Notwithstanding the provisions of § 54.1-3507, (i) the Board may issue a license as a licensed substance abuse treatment practitioner to a person who, after the effective date of the regulations promulgated pursuant to subdivision 7 of § 54.1-3505, has applied for such a license and who, in the judgment of the Board, possesses qualifications, education or experience substantially equivalent to the requirements of § 54.1-3507; however, any such applicant shall have completed at least one year of supervised clinical experience in substance abuse treatment, and (ii) for a period of time to be determined by the Board but not less than one year after the effective date of the regulations, the Board shall issue such a license to any such person who, in the judgment of the Board, possesses qualifications, education or experience acceptable to the Board and has completed at least one year of supervised clinical experience in substance abuse treatment.
Full Answer
Who can apply for the substance abuse and addictive behavior program?
This program is open only to Health Care Professionals who are currently licensed to practice in their state or country. Provide a high quality program of Certification for health care professionals practicing in the specialty of substance abuse and addictive behaviors.
What does it mean to be a certified substance abuse practitioner?
Certified Substance Abuse Practitioner – requires attainment of the following certification criteria: Completion of an official, established education program to prepare health care professionals for the practice of substance abuse care.
Where can I find more information about the substance abuse practitioner program?
The American Institute of Health Care Professionals, provides a “Fellowship Program” for its certified members in Substance Abuse Practitioner Program: Access Information Click here to request more information.
How much does it cost to become a substance abuse practitioner?
The certification fee for the substance abuse practitioner certification is $200.00 for the four year term of certification. Payment in full is due at the time of application. If an applicant does not meet certification criteria, the application fee is refunded.
How do I become an Lsatp in VA?
The steps to becoming an LSATP are:Pass the Master Addiction Counselor (MAC) exam through the National Certification Commission for Addiction Professionals (NCC AP).Earn the required supervised experience.Apply for LSATP licensure.More items...
How do I become a CSAC in VA?
The CSAC-A certification requires that applicants complete 180 hours of substance abuse counseling work experience. At least 8 of these hours must be under direct supervision while providing counseling to a client. The CSAC applicants are required to complete 2,000 hours of work experience.
What is CSAC certification?
The California Student Aid Commission (CSAC) requires the certification of high school graduation through WebGrants 4 Students to confirm your eligibility to receive a High School Entitlement Cal Grant award.
How do I become a licensed counselor in Virginia?
Virginia requires LPCs to complete 3,400 hours of supervision, with at least 2,000 hours of direct client contact and a minimum of 200 hours of face-to-face direction from an approved supervisor at a rate of at least one hour of direction for every 40 hours of practice.
How much does an addiction counselor make in Virginia?
How much does a Substance Abuse Counselor make in Virginia? The average Substance Abuse Counselor salary in Virginia is $55,670 as of May 27, 2022, but the range typically falls between $49,080 and $62,420.
Can a felon become a substance abuse counselor Virginia?
There are NO criminal convictions or impairments that are an absolute bar to licensure, certification or registration by the Board of Counseling.
What does CADC R stand for?
CADC stands for Certified Alcohol Drug Counselor. While you don't necessarily need one of these certifications to work in the addiction field, they can help you get a job and do that job better.
How do I become a CSAC in NC?
Certified Substance Abuse Counselor (CSAC) RequirementsYou need 6,000 hours of supervised work experience over the course of 3 years.You must have 270 hours of training and/or education with 190 hours that are substance abuse specific. ... Pass the IC&RC ADC Exam.You can find the application to become a CSAC here.
What does CSAC R stand for?
Certified Substance Abuse Counselor (CSAC) Jobs by SalaryJob TitleRangeCertified Addiction Drug and Alcohol CounselorRange:$44k - $61kChief Operating Officer, Non-Profit OrganizationRange:$0 - $0 (Estimated *)Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW)Range:$0 - $0 (Estimated *)Clinical ManagerRange:$0 - $0 (Estimated *)3 more rows•Apr 25, 2022
Can I be a counselor without a degree?
Training as a counsellor involves a combination of theoretical study and practical experience, but you don't need a degree to become a counsellor.
Can you be a counselor in VA without a license?
You must hold the Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) credential in order to practice professional counseling in the Commonwealth of Virginia.
Whats the difference between a therapist and a counselor?
Therapists work to help their patients address similar issues, and often provide the same advice that counselors might. However, a key difference is that therapists often seek to go deeper by helping the patient understand the how and why behind a challenge.
Programs & Topics for Licensed Professionals
Because of the unique issues licensed professionals face, our program was designed to address the challenges of:
Which Licensed Professionals Do We Treat?
We work with a variety of different types of licensed professionals ranging from those that work in healthcare, law, and more. Professionals we treat include (but are not limited to):
Ways to Get in Contact With Us
If you believe you or someone you love may be struggling with addiction, let us hear your story and help you determine a path to treatment.
Find Substance Abuse Treatment Near You
The editorial staff is comprised of addiction content experts from American Addiction Centers. Our editors and medical reviewers have over a decade of cumulative experience in medical content editing and have reviewed thousands of pages for accuracy and relevance.
What is certification in healthcare?
Certification is one means by which professionals may be publicly recognized as achieving a high level of education, knowledge base and practice skills for a certain healthcare related specialty.
How long does a recertified nurse practitioner last?
Answer: Yes. A conferred certification for this specialty certification has a period of 4 years. At the end of the four-year period the certification will expire. The American Institute of Health Care Professionals provides a full program for recertification.
What is a developed standard?
The developed standards address high quality requirements for the practice of a certain specialty. The defined standards speak to educational and/or practice requirements, any required prerequisites, and the need to adhere to a defined code of ethics for the practice specialty. Certification is a voluntary process.
What is a substance abuse practitioner?
The Substance Abuse Practitioner is an educator, advocate, clinical practitioner, and may also be involved in research related to patient teaching and disease prevention, as well as wellness promotion. As a practitioner they may also be involved in the direct delivery of care modalities and also be engaged in patient education.
Course Fees
Below are listed the required courses for this curriculum. At the end of each course description you will find the course cost listed.
1. Substance Abuse: Theory & Practice
This course is the first and the foundational course in the substance abuse practitioner continuing education program. Student's will study the history of substance abuse and treatment, as well as foundational facts and theories related to abuse of substances. Learning begins with a comprehensive focus on assessment of those abusing substances.
2. Foundations of addictions counseling
This comprehensive course provides a strong foundation of practice theory, techniques and skills needed for providing confident care to clients with substance addictions. The course provides a comprehensive presentation of theory, research and the history of addictions counseling in health care.
3. Addiction intervention & treatment
This course presents a comprehensive study in the various strategies of intervening on the life of the addict. Starting with the most basic social unit, the family, the history, development and the guiding principles of how a family intervention is conducted.
4. substance abuse & family recovery
This course presents a comprehensive study of the role of substance abuse problems play in the family. Rather than seeing the family as an isolated or static feature, the text applies the systems model both theoretically and practically in addressing issues involving the entire family system.
5. addiction & the brain
This course presents contemporary issues involving neuroanatomy and physiology as it relates to addictions. The text for the course is a comprehensive examination of how the brain works and what happens to the brain in cases of addiction.
6.cognitive approaches to addiction treatment
This course examines the application of cognitive therapy to the problem of substance abuse. After laying out a description of the general problem of substance abuse, the cognitive therapy model is described both in its theory and application.
What is a therapist?
While sometimes interchangeable with counselor, therapist is a more frequently regulated and protected term. Those with this designation are often required to have a master’s degree or PhD in psychology, psychiatry, or a related field. They usually have specific training in techniques intended to address not only substance abuse and addiction, but the overall mental and emotional health of their patients. Treatment plans frequently focus on the root of a person’s addiction and/or co-occurring issues, such as depression, anxiety, and bipolar disorder. Common working environments include private practices, hospitals, rehabilitation centers, and mental health charities.
How many professionals hold the Gold Standard for Addiction?
Recognized as the gold standard for addiction-related credentials worldwide, over 20,000 professionals hold this title. This certification is intended for professionals who provide addiction services in a wide variety of settings.
What is NAADAC certification?
NAADAC is the largest professional organization for those who work with substance abuse and addiction patients. It has over 10,000 members and represents over 100,000 addiction professionals in the United States, Canada, and abroad. The association has gained great credulity over the years by providing reliable resources and training opportunities to addiction counselors, therapists, educators, and other healthcare professionals. NAADAC has 47 state affiliates that utilize their materials and established standards during the certification process. The association also offers professional credentials through the National Certification Commission for Addiction Professionals (NCC AP), which is an independently managed branch of the organization. Since 1991, over 21,000 credentials have been awarded with the following designations:
How many affiliates does NAADAC have?
NAADAC has 47 state affiliates that utilize their materials and established standards during the certification process. The association also offers professional credentials through the National Certification Commission for Addiction Professionals (NCC AP), which is an independently managed branch of the organization.
What is a counselor?
Counselor is often used as an umbrella term for substance abuse and addiction professionals. Those with this designation are not always required to possess advanced degrees and can work in a variety of settings. They may be social workers, medical professionals, or religious leaders with some knowledge of substance abuse and an understanding of how to provide support to patients struggling with addiction. Treatment plans often focus on attaining and maintaining sobriety, as well as identifying and avoiding potential relapse triggers. Common working environments include hospitals, rehabilitation centers, and support groups.
What degree do counselors need?
Some professionals with the designation of counselor do, in fact, have a master’s or doctoral degree and have completed training that qualifies them to perform more in-depth patient treatment and clinical research. Likewise, some states do not regulate the designation of therapist.
What is a professional's title?
A professional’s title helps distinguish the kind of care he or she offers.
When it comes to addiction counseling, the terms "licensure" and "certification" get used interchangeably, and it often causes confusion. What's the difference?
Agreed! The "alphabet soup" of licensing terms and requirements is really confusing. We created a full-time position here at the Graduate School just to help students with their clinical placements and licensure requirements.
Should future counselors be made aware of any specific licensing bodies or certification organizations?
The most established are the International Certification and Reciprocity Consortium (IC&RC), the National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC) and the National Certification Commission for Addiction Professionals (NCC-AP). Visit their websites to learn which licenses or certifications are offered, the requirements for each and which exams to take.
When it comes to drug and alcohol counseling, it sounds like there's no single set of rules to follow to get licensed or certified. Does it really depend on the state in which you practice?
Yes, it really does. And that includes territories like Puerto Rico, Guam and the federal District of Columbia. Each territory and state regulates the practice of different health professions, like addiction counseling, within their borders. Each may require different levels of education, different exams to be taken and so on.
A certification obviously looks good on the resume. Is that the only reason why someone would get certified if they're becoming a counselor for drug and alcohol addiction?
Well, let's not understate how great it looks. A holder of a respected, established certification will certainly rise in the eyes of a potential employer. It makes it pretty clear that a person has taken the time to establish competency in addiction counseling.
So why all the different rules and requirements? Why do students and professional counselors have to navigate this process to obtain licensure or certification? If they have the proper education, why can't counselors just practice?
Probably the most important reason is for public protection. To protect the people with substance use or mental health disorders, there have to be some requirements to obtain a license or certificate in counseling.
Are there any attempts to universalize the counseling requirements? To make consistent standards across each state that would allow licensed professional counselors to practice anywhere?
Yes, but it's frustratingly slow at times. The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated some of these efforts because many providers have been forced to adopt virtual counseling. This made it easier to see patients from other states, and to continue seeing patients when they travel or move.
How do Hazelden Betty Ford Graduate School students fare in terms of meeting their licensure or certification requirements, both in and out of state? Is their education catered to a variety of licensing requirements?
Counseling students at Hazelden Betty Ford are generally doing very well. The Graduate School continues to monitor the education and experience requirements around the country. We try to give our students the education they need to become professional counselors in as many states as possible.
How many states use NAADAC?
In 30 states (59%), all credentials contingent on passing an examination use an IC&RC test; in 11 states (22%), only NAADAC tests are used. In the remaining ten states (20%), some credentials are linked to IC&RC and some to NAADAC tests. Both organizations allow for some variability in standards from one state to another;
Is SUD a subfield?
In some parts of the country, SUD counsel ing is regarded as a subfield within the broader counseling profession, giving rise to the adoption of professional counseling standards without full consideration for the specific competency requirements needed for effective addiction counseling.
Who provides SUD treatment?
While SUD treatment is provided by professionals credentialed in a broad range of fields, including licensed professional counselors, clinical social workers, psychologists, psychiatrists, nurses, and physician assistants, this brief focuses on SUD-counselor credentials which vary the most from state to state.
When was the Health and Human Services report completed?
This report was completed and submitted on February 2019.
Do more uniform standards apply to multiple professions?
No doubt, developing more uniform standards that apply to multiple professions would require collaboration and consensus building across the numerous professional associations and credentialing bodies as well as multiple state agencies.
