If you’ve considered a career as a Certified Drug & Alcohol Counselor (CADC) but aren’t sure if you can fit in the coursework, Sober College of Addiction Studies can help. We offer an online counseling certificate program that you can complete in six months or less.
Our Programs: In-Class, Online & Self-Paced
At Sober College, we offer three different types of programs. For students that live near our Los Angeles-area campus, we offer an in-class program that meets just one weekend per month. This in-class program takes only six months to complete, and the weekend classes are convenient for many working adults.
Of course, some people work on the weekends and many people are not close to our physical campus, so we’ve developed two different online counseling certificate options for people around the country. Our standard online program can be completed in just six months, and you’ll take one class per month.
Our self-paced program is another option to consider. For this program, you can complete your coursework in just three months or take up 18 months, depending on your schedule. This can be an excellent option for someone who has the motivation to finish their coursework very quickly, or for someone who needs a bit more time to complete the classes due to work, family and personal commitments.
The Coursework
In order to complete the coursework for your in-class or online counseling certificate, you will need to complete six academic courses and two practicum sessions. Our courses include:
- Introduction and Overview of Drug & Alcohol Addiction
- Physiology and Pharmacology of Alcohol & Other Drugs
- Law and Ethics
- Case Management
- Individual, Group & Family Counseling
- Personal and Professional Growth
The practicum sessions are basically fieldwork or internships where you work at an approved facility to gain some hand’s on experience. In order to become a CADC I or CADC II, you are required to complete 255 practicum hours, and we can help you find suitable facilities for your practicum experiences.
The IC&RC Exam
Both a CADC I and CADC II will need to earn a passing score on the IC&RC exam. There are actually several IC&RC exams, including exams for Prevention Specialist, Clinical Supervisor and Criminal Justice Addictions Professional, to name a few.
The exam CADC I and CADC II candidates test is called the Alcohol and Drug Counselor (ADC) exam. This exam takes about three hours to complete and incudes 150 multiple-choice questions that cover topics including Screening, Assessment and Engagement; Treatment Planning; Counseling; and Professional & Ethical Responsibilities.
Not only can the team at Sober College provide you with quality coursework, we also offer IC&RC test prep. Our online test prep class includes a comprehensive lecture booklet, test-taking strategies and a practice exam.
Additional Requirements For CADCs
After you’ve completed your coursework, practicum hours and passed your IC&RC exam, you can get started earning hours toward your credential. For CADC-1 candidates, you will need to earn 2,080 or 3,000 hours of supervised work experience. The number of hours that you will be required to fulfil depends on your previous level of education.
If you have not completed an associate’s degree in either Behavioral Science or a similar mental health-related degree, you will need to complete the 3,000 hours. For those that do have an associate’s degree or higher in the aforementioned fields, only 2,080 hours are required. Keep in mind that your 255 practicum hours do count for this total number of hours.
Additionally, once you have completed coursework and passed your exam, these supervised hours will be paid hours, so you will be earning a salary. For those wishing to become a CADC II, you will need to complete 6,000 hours of supervised work, no matter what type of degree you hold.
CADC Renewal
For both CADC I and CADC II, you will need to renew your certification every two years. In order to do be eligible for renewal, you will need to complete a certain amount of continuing education hours.
There are many opportunities for continuing education (CE) in our field. There are approved classes you can take, and often attending events and conferences sponsored by CCAPP (California Consortium of Addiction Program and Professionals) or perhaps NAADAC (North American Association for Addiction Professionals), as well as other related organizations will include opportunities to earn CE units.
Other Career Opportunities
Within the field of addiction counseling and support, there are many career opportunities. While becoming a CADC can be quite rewarding, there are other career options to consider.
For instance, at Sober College of Addiction Studies, we can help you become a Certified Prevention Specialist. These professionals work at many facilities, including schools, community centers, workplaces and more.
In addition to our online counseling certificate program, we also offer a Prevention Specialist education program online. This program can be completed in as little as six months, and we also can help you prep for the IC&RC Prevention Specialist exam.
To learn more about our online counseling certificate programs, head to our homepage and look under the tab Counselor Training. This will lead you to helpful information about our CADC and Prevention Specialist training.
Leave a Reply