Careers in the field of drug and alcohol counseling are growing exponentially, and if you’ve ever imagined taking on a job where you can truly help others, this might be a good option to consider. In order to earn drug and alcohol certification, there are several steps you will need to take, including the following.
- Complete Your Educational Units
For many who wish to earn drug and alcohol certification, their goal is to become a Certified Drug and Alcohol Counselor, or CADC. In some states, this same type of counselor is known as a Certified Addiction Counselor (CAC) or perhaps an Alcohol and Drug Counselor (ADC) or some other variation. The educational requirements, no matter what title is used, are the same for this type of drug and alcohol counselor certification.
There are three levels of CADC – CADC-I, CADC-II and CADC-III and all three of these levels also have the same educational requirements. All of these counseling certifications require 315 hours of education from an approved provider.
At Sober College of Addiction Studies, we offer a CCAPP-approved, NAADAC-approved and IC&RC-approved curriculum for anyone wishing to become a CADC or the equivalent. Our program can be completed entirely online in just six months. We also offer rolling admissions so that you can get started at any time.
Our coursework includes six traditional classes as well as two practicums, which we will discuss in step number two. The six classes include courses such as Physiology and Pharmacology of Alcohol and Other Drugs; Law & Ethics; Case Management and more. These courses will provide you with all of the information you need to pass the rigorous IC&RC Alcohol and Drug Counselor exam.
- Complete Your Practicum Hours
As part of your drug and alcohol certification, you will need to complete 255 hours of field practicum. At Sober College, this encompasses two courses – SCSAS 107: Supervised Practicum; and SCSAS 108: Supervised Fieldwork Practicum. The latter of these two is an internship experience where you will be required to spend at least 21 hours working on each of the 12 Core Functions of Substance Abuse Counseling.
The 12 Core Functions of Substance Abuse Counseling Include:
- Patient Screening
- Intake
- Orientation
- Assessment
- Treatment Planning
- Counseling
- Case Management
- Crisis Intervention
- Client Education
- Referrals
- Reporting & Record Keeping
- Consultation With Other Professionals
In most cases, students will be working on the completion of these practicum hours as they complete our other coursework. Once you’ve completed your coursework and practicums, you will be ready to take the IC&RC Exam.
- Pass The IC&RC Exam
IC&RC is an internationally recognized credentialing organization and this group’s Alcohol and Drug Counselor (ADC) exam is required throughout the United States as well as internationally for those who wish to become substance abuse counselors. The average pass rate for this exam is about 72% and about 5,000 students take this exam every year.
Candidates will have four chances to pass this exam, and if the exam is not passed after four attempts, you will need to complete an additional 100 hours of clinical supervision and complete 20 hours of alcohol and drug education. However, most students pass during their first or second attempts, so this usually is not needed. IC&RC test prep can help students prepare for this exam and lessen any anxiety they might experience about earning a passing score.
In addition to the ADC exam, the IC&RC also offers certification exams for Advanced Alcohol and Drug Counselors, Clinical Supervisors, Prevention Specialists, Criminal Justice Addictions Professionals and Peer Recovery Specialists. These other exams and occupational opportunities might be something for new CADCs to consider working toward after they have completed their supervised work experience hours.
- Complete Your Supervised Work Experience
The final step in the process of becoming a CADC is to complete your supervised work experience hours and the number of hours you must complete varies based on the type of CADC certification you wish to earn.
A CADC-I, for instance, will need to complete 3,000 hours of supervised work experience. However, if you have an associate’s degree in behavioral science or an allied mental health profession, this requirement drops to just 2,080 hours.
For a CADC-II, you must complete 6,000 hours regardless of any college degree and you can work toward this level without having earned any college degree and just a high school diploma or the equivalent. For the CADC-III requirement, you must complete 4,000 hours, but you also must have earned a bachelor’s degree.
Your practicum hours will count toward the total number of supervised work experience, and, in some cases, any previous counseling work (volunteer or paid) also might be approved and could count toward your total. It also is important to keep in mind that these hours typically are paid work experiences, you will simply be working under supervision.
Start Working Toward Drug and Alcohol Certification Today!
If you are ready to start the process of drug and alcohol certification, you can enroll at Sober College at any time. Our expert instructors and quality curriculum will provide you with all you need to succeed to earn your substance abuse counselor certification.
If you have any questions about our drug and alcohol certification program, contact us at any time. Just click on the Get Started tab at the top of this page and select Speak With Someone and fill out our quick contact form or click on any of the links provided in this section of our website.
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