If you want to become a certified alcohol and drug counselor (CADC) in California, the California Consortium of Addiction Programs & Professionals (CCAPP) has been the state’s primary certification body for more than 50 years.
However, credentialing is just one of the many ways CCAPP supports the addiction treatment field, providing education, advocacy, professional development, and resources for both aspiring counselors and experienced professionals. Let’s take a look at all CCAPP has to offer new counselors, as well as the steps you need to take for CADC certification in California.
What Does CCAPP Do?
For substance use disorder (SUD) professionals, CCAPP helps to set and maintain standards within this industry, including standards for competency, ethics, professional conduct, and continuing education.
CCAPP also advocates for the field of behavioral health, working with lawmakers, industry leaders, and agencies on issues affecting addiction treatment, prevention, recovery services, addiction programs, and the counseling workforce. This organization also provides certification for those wishing to establish recovery residences in California and helps to set high standards for these facilities.
Throughout the year, CCAPP also focuses on providing education and professional development. In addition to providing substance use disorder counseling credentials for qualified applicants, hosting a variety of events and conferences, including the annual California Addiction Conference and the annual Addiction Leadership Conference.
They also are an approved provider of Continuing Education (CE) for addiction professionals in California. All counselors must renew their credentials or certification every two years, and are required to complete CE hours to renew. CCAPP can be a valuable resource during this process.
As stated above, one of the main functions of CCAPP is credentialing, and they provide credentials for a Registered Alcohol and Drug Technician (RADT) as well as a CADC I, CADC II, CADC III, and for more advanced credentials such as the Licensed Advanced Alcohol and Drug Counselor, or LAADC.
CCAPP credentialing also includes certification for many specialty credentials, including a Prevention Specialist, Certified Criminal Justice Professional (CCJP), Intervention Specialist, Medication-Assisted Treatment Specialist (MATS), and others. These are credentials you can earn once you become a CADC or LAADC.
While you do not need to become a member of CCAPP in order to earn your credential, there are some advantages. Members receive significant discounts on their credential application review fees, as well as discounts on annual conferences, free and discounted continuing education options, and more.
CCAPP Certification: How To Become An Addiction Counselor
In California, many SUD counselors begin their career working as a Registered Alcohol and Drug Technician, or RADT. A Registered Alcohol Drug Technician (RADT) assists licensed or certified addiction counselors and treatment programs by providing support services to individuals recovering from substance use disorders, such as assisting with intake, monitoring clients, facilitating group activities, and more.
In general, CCAPP requires a RADT Trainee 1 to have completed a 10-hour orientation as well as 80 hours of approved education. Once you have completed these requirements, you can work toward becoming a RADT Trainee II and a RADT intern. There is a five-year limit on being a RADT, and if you wish to continue in this field, you will need to work toward becoming a CADC.
A CADC is a common type of addiction counselor, and this designation is recognized throughout the United States as well as internationally, although some states or countries might use another term, such as Licensed Alcohol and Drug Counselor (LADC) or perhaps Alcohol and Drug Counselor (ADC). Generally, the requirements to become a CADC are similar, even if the names are unique.
In California, a CADC must complete 315 hours of addiction studies curriculum and 255 hours of practicum experience, which is similar to an internship. Additionally, each candidate must pass the IC&RC Alcohol and Drug Counselor (ADC) exam. IC&RC is an international organization that provides standardized testing for addiction professionals.
From there, 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, some of which will be supervised. For instance, in California, a CADC-I must complete 3,000 hours of work experience to earn their credential.
Neither a RADT nor a CADC-I needs to have a college degree, and a high school diploma or the equivalent is all that is required. In California, a CADC-I can work toward completion of 6,000 hours of work experience to earn their CADC-II credential. No college degree is required for CADC-II’s in California. Some states, however, do require an associate’s degree or bachelor’s degree for CADC-II certification. A CADC-III must have earned their bachelor’s degree.
Sober College: CCAPP-Approved Addiction Studies Education
At Sober College of Addiction Studies, our program is designed to help those who wish to become any level of CADC complete their educational requirements as well as their practicum. Our program also will prepare you to take the IC&RC exam.
Unlike typical college or university programs, which can take several years to complete, our program can be completed in just six months, and it’s 100% online. The total cost for our program is just $4,250 with no hidden fees (books cost an additional $300-$500 in all). We also offer rolling admissions, so you can get started at any time.
Sober College is a CCAPP-approved provider of addiction studies education. We are also NAADAC-approved and IC&RC-approved, which means our program also can be used to complete educational and practicum requirements in most states. If you are ready to start on your path toward becoming a CADC with Sober College, just click on the Get Started tab on our homepage and click “Apply.”
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