Addiction Specialist Degrees, Certifications, and Qualifications

The MAC certification attests to the educational background, knowledge, skills, and competencies of the specialist in addictions counseling. NCCs who hold the MAC credential are eligible to seek Substance Abuse Professional (SAP) status through the U.S. The curriculum we provide is the same quality education you would expect from any university or college, and everything we teach will prepare you for both the IC&RC exam as well as your new career as an addiction specialist. Our program is IC&RC-approved, NAADAC-approved and CCAPP-approved, which means it can be used throughout the United States.

The most commonly earned degree in this field is addiction counseling, although degrees such as psychology, counseling, chemical dependency counseling, and other behavioral sciences can suffice. Some states require specific coursework, so students should check with their local board to learn the requirements. Obtaining your substance use counseling certification online is the ideal choice for working professionals who need their schooling to work around their schedule. Sober College School of Addiction Studies (SCSAS) is a NAADAC and IC&RC approved online school for substance use counseling and meets both state and national-level requirements. To provide the most flexibility without sacrificing academic excellence, SCSAS offers multiple online counseling programs to accommodate those interested in becoming Certified Substance Use Counselors.

Best Online Master’s in Addiction Counseling Degree Options

The certificate supplements existing Kent State health and behavioral health degree programs, such as psychology, health education, and human development and family studies. The certificate also allows in-career professionals to specialize in addictions counseling (e.g., nurses, clergy, rehabilitation counselors, mental health therapists). Successful completion of the first course in the certificate provides students the opportunity to apply for the chemical dependency counselor assistant (CDCA) credential from the Ohio Chemical Dependency Professionals Board. The most advanced substance abuse counselor certificates and licenses require applicants to have a master’s degree or higher.

• Consider an accredited bachelor’s degree to be the minimum requirement and work towards a degree that paves the way towards clinical counseling.
• Once you’re certified, you can pursue jobs at certified and state-licensed facilities that you may not have been qualified to work at before.
• Please ensure that your full name, phone number and e-mail address are present and legible on additional submissions, so it can be matched to your original application.
• Any completed requirements will be noted, and any outstanding requirements will be noted as well.
• Organizations recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation or the U.S.
• Once degree, education, work experience, and examination requirements have been met, candidates may apply to their local board for certification or licensure.

However, keep in mind that you’ll also need to have a certain number of supervised work hours to get your CADC certification. Getting certified as a LAADC requires that you have a master’s degree, and hold professional liability insurance. This certification is a sure way to stand out from the crowd of applicants when looking for jobs in your field.

IC&RC and NAADAC Which one to Choose for your Career

Addictions counselors who wish to specialize in adolescent care should consider this national certification. Applicants need at least a bachelor’s degree in substance use disorders/addiction or some related field such as social work, mental health counseling, or psychology. Transcripts should also reflect 270 contact hours of academic training in substance use disorders/addiction, including 70 hours of training pertinent to adolescent treatment. The experience requirement for this specialty is quite strenuous, and applicants need a minimum of 10,000 hours or 5 years of supervised counseling; 2.5 years or 5,000 total hours of that experience must be with adolescent clients. To seal the certification process, applicants need to pass the NCAC examination.

Students must complete a comprehensive online course evaluation in order to receive their CE Course Certificate. Students may communicate with their course instructors regarding any questions they have about the examination both pre and post-test taking. To continue learning about whether our online substance use counselor training program are a good fit for you, leave us a message to learn if our program could be a good fit. Preparing for certification as an alcohol and drug counselor in California can be a challenging but rewarding process. Doug Wintemute is a writer who helps students and professionals make more informed education and career decisions. Doug has over 7 years of experience researching and writing about the latest in education and career development.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About an Online Master’s in Addiction Counseling

Alcohol and drug abuse devastates those who suffer from it and their friends and families. Over 21 million Americans have at least one kind of addiction, with only 10 percent receiving treatment. The consequences of substance abuse disorders annually include 88,000 deaths due to alcohol, more substance abuse counseling than 47,000 deaths due to opioids, and more than 14,000 deaths due to heroin (Addiction Center 2022). Overcoming addiction is an uphill battle because of chemical dependency and psychological issues. Substance abuse counselors are critical to helping clients find and maintain sobriety.

Click on the links below to learn more about the specific requirements for substance use counselor education in the state you’re interested in working. At CounselingSchools.com, Kimmy Gustafson’s expertly crafted articles delve into the world of counseling and mental health, providing valuable insights and guidance to readers since 2020. In addition to feature pieces and interviews, she keeps the state licensing tables current.

Sober College School of Addiction Studies (SCSAS) is dedicated to helping students across the globe become Certified Substance Use Counselors. Our approved online training curriculum, created and taught by “real world” addiction treatment professionals allows students to meet the education counseling requirements by state so students can become certified wherever they are. In the case of an addiction counseling degree, one’s degree must come from an accredited program.

• OASAS issues a CASAC Trainee certification to individuals who meet all of the CASAC requirements except the work experience or who have 4,000 hours of work experience and 85 hours of training and education.
• Over 21 million Americans have at least one kind of addiction, with only 10 percent receiving treatment.
• The main factor in your choice is the level of education that you already have.
• Sober College School of Addiction Studies’ counselor training programs are eligible to be transferred between jurisdictions that use International Certification & Reciprocity Consortium (IC&RC) products.

In conclusion, our foundational model of continuing education courses for certification for health care professionals is important in order to keep up with the latest advancements in health care. They also help to refresh and update the skills of those who have been working in the field for many years. All of our courses can be taken online and are self-paced for the student candidate’s easy of self-paced learning and many employers offer financial assistance to employees who enter our programs. There has been a shift in some states in the treatment of alcohol and drug offender. Instead of requiring long jail times, increasing sentences require strict substance abuse counseling. This change has been one of the driving factors in the increased demand for substance abuse counselors.

Licensed Associate Substance Abuse Counselor (LASAC)

Other prescription drugs such as Adderall, Ritalin, and Benzodiazepines are likewise triggering addiction problems across the population. Finally, state licensure shows that a counselor has satisfied certain requirements and is thus able to practice within the scope of that license. While experience is always a huge benefit when seeking employment, a license is iron-clad proof of skills and knowledge.