It is estimated that more than 20 million Americans suffer from at least one type of addiction, which underscores the desperate need for treatment providers. If you truly long for a career where you can help others, becoming a chemical dependency counselor can be an excellent option to consider and moving into this career doesn’t take as long as you might think.
At Sober College of Addiction Studies, we can help you complete the educational requirements for chemical dependency certification and our program can be completed in just six months. Before we dive into facts about our program, let’s explore this vocation and what it entails.
What Does A Chemical Dependency Counselor Do?
A chemical dependency counselor is a specialized type of counselor who works with individuals struggling with addiction to substances such as alcohol, drugs, and prescription medications. These professionals play a crucial role in the journey of recovery and rehabilitation. Here are key aspects of their role:
Assessment of Addiction: They assess the severity and nature of a client’s substance use. This involves understanding the physical, psychological, and social aspects of their addiction.
Treatment Planning: Based on their assessment, chemical dependency counselors create personalized treatment plans. These plans may include various therapies, support group meetings, and sometimes medication management.
Counseling and Support: They provide one-on-one or group counseling (or with family members), offering a safe space for individuals to explore the underlying causes of their addiction, discuss challenges, and develop coping strategies.
Crisis Intervention: In cases of severe addiction or relapse, a licensed addiction counselor may provide immediate support and intervention to prevent harm and guide the client back to recovery.
Educational Role: Educating clients and their families about addiction, its effects, and the process of recovery is another critical aspect. This includes teaching strategies for dealing with cravings and avoiding relapse.
Referral Services: If needed, an addiction counselor will refer clients to other services, such as medical treatment for physical health issues related to substance abuse or mental health services for co-occurring disorders. Many people with substance use disorders often suffer from some type of mental illness, and the best practice includes providing sources of treatment for all of the issues a patient may be facing.
Monitoring Progress: They regularly monitor their clients’ progress, adjusting treatment plans as necessary to ensure the most effective approach to recovery.
Advocacy and Awareness: Chemical dependency counselors often advocate for better addiction services and awareness, contributing to public health policies and community education.
Ethical Practice: They adhere to a strict code of ethics and confidentiality, ensuring that all client interactions are professional, private, and focused on the client’s well-being.
Continual Learning: Staying updated with the latest research and developments in addiction treatment is essential for providing effective counseling. Once you’ve earned your substance abuse counselor certification, you will need to renew it every few years and continuing education units will need to be completed in order to renew.
Chemical dependency counselors require specific education, training, and usually certification or licensure, depending on the region. Their work is both challenging and rewarding, as they play a pivotal role in helping individuals overcome addiction and lead healthier, more fulfilling lives.
How To Become A Substance Abuse Counselor
The first step in the process will be to complete your educational requirements. At Sober College, we provide education for people wishing to become a certified alcohol and drug counselor (CADC).
This is a common type of licensed chemical dependency counselor, although the actual title varies by state. For instance, in California (and many other states), you would be known as a CADC. In some states, you might be known as an Alcohol and Other Drug (AOD) counselor or perhaps a Licensed Alcohol and Drug Counselor (LADC) or perhaps another title. While the names might be different, the state requirements usually are similar.
Our chemical dependency counseling program will help you fulfill two requirements of your certificate program. We offer 315 hours of NAADAC-approved, IC&RC-approved education and our program also includes the completion of your 255 hours of practicum experience. A practicum is much like an internship, and you can get started earning your practicum hours as soon as you’ve completed your first class with us – Introduction and Overview of Drug and Alcohol Addiction.
Once you have completed your educational requirements and your practicum hours, you will need to pass the IC&RC Alcohol and Drug Counselor (ADC) exam as well as complete your supervised work experience hours. The number of hours you will need to complete will vary based on your state requirements as well as the level of CADC certification you hope to attain.
In California, for example, you can work to become a CADC-I, CADC-II or CADC-III. A CADC-I must complete 3,000 hours of supervised work experience or 2,080 hours if you have earned an associate’s degree in behavioral science or a similar degree. To become a CADC-II, you will need to complete 6,000 hours of supervised work experience.
With CADC-III certification, you will need to complete 4,000 hours of supervised work experience. However, for this level, you also will need to have earned your bachelor’s degree. CADC-IIIs are the only level where a degree beyond a high school diploma (or the equivalent) is required. These work experience hours will be paid work, and you simply are working under a supervisor. Additionally, your practicum hours will count toward this total.
Enroll At Sober College Today
We make it easy for students to begin working toward their chemical dependency certification. Our program is 100% online and you can complete all of your coursework in just six months, unlike university programs that can take several years to complete. We also offer rolling admissions so you can get started whenever you want. To enroll, just click on the Get Started tab on our homepage and select Apply.
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