Substance abuse counselor jobs are plentiful, and if you’ve ever wanted a career where you can truly help others, this is a field to consider. At Sober College, we can help you complete your educational requirements for this career, but first, let’s take a quick look at some facts about substance abuse counseling in general.
- Substance Abuse Counselor Jobs Are In High Demand
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, which tracks information about all types of professions has given a positive job outlook to substance abuse counseling. It is estimated that demand for this type of job will increase by more than 20% in the next few years.
The national median pay for this profession is $48,520 per year or about $23.33 per hour. Of course, as an addiction counselor, your employer also probably will include benefits such as health insurance and paid time off.
- Substance Abuse Counselors Work In Many Settings
Substance abuse counselors work in a wide range of settings such as outpatient mental health and substance abuse centers, hospitals, prisons and residential mental health and substance abuse facilities. They also provide services in private practice and sometimes even work with city governments to develop outreach programs.
- This Is A Rewarding, But Challenging Profession
Being a substance abuse counselor can be incredibly rewarding, as you can make a significant difference in people’s lives. However, the job can also be emotionally demanding, with high levels of stress and risk of burnout.
- A Holistic Approach Is Common
Many substance abuse counselors use a holistic approach, looking at the whole person and considering all aspects of their life. This could include physical health, mental health, relationships, living conditions, and even spiritual beliefs. Recovery is most successful when we address all of the challenges facing each patient.
- Dual-Diagnosis Proficiency Is Crucial
Many clients of substance abuse counselors struggle with both addiction and other mental health disorders—a situation known as dual diagnosis. Understanding how to navigate this complex terrain is a crucial part of the job.
It is very common to have patients that suffer from mental health disorders such as depression, anxiety, OCD, bipolar disorder and other issues. Additionally, your patient might also suffer from physical disorders such as chronic pain, and these mental and physical issues often led them to addiction, which is why all of this must be addressed to prevent relapses and plan for a successful recovery.
- Many Different Therapies Are Used
Substance abuse counselors employ a range of therapeutic modalities, from individual therapy and cognitive-behavioral therapy to group therapy and family counseling. The approach taken often depends on the individual’s unique needs and circumstances.
In many cases, we treat individuals with medications. This is quite common both with alcohol addiction, heroin addiction and opioid addiction. Once you’ve earned your initial counselor certification, you can work toward becoming a Medication-Assisted Treatment Specialist (MATS) if you are interested in this approach.
- Work Within The Justice System Can Be An Option
As stated above, some substance abuse counselors work closely with the court system and provide assessments, treatment, and case management for individuals involved in the criminal justice system. The National Institutes of Health estimates that as many as 85% of the prison population either has a substance use disorder or is in prison due to crimes that involve drugs.
This is clearly a high area of need, and it can be very rewarding to help prisoners overcome their addictions and to help them transition back to civilian life successfully. If you would like to specialize in criminal justice work, once you earn your initial counselor certification, you can work toward becoming a Certified Criminal Justice Addiction Professional (CCJP).
- Licensure Requirements Vary By Counselor Type
At Sober College of Addiction Studies, we provide a curriculum for a type of addiction specialist known as a Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor (CADC). For this type of counselor, no college education is required, only a high school diploma or the equivalent. The name for this type of counselor varies from state to state, and while CADC is a common term, you might also hear Licensed Alcohol and Drug Counselor (LADC) or perhaps Alcohol and Drug Counselor (ADC), etc.
There are also some types of substance abuse counselors, such as a Licensed Advanced Alcohol and Drug Counselor (LAADC), which requires a master’s degree. Additionally, if you wish to become the highest level of CADC, which is a CADC-III, you will need a bachelor’s degree. A CADC-I and CADC-II do not need a college degree to earn certification.
Once you’ve completed your education (which Sober College can provide), you will need to complete a specific number of supervised work experience hours. Keep in mind, these are paid work hours, and you will be working as a counselor during this time. You simply must work under a supervisor until you complete the hours and earn your certification. A passing score on the IC&RC addiction counselor exam also is a requirement for certification.
- Continuing Education Is Required
Once you’ve earned your certification, your education will continue and this is crucial, given that new therapies and strategies are developing all of the time in the world of addiction counseling.
To maintain licensure and keep up with these new treatment methods and the latest research, substance abuse counselors need to engage in continuing education throughout their careers. There are many sources for continuing education (CE), and you may even be able to earn a few units by attending workshops at the annual NAADAC convention or perhaps attending conventions or workshops sponsored by your state’s certification board. The NAADAC website also lists some CE opportunities under the Education tab on its homepage at www.NAADAC.org.
Get Started At Sober College
If you are interested in becoming a CADC, we can help. We offer NAADAC-approved, CCAPP-approved and IC&RC-approved education which can be used throughout the United States (excepting Alaska, Montana and North Dakota) as well as Canada and many other countries around the world.
Our program takes just six months to complete and is entirely online, which is ideal for working adults. Additionally, we offer rolling admissions so you can get started whenever you want. In just half a year, you will be able to start applying for substance abuse counselor jobs and work toward the completion of your supervised work experience hours. To enroll, simply head to our Get Started tab and click on Apply.
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