Substance Abuse Counselor

Note that the below requirements are a general idea, and it could vary from state to state. For example, some states only require 150 hours of education. And some require as low as 2,000 clock hours of work. The below is to give you an idea of how it generally works in the States, and these numbers could change depending on the state you are in.

Educational Requirements:

350 hours of education are required by a candidate along with training that develops addiction counseling competencies;

• At least 85 hours of the 350 needs to be committed towards substance abuse and alcohol knowledge. Of these 85 hours, tobacco usage and nicotine dependence need to have four hours committed to them.
• A minimum of 150 hours should be committed towards alcohol and substance abuse counseling. Of the 150 hours, 15 must be put into cultural competence.
• A minimum of 70 must be in the combined areas of assessment, evaluation, case management, treatment planning, and patient/ family/ community education.
• Professional and ethical responsibilities should be given a minimum of 45 hours, and at least 15 of these hours must cover ethics related to addictions professionals. Also, at least 2 hours should be directed towards mandatory reporting of child abuse and maltreatment.

Education can be achieved through colleges or universities, government agencies, or other approved organizations. Distance learning is also an option if it is offered by an accredited college or through an approved provider. A CEU is awarded for ten clock hours of education; one semester hour is credited as 15 clock hours.

There is an educational package that candidates may go for which offers academic credit or one that does not. The same material is covered by all certified providers. It is still allowed to credit college coursework, provided the requirements are met. The agency notes that a bit of coursework taken as a portion of the qualifying degree program may be used in education and training necessities. Candidates will use the credentialing application to request that their transcripts be evaluated.

Exam Criteria:

Credentialed Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Counselor (CASAC) candidates have to take a written exam. The examination was developed by the IC&RC. Candidates will call the Credentialing Unit to request a registration form. A candidate can be approved any time after educational requirements have been met; it will be necessary to submit an application. The exam will cost $245, and the exam is offered via computer at ISO Quality Testing centers. A candidate who fails an examination attempt must wait 60 days before retesting. An unsuccessful candidate may continue to retest as long as the credentialing application remains active. However, each attempt entails a $245 fee.

Experience Needed:

6,000  hours of work experience are needed before credentialing by a person who has not got a college degree in a field related to human services. An associate’s degree (that is qualifying) may replace 1,000 experience hours. A qualifying bachelor’s degree can take place for 4,000 hours and a master’s degree for 6,000 experience hours. The credentialing agency has given a list of approved human service fields. The options among them are anthropology, audiology, community mental health, criminal justice, dance therapy, divinity, education, gerontology, music therapy, nursing, nutrition, occupational therapy, psychology, and rehabilitation and mental health counseling.

The work has to have taken place in an approved setting. Three hundred hours of supervised practical training has to be done. The trainee has to have at least ten hours of practical training in each of the main addiction counseling functions; this has to be done under direct supervision by a Qualified Health Professional (QHP). Volunteer work is creditable without limit if it is completed under a formal agreement and otherwise meets Credentialing Unit standards (including supervision requirements). A candidate can opt to credit a formal internship experience as education/ training or supervised experience but is not allowed to count it as both.

Additional Requirements:

Three professionals are required by the prospective CASAC to provide assessments of competency and ethical conduct. One has to come from the current or most recent clinical supervisor. One has to come from a CASAC or an addiction counselor who holds reciprocal-level credentialing through some IC&RC board. One has to come from a professional who is designated as a Qualified Health Professional. Substance abuse training and experience are necessary for the professional to have. He or she may hold credentialing as any of the following: counselor, family therapist, master or clinical social worker, registered nurse, occupational therapist, physician, physician’s assistant, psychologist, rehabilitation counselor, or therapeutic recreational therapist; a CASAC would also qualify. The Credentialing Unit requires fingerprint-based criminal background checks. Candidates have to use the approved vendor, MorphoTrust. It will be important to give the ORI and provider ID.

Application Process:

Candidates can apply before all the necessities have been met. Trainee status may be awarded when the substance abuse worker has completed the 350-hour education requirement or has accrued 4,000 work experience hours and completed 85 hours of applicable education; the 85 hours have to be dedicated towards alcoholism and substance abuse treatment. You cannot apply separately for the trainee status. The candidate shall file a CASAC application. The CASAC application will stay open for five years (based on the application postmark date). During this duration, the trainee is supposed to complete all the requirements for CASAC. There is an application fee of $100. The Credentialing Unit notes that you do not have to pay any additional fees to add materials to the file. You may extend the trainee status one time for three years. Ethical conduct evaluations will be required by the trainee to provide.