If you are thinking about a career as a substance abuse counselor, Sober College of Addiction Studies can help you fulfill the educational requirements needed for substance abuse training. Here’s a look at our program and the other steps you’ll need to take to become an addiction counselor.
Why Become A Substance Abuse Counselor?
Substance use disorders are a public health crisis and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Service Administration estimates that as many as 10% of Americans older than 12 are addicted to drugs and/or alcohol.
Helping others heal from addiction can be a highly rewarding career and a career that is in great demand. Substance abuse counselors are on the front lines, helping people move from addiction toward long-term recovery.
While addiction counselors need a healthy dose of empathy, these professionals also need excellent listening and communication skills. Additionally, a successful counselor also needs to be highly organized as this job tends to come with a large amount of paperwork.
Educational Requirements
At Sober College, we can provide you with the educational portion of substance abuse training. In order to become a Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor (CADC) you must complete 315 hours of education from an approved provider.
A CADC is one of the most common types of certified addiction counselors. While some states will use a different term, such as Alcohol and Drug Counselor (ADC), the educational requirements usually are the same.
Our program can be completed entirely online, and the curriculum is CCAPP-approved, NAADAC-approved and IC&RC-approved which means it can be used throughout the United States. We offer rolling admissions so you can get started at any time and the program can be completed in just six months.
Practicum Requirements
All CADC candidates are required to complete at least 255 hours of practical experience performed at an approved agency. During your time at Sober College, you will complete a total of 8 classes. Six of these are “traditional” classes and two are called practicum experiences.
During your two practicum experiences, which you can begin after completing your first class at Sober College, you will be working at a treatment facility with a direct supervisor and also will be supervised by one of your Sober College instructors.
The practicum experience must include 21 hours of work with each of the 12 Core Functions of Addiction Counseling. These include patient screening, assessment, treatment planning, counseling, case management and other tasks that counselors must handle every day.
IC&RC Exam Requirements
Once you’ve completed your required coursework and practicum hours, you can sign up to take the IC&RC Alcohol and Drug Counselor exam. IC&RC is an internationally recognized organization that provides testing for different types of addiction counseling jobs, including a CADC as well as a Prevention Specialist, Criminal Justice Addictions Professional and several others.
The average pass rate for the Alcohol and Drug Counselor exam is about 72%. You can purchase test prep materials to help as well as review your notes from your coursework at Sober College, which provides you with all of the information you need to pass this exam.
Keep in mind, you will have four chances to pass the IC&RC exam. If you don’t pass after four attempts, you will need to complete additional education units as well as additional work hours under direct supervision.
Supervised Work Experience Requirements
The final requirement for becoming a CADC is to complete your supervised work experience hours. This varies based on the level of CADC credential you opt for and your overall level of education.
For instance, neither a CADC-I or CADC-II needs to have completed any level of a college degree. A CADC-I without a college degree must complete 3,000 of supervised work experience. However, if the CADC-I candidate has earned an associate’s degree in behavioral health or an allied mental health profession, this number is reduced to 2,080 hours.
A CADC-II candidate must complete 6,000 hours of supervised work experience regardless of any earned college degree. A CADC-III must have completed a bachelor’s degree and will be required to complete 4,000 hours of supervised work experience.
Your 255 practicum hours will be counted as part of this total, and, generally, these are paid work hours where you will be handling all of the typical day-to-day tasks that credentialed counselors handle. It simply means that you will be working under a supervisor for the first few years to earn that credential.
Some people see these numbers as daunting, but if we think about it in terms of months and years, it isn’t quite as intimidating. For instance, to become a CADC-I, the 3,000 hours would take, if working a 40-hour work week, it will take 75 work weeks or about 18-20 months to complete the supervised work experience. If you have an associate’s degree, the 2,080 hours will take about a year to complete.
Credential Renewals
Substance abuse training does not end once you’ve earned your CADC certification. You must renew your credential every two years. In order to renew, you also must complete a specific number of Continuing Education (CE units).
There are many interesting seminars, workshops and classes you can take to complete these requirements. Subjects might range from substance abuse prevention training to treat patients with co-occurring mental health disorders or perhaps evidence-based treatment options, etc.
Get Started Today!
If you are interested in getting started with substance abuse training, you can enroll in Sober College at any time. To enroll, click on the Get Started tab above and select “Apply.” If you have any questions about our program, simply select the “Speak with Someone” option and fill out our quick contact form.
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