LICENSED ALCOHOL AND DRUG ABUSE COUNSELOR (LADAC)

SUPERVISION:

A.  Supervision for alcohol and/or drug abuse counselors must be provided by a licensed professional clinical mental health counselor (LPCC), licensed marriage and family therapist (LMFT), licensed professional art therapist (LPAT), licensed psychologist, licensed psychiatrist, licensed alcohol and drug abuse counselor (LADAC) with three years of alcohol and drug abuse experience acquired after licensure, clinical nurse specialist in substance abuse or licensed independent social worker (LISW).  Supervisors must have experience in alcohol and drug abuse counseling.

B.  It is the responsibility of the individual seeking supervision to assure the supervision is acceptable for the level of licensure that will be requested at the completion of the required supervision.  The relationship between the supervisor and the applicant must promote the development of skill and responsibility in the delivery of counseling or therapy services.

C.  Client contact and supervision hours acquired prior to being licensed will not be acceptable for licensure.

APPLICANTS FOR LICENSURE:  An alcohol and drug abuse counselor (LADAC) must possess the following qualifications and provide the required documentation with the application.

A.  Age requirement:  Be at least 21 years of age.

B.  Applicant must sign a statement provided in the application indicating the applicant has read the code of ethics and agrees to be bound and governed by the code of ethics.

C.  Applicant must demonstrate professional competency by passing the national certification examination for addiction counselors (NCAC level 1).

D.  Education requirements

(1) Holds an associate degree in counseling, counseling related field or a substance abuse related field from an accredited institution.  The board may approve, on a case-by-case basis, applicants whose education is not a counseling related field, and education and training to include 276 clock hours in the following areas:

(a) 90 hours in the field of alcohol abuse

(b) 90 hours in the field of drug abuse

(c)  90 hours in the field of counseling

(d) 6 hours that pertain specifically to alcohol and drug counseling ethics training;

(2) Holds a baccalaureate degree in a counseling related field or a substance abuse related field from an accredited institution.  The board may approve, on a case-by-case basis, applicants whose education is not in a counseling related field; and to include 276 clock hours in the following areas:

(a) 90 hours in the field of alcohol abuse

(b) 90 hours in the field of drug abuse

(c)  90 hours in the field of counseling

(d) 6 hours that pertain specifically to alcohol and drug counseling ethics training, (must be acquired two years prior to submission of an application);

(3) Holds a masters or doctoral degree in counseling, a counseling related field or a substance abuse related field from an accredited institution and education and training that includes 276 clock hours with 90 hours in each area of alcohol, drug abuse, counseling and 6 hours of professional ethics.  One year and 1,000 client contact hours under appropriate supervision of experience in the practice of alcohol and drug abuse counseling and fifty hours of face to face supervision.  The board may approve, on a case-by-case basis, applicants whose education is not in a counseling related field or substance abuse related field and to include 276 clock hours in education or training.

E.  Experience requirements.

(1) Associate degree requires a minimum of three years and three thousand client contact hours under appropriate supervision of experience in the practice of alcohol and drug abuse counseling and two hundred hour of face-to-face supervision; or

(2) A baccalaureate degree requires a minimum of two years and two thousand client contact hours under appropriate supervision of experience in the practice of alcohol and drug abuse counseling and one hundred hours of face-to-face supervision under appropriate supervision; or

(3) A masters or doctoral degree requires a minimum of one year and one thousand client contact hours under appropriate supervision of experience in the practice of alcohol and drug abuse counseling and fifty hours of face-to-face supervision.

F.   Documentation required for licensure:

(1) A completed application as specified in 16.27.3.8 NMAC, and

(2) Proof of completed education and experience requirements:

(a) The applicant is required to submit an official transcript in a sealed envelope from each institution contributing to the applicant’s associate, baccalaureate, or masters degree; the official transcript must be submitted with the application; applicants educated in foreign institutions who are unable to submit certified official transcripts shall submit a statement explaining why such transcripts are not available and shall submit certified copies of the degree certificates granted, information on the curricula offered, and any other documentation requested by the board; and/or

(b) Documentation of required drug, alcohol, counseling and ethics training (attachment D) shall include:

(i)   Transcripts from the college or university, or

(ii)  The date, course title, course description, number of hours attended and certificate of attendance, and

(c)  A statement from each supervisor in a sealed envelope on a form provided by the board (attachment B) verifying the applicant’s supervised experience and setting forth the nature and extend of  such supervision must be submitted with the application; the statement shall verify that the applicant’s performance was in accordance with adequate counseling standards of alcohol and drug practice; if a supervisor’ statement is not available, the applicant may submit documentation explaining why the supervisor’s statement is not available and sworn affidavits from other individuals verifying that supervision took place and describing the nature and the extent of supervision, and

(3) Original letters of recommendation are to be submitted with the application in a sealed envelope.

(a) Provide one letter from current supervisor attesting to good moral character and competency of the applicant, and

(b) Provide one letter from current employer attesting to good moral character and competency of the applicant, and

(c)  Provide one letter from a professional substance abuse colleague attesting to the professionalism of the applicant;

(4) Applicant must sign a statement provided in the application indicating the applicant has read the code of ethics and agrees to be bound and governed by the code of ethics, and

(5) Verification of the applicant’s licensure, registration, or certification status must be submitted on attachment form A, which must be sent directly to the board by the jurisdiction in which the applicant is licensed, certified or registered.

LICENSURE BY CREDENTIALS:

            A.        A completed application as specified in 16.27.3.8 NMAC.

B.        Verification (attachment A) that the applicant holds a current license or certification issued by the appropriate examining board under the law of any other state or territory of the United States, the District of Columbia or any foreign nation.

C.        Verification directly from the national certification examination board (NCAC) that the applicant has taken and passed the national certification examination for addiction counselors (NCAC level 1) or the international certification and reciprocity consortium (ICRC).

REQUIREMENTS FOR LICENSURE AS A

SUBSTANCE ABUSE ASSOCIATE (LSAA)

EFFECTIVE JULY 1, 2005

SUPERVISION:

A.  Supervision received for substance abuse associate must be provided by a licensed professional clinical mental health counselor (LPCC), licensed marriage and family therapist (LFMT), licensed professional art therapist (LPAT), licensed psychologist, licensed clinical psychiatrist, licensed alcohol and drug abuse counselor (LADAC) with three years of alcohol and drug abuse experience acquired after licensure, clinical nurse specialist in psychiatry or licensed independent social worker (LISW).  Supervisors must have experience in alcohol and drug abuse counseling.

B.  It is the responsibility of the individual seeking supervision to assure the supervision is acceptable for the level of licensure.

APPLICANTS FOR LICENSURE:  A substance abuse associate (LSAA) must possess the following qualifications and provide the required documentation with the application.

A.  Age requirement:  Be at least 21 years of age.

B.  Applicant must sign a statement provided in the application indicating the applicant has read the code of ethics and agrees to be bound and governed by the code of ethics.

C.  Supervisory requirements: Applicant must have arranged for appropriate supervision, including an experience plan.

D.  Holds an associate degree in counseling, counseling related field, or a substance abuse related field from an accredited institution and has a total of ninety (90) clock hours of education and training in the areas of alcohol, drug, and counseling.  The board may approve, on a case-by-case basis, applicants whose education is not in counseling, counseling related field, or substance related field.

E.  Documentation required for licensure:

(1) A completed application as specified in 16.27.3.8 NMAC, and

(2) Proof of completed education requirements: the applicant is required to submit an official transcript in a sealed envelope from each institution associate, baccalaureate, masters or doctoral degree; the transcript must be submitted with the application; and

(3) Verification of associates degree in counseling, a counseling-related field, or substance abuse related field and 90 clock hours of education and training in the fields of alcohol and/or drug abuse, and

(4) Verification on attachment C that an appropriate supervisor has been obtained and an experience plan has been established and a signed statement is provided by the supervisor indicating the associate shall only participate in alcohol and drug abuse counseling sessions, and

(5) Original letters of recommendation: letters must be in a sealed envelope and submitted with the application:

(a) One letters from a current supervisor attesting to good moral character and competency of the applicant, and

(b) One letter from a professional substance abuse colleague attesting to good moral character and competency of the applicant.