and salaries range from about $41,000 up to $67,000. Of course, there also might be additional benefits, such as health insurance coverage to factor into that total equation.
Not only can this be a rewarding career where you can truly make a difference in people’s lives, but it’s also a field where jobs are plentiful. The Bureau of Labor Statistics states that substance abuse counselors are in great demand and this field is expanding at a rate much higher than average.
Certified Drug and Alcohol Counselor Training
Earlier in this blog, we discussed how a CADC must complete 315 hours of approved education. At Sober College of Addiction Studies, we specialize in providing education for students wishing to earn their substance abuse counselor certification to become any level of CADC.
Our certified drug and alcohol counselor curriculum is CCAPP-approved, NAADAC-approved and IC&RC-approved and can be used to fulfill the educational requirements in most states, except Alaska, Montana and North Dakota. Our online counseling certificate program can be completed in just six months, and we offer rolling admissions, so you can get started at any time.
If you need a bit more flexibility, we also offer a self-paced online program. With this program, you can complete your classes in just three months or take up to 18 months to complete the program. To learn more about our certified drug and alcohol counselor training, you can look under the Counselor Training tab at the top of this page or click on the Get Started tab to learn more about enrollment or to contact a registration specialist.
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