The California Consortium of Addiction Programs and Professionals, or CCAPP, is an organization that provides credentials for many types of addiction specialists, including a Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor, or CADC. If you are interested in CCAPP certification, Sober College can help you complete several steps in this process.
Educational Requirements
In California, students must complete 315 hours of approved addiction studies education to earn their CADC certification. Coursework includes classes such as Law & Ethics, Physiology & Pharmacology of Alcohol and Other Drugs, Case Management, and more. Our program includes six courses that cover all of the California educational requirements for substance abuse counselor certification.
Practicum Requirements
A practicum is an internship where you work at an approved treatment facility and handle each of the tasks typical to the job of substance abuse counseling. These are known as the 12 Core Functions of Addiction Counseling, and they include everything from patient intake to recordkeeping to counseling to crisis intervention and more.
In California, students must spend 21 hours handling each of these 12 functions and at least 255 hours of practicum. Sober College’s programs include the practicum as well as your education. You can begin the practicum experience after the completion of your first course.
IC&RC Exam
Once you have completed your education and practicum, you will need to take (and pass) the IC&RC Alcohol and Drug Counselor (ADC) exam. IC&RC is an international organization that provides testing services for addiction counselor certification.
Our program will provide you with all you will need to know to pass this exam, but IC&RC test prep materials that can help you prepare, as well. You will schedule the IC&RC exam through CCAPP. The exam cost for CCAPP members is $150, and the cost is $550 for non-members.
You will have four chances to pass the ADC exam. If you do not pass, you will need to complete an additional 100 hours of supervised work experience as well as 20 educational hours using a CCAPP-approved provider.
Why Choose Sober College?
Sober College is a CCAPP-approved provider of addiction studies curriculum. Our program has many advantages over traditional college or university programs. First, our program costs only $4,250, which is far less than most university options.
Second, our program takes just six months to complete and includes your practicum. We also offer rolling admissions so you can get started whenever you choose. Most college options take several years to complete, and you have to wait until the start of a semester or quarter to begin the program.
Lastly, our program is also 100% online, which is an ideal option for busy adults with a myriad of work and family commitments. You can schedule learning when it’s convenient for you, rather than attending during a specific class time. We offer the same high-quality curriculum as traditional universities with a far more convenient approach to learning.
Additional CCAPP Certification Requirements
Once you have completed your educational units and practicum, you will be ready to take the IC&RC Alcohol and Drug Counselor exam. A passing score on this exam is required for CADC certification. Our program, along with your practicum experience, should provide you with the knowledge you need to pass this exam, although IC&RC test prep materials are available, and it’s wise to utilize these resources.
After completing your education, practicum, and IC&RC testing, the final step (aside from applying for your credential through CCAPP) is to accrue your work experience hours. In California, a CADC must complete 3,000 hours of work experience to qualify for initial certification, and some of these hours must be supervised. In general, these hours are paid work, and you will be handling the same typical tasks as certified counselors. Your 255 practicum hours will be included in this total, as well.
California has three levels of CADC – a CADC I, CADC II, and CADC III. As stated above, 3,000 hours are required for CADC-I’s, and most CADC-I’s will go on to earn their CADC-II credential, for which 6,000 hours of work experience is required. A CADC-III needs only 4,000 hours of work experience, but these individuals must also have earned a bachelor’s degree in behavioral science or a similar accepted field. No college degree is required either for a CADC-I or CADC-II.
Once you have completed these steps, you will be ready to apply for your CADC certification through CCAPP. For CCAPP members, you will incur a $100 application review fee, and the non-member fee is $250.
Yearly membership costs $100, and in addition to receiving discounts on testing and certification, CCAPP also offers many continuing education (CE) options as well as additional resources. Continuing education hours are required to maintain your certification. Your credential must be renewed every two years, and you will be required to complete 50 CE hours in order to renew your credential.
Enroll at Sober College Today!
If you are ready to take the first steps toward CCAPP certification and becoming a CADC, Sober College is here to help. To enroll in our addiction studies program, head to our homepage and select the Get Started tab. Under that tab, select Apply and then download our application. If you have questions, select the Speak with Someone tab and fill out our quick contact form.
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