AAPS Credentialed Counselor

Requirements and Records

A.     A licensee shall maintain personnel files for each qualified staff to include documentation that verifies the individual:

1.      Is at least 18 years of age

2.      Maintains a current Kansas Department of Social and Rehabilitation Services Credentialed Alcohol and other Drug Abuse Counselor certificate by completing:

a.      40 CEUs of approved content, as stipulated in the Continuing Education Guidelines for Kansas SRS Credentialed Alcohol and other Drug Abuse Counselors, per 2 year renewal cycle of which 6 CEUs include:

1)     Two hours in ethics, and 2)

2)     Two hours in confidentiality to include 42 CFR, Part 2,

3)     Two hours in infectious disease to include basic HIV, AIDS, Tuberculosis, Hepatitis, and STI’s prevention and facts, or

b.      CEU requirements as stipulated in the individual’s qualifying license or credential, as listed in R03-302 (A)(1) and (D)(1-3), and

c.   Review with the counselor’s dated signature of the Kansas SRS Alcohol and other Drug Abuse Counselor Code of Ethics and

d.      Completion of a basic information form as provided by the Department of Social and Rehabilitation Services for the purpose of data collection on those working in licensed substance abuse treatment centers.

B.  A licensee shall ensure the supervision of a counselor assistant is documented in a supervision log within 7 days after the supervisory session to include:

1.      The date of the supervision,

2.      The name, signature, professional credential, and job title of staff member receiving supervision,

3.      The name, signature, professional credential, or job title of the individual providing supervision,

4.      The duration of the supervision at a ratio of no less than:

a.      2 hours of one-to-one monthly supervision when the counselor assistant has provided 20 hours or more of alcohol and other drug treatment services in a month, or

b.      1 hour of one-to-one monthly supervision when the counselor assistant provides less than 20 hours of alcohol and other drug treatment services in a month.

5.      A description of the topics that address the following:

a.      A review of the counselor assistant’s work including client assessments, treatment plans, progress notes, and discharge summaries,

b.      Discussion pertaining to the recognition of the unique treatment needs of the clients serviced by the counselor assistant, and

c.      An evaluation by the counselor assistant as to the relevance of the supervision toward the professional development goals of the counselor assistant,

6.      Identification of counselor assistant’s progress toward identified goals, and

7.      Identification of any additional training that may enhance the counselor assistant’s skill and knowledge.

C.    The scope of practice for a Kansas Department of Social and Rehabilitation Services Credentialed Alcohol and other Drug Abuse Counselor, Counselor Assistant, and Counselor-in-Training shall include:

1.      Client screening, assessment, or evaluation and referral,

2.      Treatment plan development with client input,

3.      Case management services,

4.      Individual, group, and family counseling,

5.      Documentation of the client’s treatment progress in the clinical record,

6.      Crisis intervention services,

7.      Development and submission of official written documentation of treatment progress and recommendations for court related purposes,

8.      Adherence to confidentiality requirements for client records and information,

9.      Adherence to ethical standards of conduct as stipulated in the Kansas SRS Alcohol and other Drug Abuse Counselor Code of Ethics.

Supplemental Requirements for Individual Credentialing

A.     Individuals seeking the Kansas Department of Social and Rehabilitation Services Alcohol and other Drug Abuse Counselor Credentialing shall:

1.      Be registered by the Behavioral Science Regulatory Board as an Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse Counselor according to KSA 65-6601(b), or

2.      Have an Associate’s, Bachelor’s, Master’s or Doctorate degree from an accredited college or university, and

3.      Complete a minimum of 27 academic credit hours at a Department of Social and Rehabilitation Services approved educational institution, such as a college or university or other designated educational institution, in the following course content areas:

a.      Addictions – 3 credit hours,

b.      Individual counseling – 3 credit hours,

c.      Group counseling – 3 credit hours,

d.      Screening, assessment, treatment planning, and client records management – 3 credit hours,

e.      Multi cultural aspects and special populations – 3 credit hours,

f.        Ethics and confidentiality – 3 credit hours,

g.      Pharmacology – 1 credit hour,

h.      High risk medical issues – 1 credit hour,

i.        Family and addictions – 2 credit hours,

j.         Abnormal psychology, co-occurring mental, cognitive, or developmental disorders – 3 credit hours, and

k.      Field experience utilizing the Kansas Department of Social and Rehabilitation Services approved supervision guidelines – 2 credit hours or 200 actual clock hours,

4.      Have a GPA of 2.5 or higher for the course work identified in subsection (A) (3).

B.     An applicant may be credentialed according to the Licensing Standards, Chapter 13, number 2, adopted in 1993 if the applicant:

1.      Demonstrates the completion of at least 1 credit hour of a Department of Social and Rehabilitation Services approved course content identified in subsection (A)(3) prior to January 1, 2004, and

2.      Completes all required coursework by January 1, 2007.

C.    An individual who is currently practicing or has practiced as an alcohol and other drug abuse counselor and is licensed, certified, or credentialed by another state, territory, or country may qualify for Kansas Department of Social and Rehabilitation Services Credentialed Alcohol and other Drug Abuse Counselor if the applicant submits documentation to include:

1.      A signed and dated letter from a previous employer on professional letterhead detailing the dates of employment, volunteer work, or internship and a description of the nature of employment,

2.      Copies of transcripts from educational institution, if applicable,

3.      Copies of degrees earned, if applicable, or

4.      Is qualified in accordance with subsection (A) (2-4) of the standards, as determined by the Department of Social and Rehabilitation Services.

D.    An individual with professional credentials that are not listed in subsection (A) may qualify as a Kansas Department of Social and Rehabilitation Services Credentialed Alcohol and other Drug Abuse Counselor if such person submits documentation verifying:

1.      Current certification to diagnose using the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV), or

2.      Current licensure at the Master’s degree level with the Behavioral Sciences Regulatory Board, or

3.      A Master’s or Doctorate degree in Theology or Divinity, and

4.      A passing score on a drug and alcohol counselor competency test conducted by a nationally recognized organization such as the National Association of Alcohol and Drug Abuse Counselors or the International Consortium of Reciprocity Counselors.

E.     An individual who meets the criteria in subsections (D)(1-3) and is currently employed in a licensed program may make application and be credentialed as a Counselor Assistant effective for a period of one year to comply with subsection (D)(4).

F.     An individual seeking a Kansas Department of Social and Rehabilitation Services Alcohol and other Drug Abuse Counselor Assistant Credential shall provide documentation verifying:

1.      Completion of a minimum of 6 academic credit hours in the addiction specific courses listed in subsection (A) (3),

2.      Completion of 6 CEU contact hours according to subsection R03-301 (A) (2),

3.      Enrollment in a Department of Social and Rehabilitation Services approved college or university to comply with the 27 credit hour course requirements specified in subsection (A)(3),

4.      A written supervisory plan and agreement with a Kansas Department of Social and Rehabilitation Services Credentialed Alcohol and other Drug Abuse Counselor that consists of:

a.      The goals and objectives of the supervision,

b.      The means to determine and evaluate progress toward the goals,

c.      The date the supervisory plan and agreement was entered,

d.      The anticipated term of the agreement and schedule for an annual update,

e.      The process of termination of the agreement by either party, and

f.        The process for the supervisory plan to be integrated into the applicant’s academic course work to include the completion of a minimum of 6 credit hours per year within 4 years,

5.      A letter from the Department of Social and Rehabilitation or its designee confirming the individual’s status as a Counselor Assistant.

6.      An individual failing to maintain his or her Counselor Assistant credential by meeting the above requirements listed in subsection (F) may not continue to provide alcohol and other drug services as stipulated in R03-301 subsection (C).

G.    An individual completing the required 27 credit hours as identified in subsection (A)(3) may retain the Counselor Assistant credential by:

1.      Submitting the required CEUs referenced in R03-301 subsections (A) (2) and (A) (4) every 2 year cycle, and

2.      Continuing to receive ongoing, documented supervision as stipulated in subsection (F) (4).

H.     A Kansas Department of Social and Rehabilitation Services Credentialed Alcohol and other Drug Abuse Counselor shall document the concurrent review of services, reports, and client records such as evaluations, assessments, treatment plans, and discharge summaries prepared by a counselor assistant.

Supplemental Requirements for Credentialing Application Materials and Process

A.     An individual applying for initial credentialing as a Kansas Department of Social and Rehabilitation Services Credentialed Alcohol and other Drug Abuse Counselor, or Counselor Assistant, or Counselor-in-Training shall submit an application packet provided by SRS that includes:

1.      Supporting documentation, and

2.      A transcript identifying relevant college or university course work.

B.     An individual applying for renewal of credentialing as a Kansas Department of Social and Rehabilitation Services Credentialed Alcohol and other Drug Abuse Counselor, or Counselor Assistant, or Counselor-in-Training shall submit 30 days prior to the individual’s credentialing expiration:

1.      A renewal application provided by the Department of Social and Rehabilitation Services, and

2.      Documentation of required CEUs obtained during the current credentialing period, and

3.      Documentation of at least 6 credit hours of approved course work per year, if applicable.

C.    An individual applying for renewal of Kansas Department of Social and Rehabilitation Services Credentialed Alcohol and other Drug Abuse Counselor or Counselor Assistant or Counselor-in-Training who fails to comply with subsection (B) shall be determined ineligible for credentialing.

D.    An individual who has been determined ineligible according to subsection (C) may apply for a provisional credential for a period of up to 6 months following the expiration of the individual’s last credentialed period by submitting the following documents to SRS:

1.      A completed application, and

2.      A written plan to meet the CEU requirements.

E.     An individual who has a provisional credential shall complete the required CEUs prior to the expiration date of the provisional credential or the credential will be determined expired.

F.     An individual whose credential has expired for a period of at least 1 year may apply for a provisional credential by:

1.      Submitting a letter that documents the lapse from credentialing requirements, and

2.      Completing all previously required coursework or CEUs as required by the Department of Social and Rehabilitation Services.

G.    An individual who has been determined to be in violation of the Kansas Department of Social and Rehabilitation Services Credentialed Alcohol and other Drug Abuse Counselor Code of Ethics may have the credential:

1.      Revoked, or

2.      Placed on provisional status.

H.     An individual who has had a credential revoked may reapply for credentialing to include the process listed in R03-303(B) and will be subject to approval of the Secretary of SRS.

I.         Any judgment rendered to an individual as the result of these standards may be appealed through due process as stipulated in K.S.A. 75-3306.