Home Credentialing Certified Substance Abuse Counselor

Certified Substance Abuse Counselor

Scope of Practice: The practice of a certified substance abuse counselor consists of the Twelve Core Functions, including screening, intake, orientation, assessment, treatment planning, counseling, case management, crisis intervention, client education, report and record keeping, consultation with other professionals in regard to client treatment and services, and referral to treat addictive disorder or disease and help prevent relapse.

Who May Apply? This credential is designed for applicants with a high school diploma or equivalency, Associate Degree, Bachelor’s Degree, or graduate degree that does not meet the requirements for LCAS.

How to Earn this Credential (CSAC Checklist)

Once these materials are received by the Board Office, the staff will perform an official file review. Official file reviews take place every 2-3 weeks. Once a review is completed, notification of registration status will be verifiable online and through official Board correspondence.

  1. Registration – The applicant must first submit the items for registration. A Registered person is a considered a substance abuse professional who is receiving supervision from a Certified Clinical Supervisor or Clinical Supervisor Intern at a ratio of 1:10 hours. The items required  for registration are:
    1. The completed registration form found in the application package;
    2. Documentation of high school graduation, completion of GED, Baccalaureate or advanced degree (Use transcripts as documentation as appropriate)
    3. A signed supervision contract documenting the proposed supervision process by either a CCS or a CCS Intern
    4. A signed form attesting to the applicant’s commitment to adhere to the Ethical Principles of Conduct of the Board
    5. Completion of 3 clock hours of ethics training
    6. A signed statement in accordance with the American Disabilities Act
    7. Resume and Job Description
    8. A check or money order in the amount of $125.00 (non-refundable) made payable to NCSAPPB
    9. Fingerprint card and Authorization of Release of Information with $38.00 (non-refundable) fee made payable to NCSAPPB.
  2. Intern—The Substance Abuse Counselor Intern is a substance abuse professional who has completed Registration and the 300 Hour Supervised Practicum. It is at this point that an applicant may be scheduled for the IC&RC Computer Based Test. In order to sit for the test, the applicant must submit to the Board:
    1. The signed and completed Verification of 300 Hour Supervised Practicum with 10 hours of supervision in each of the 12 Core Functions by the applicant’s CCS or CSI.
    2. A signed Contract for Clinical Supervision by a CCS or CSI
    3. Examination Fee (non-refundable) of $125
  3. Full Certification— The registered and substance abuse counselor intern has a total of five (5) years to complete the remaining requirements for full certification. To complete certification, the Intern must submit:
    1. Completed Supervisor’s Evaluation of Experience with 6,000 hours (3 years) of substance abuse counseling experience verified by CCS or CSI
    2. Completed Credential Training Record with 270 clock hours of approved education/training, of which 190 must be substance abuse specific. No more than 50% may be online/independent study. No more than 20% may be inservice training. These hours must include: 6 hours HIV/AIDS/BB/STD/Infectious Disease, 6 hours Ethics, and 6 hours in a) Nicotine Dependence, b) Substance Abuse and Veterans, c) Substance Abuse and the Elderly, d) Psychopharmacology, and/or e) Evidence Based Treatment Approaches
    3. Completed (2)two  Colleague and Coworker Evaluations forms
    4. Successful completion of the IC&RC ADC Examination