A career in addiction counseling offers the opportunity to make a meaningful difference in the lives of individuals, families, and communities affected by substance use. If you are ready to enter this rewarding field or strengthen your existing skills, earning your substance abuse certification online through Sober College can help you take the next step toward your professional goals.
At Sober College, we provide the curriculum required to become a Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor, or CADC. This is a common type of substance use disorder (SUD) counselor recognized throughout the United States and internationally, although the actual name for this type of SUD counselor can vary. For instance, some states might refer to these counselors as a Licensed Alcohol and Drug Counselor, or LADC.
To earn CADC certification, candidates must complete 315 hours of approved education as well as complete a practicum (internship), pass the IC&RC Alcohol and Drug Counselor (ADC) exam, and complete a set number of work experience hours. Sober College can help you complete the first two steps – education and the practicum – and our program is 100% online.
5 Reasons To Complete Substance Abuse Certification Online
At Sober College of Addiction Studies, we offer the same quality curriculum you would expect from a typical college or university, yet our program has several compelling advantages over the traditional path to counseling certification, including:
1. Faster Completion Time
If you truly want to jumpstart your career as a substance abuse counselor, our online program can be completed in just six months. Typically, it can take two or more years to complete comparable addiction studies programs at traditional colleges.
2. Rolling Admissions
With a traditional college, you have to start the program at the beginning of a semester or quarter. At Sober College, we offer rolling admissions, so that you can begin your coursework at any time.
3. Lower Costs
Not only is our program significantly less expensive than most university programs, but learning remotely also reduces costs related to transportation, parking, childcare, and other expenses you might incur with in-person classes.
4. The Convenience Factor
With an online certificate program, you can learn at any time, and anywhere you have internet access. This allows you to complete coursework from just about any location, and whenever it suits your schedule. For busy adults with work and family commitments, this can be the easiest way to complete their education and change careers.
5. Our Program Can Be Used Nationwide
Our program is NAADAC-approved and IC&RC-approved. NAADAC is the largest national organization for addiction professionals, and IC&RC is an international organization that provides certification testing for different types of addiction specialists, including CADCs as well as other types of substance abuse counselors. We are an approved education provider for students in most states. The only exceptions include Alaska, Montana, and North Dakota.
What the Sober College Program Includes
In just six months, Sober College students will have completed the required 315 classroom hours as well as 255 practicum hours. It is important to note that some states do require more than 255 practicum hours, so be sure to research your state’s unique requirements.
The program includes eight classes, two of which comprise the supervised practicum. The additional six classes include the following curriculum:
- Introduction & Overview of Drug and Alcohol Addiction – This course covers the effects of alcohol and other mood-altering drugs in the United States, including myths and stereotypes associated with substance use and sociocultural factors that contribute to the use of these substances.
- Physiology & Pharmacology of Alcohol and Other Drugs – In this course, students will learn about the effects of alcohol and similar legal psychoactive drugs on the body and human behavior.
- Law & Ethics – This course covers ethics and laws related to clients and their counselors, including the protection of clinical information and client confidentiality. Students also will learn about national and state standards for the CADC profession.
- Case Management – During this course, students will take a deep dive into all the administrative requirements and tasks that counselors must handle, including patient intake, treatment planning, and finding resources for clients (peer support groups, mental health counseling, etc.), and much more.
- Individual, Group, and Family Counseling – This course examines a variety of counseling approaches as well as the best practices for working with different social populations and how to facilitate groups effectively.
- Personal & Professional Growth – During this course, students will learn how to recognize their personal strengths and limitations, and how to use that knowledge to promote professional growth.
Once you have completed this coursework and the practicum, you should be well prepared to take the IC&RC exam. After that, you can begin completion of your work experience hours, some of which will be supervised.
The number of hours needed varies by state and by the level of CADC certification you hope to earn. For instance, in California, where we are based, a CADC I must complete 3,000 hours of work experience, while a CADC II must complete 6,000 hours. Many CADC-I’s go on to earn their CADC-II certification. No matter which level you wish to earn, be sure to research your state’s specific requirements before beginning any educational program.
Start Your Addiction Studies Program Today!
If you wish to become a CADC and want to complete your substance abuse certification online, Sober College of Addiction Studies can help. To enroll in our school, simply go to the homepage, select the “Get Started” tab, and select “Apply.”
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