In our last blog post, we covered some of the most frequently asked questions about addiction counseling careers. If this seems like a good fit for you, here are the steps you need to take for substance abuse counselor training and a look at how Sober College of Addiction Studies can help you get started with your new career.
1. Do You Need a College Degree to Become an Addiction Counselor?
This varies by state and depends on the type of counselor certification you wish to earn. In some cases, you might need a bachelor’s degree or master’s degree, especially for more advanced counseling positions. However, in most states, you can become a Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor, or CADC, and you need only have earned a high school diploma or the equivalent.
For instance, in California, you do not need to have any college degree to earn either CADC I or CADC II certification. Some states might require an associate’s degree or even a bachelor’s degree for CADC II certification. Be sure to check your state certification boards to ensure that you fully understand the specific substance abuse counselor training requirements in your state.
2. What Is A CADC?
A CADC is a common type of certified addiction counselor, although some states do refer to this job by another name such as a License Alcohol and Drug Counselor (LADC) or perhaps an Alcohol and Drug Counselor (ADC). While the names might vary, the certification requirements tend to be the same from state to state, and the day-to-day job tasks also tend to be the same.
3. How Do You Earn CADC Certification?
The first step is to complete your addiction studies curriculum requirements. Most states require about 315 hours of education from an approved provider. Sober College of Addiction Studies is an approved provider in 47 states, excluding Alaska, Montana, and North Dakota.
You also will be required to complete at least 255 hours of practicum experience. This is an internship where you work at counseling facility. Some states do require more than 255 hours, but most require that you complete 21 hours handling each one of the 12 Core Functions of Addiction Counseling. These 12 Core Functions represent the fundamental responsibilities that substance use disorder (SUD) counselors are expected to perform competently, and include tasks such as patient orientation, crisis intervention, treatment planning, and more.
4. Is an Exam Required for Certification?
In most cases, yes. To become a CADC, you will need to earn a passing score on the IC&RC Alcohol and Drug Counselor (ADC) exam. IC&RC is an international organization that provides testing for several different types of SUD counselors.
At Sober College, we are an IC&RC-approved education provider, which means that our curriculum will prepare you to take the ADC exam. Because we are IC&RC approved, our curriculum fulfills CADC certification requirements in most states, as well as internationally.
5. What Are the Work Experience Requirements? Are These Supervised?
Once you have completed your educational units, the practicum, and passed the IC&RC exam, you will be able to work as a counselor, although you will not be certified until you complete a specific number of work experience hours.
The number of hours you will need varies from state to state, and some of these hours will be supervised. For instance, in California, you must complete 3,000 hours of work experience hours to earn your CADC-I certification.
If you are working a typical 40-hour workweek, this means it will take about 18-20 months to complete your work experience hours. Keep in mind, these are paid work hours, and often, your practicum hours can be factored into this total. Once these are complete, you will be able to apply for your credential or certification.
6. What Type of Coursework Is Required?
At Sober College, our substance abuse counseling education program includes eight classes, two of which are practicum experiences, which you will complete at an approved facility. The other six classes include:
- Introduction & Overview of Drug and Alcohol Addiction
- Physiology & Pharmacology of Alcohol and Other Drugs
- Law & Ethics
- Case Management
- Individual, Group & Family Counseling
- Personal & Professional Growth
This coursework will not only prepare you for the IC&RC exam, but it also will help prepare you for your work as a counselor. The curriculum, along with your practicum experience, should provide you with all you need to get started when you begin your work experience hours.
7. How Do You Choose an Addiction Studies Program?
The first step is to find options that are approved by your state certification board. Because Sober College is IC&RC-approved, our program can be used to fulfill counselor certification educational requirements in most states.
From there, you will want to look at factors such as cost and convenience. Our program has a total cost of just $4,250, with no hidden fees. Books will cost about $300 to $500 in total, as well, but this is far less expensive than most university programs.
Additionally, our program takes only six months to complete, including your practicum experience. Most college and university programs can take several years to complete. We also offer rolling admissions, so you can begin whenever it’s convenient for your. Our program is online, as well, which allows you to fit in your learning time whenever it’s convenient.
8. Do Counselors Need Continuing Education?
Yes! In order to renew your substance abuse counselor certification, you will need to complete about 40-50 hours of continuing education. This ensures that you keep up-to-date on the latest practices in your field as well as ethics and any new laws or regulations.
Get Started Today at Sober College!
SUD counseling can be a rewarding career where you truly help others heal. If you are ready to take the first steps toward certification and would like to enroll in our substance abuse counselor training program, simply head to our homepage and click on the Get Started tab and select the Apply section.
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