Certified Substance Abuse Counseling Assistant (CSAC-A):
As of 6/18/03
Prerequisites:
1. Meet the educational and experience requirements
2. Submit the following:

a. A completed application form
b. Official transcript documenting attainment of high school diploma or general education development (GED) certificate
c. Application processing and initial certification fee ($40)

Education

• High school diploma or GED
• 300 clock hours of substance abuse education from one of the following programs:
  a. An accredited university or college;
  b. An integrated program approved by the board at the time of application; or
  c. An individualized program of seminars and workshops approved by the board at the time of application.
• 120 hours spent in receiving didactic training in substance abuse counseling. Minimum of 10 clock hours in each of the following eight areas:
  a. Understanding the dynamics of human behavior
  b. Signs and symptoms of substance abuse
  c. Treatment approaches, group dynamics and other adjunctive treatment and recovery support
  d. Case management skills and continuum of care
  e. Recovery process and relapse prevention methods
  f. Ethics
  g. Professional identity in the provision of substance abuse services
  h. Crisis intervention
• 180 hours of experience performing the following tasks with substance abuse clients while under supervision:
  a. Screening clients and gathering information used in making the determination for the need for additional professional assistance
  b. Intake of clients by performing the administrative tasks necessary for admission to a program
  c. Orientation of new clients to programs rules, goals, procedures, services, costs and the rights of the client
  d. Assisting the client in identifying and ranking problems to be addressed, establish goals, and agree on treatment processes
  e. Implementation of a substance abuse treatment plan as directed by the supervisor
  f. Implementation of case management activities that bring services, agencies, people and resources together in a planned framework of action to achieve established goals
  g. Assistance in identifying appropriate crisis intervention responses to clients needs during acute mental, emotional or physical distress
  h. Education of clients by providing information about drug abuse and available services and resources
  i. Facilitating the clients utilization of available support systems and community resources to meet needs identified in clinical valuation and/or treatment planning
  j. Reporting and charting information about clients treatment, progress, and other client-related data
  k. Consultation with other professionals to assure comprehensive quality care for the client.

**Each of these tasks shall be performed for at least eight hours under supervision and shall be verified as a part of the application by the supervisor.

• Groups and classes attended as a part of a therapy or treatment program shall not be accepted as any part of the educational experience.

Renewal:
1. Every certificate issued by the board shall expire on June 30 of each year
2. Submit renewal application and renewal fee

Certified individuals shall notify the board of change of address within 60 days. Failure to receive a renewal notice and application forms shall not excuse the certified substance abuse counselor from the renewal requirement.

Certified Substance Abuse Counselor (CSAC):
As of 6/18/03
Prerequisites:
1. Meet the educational and experience requirements
2. Submit the following:

a. A completed application form
b. Official transcript documenting attainment of bachelors degree
c. Official transcripts or certificates verifying completion of didactic training requirement
d. Verification of supervisors education and experience
e. Verification of supervision forms documenting fulfillment of the experience requirements
f. Documentation of any other professional license or certificate ever held in another jurisdiction
g. The application processing and initial certification fee ($40)

3. Pass the exam

Education

• Bachelors degree
• 400 clock hours of substance abuse education from one of the following programs:
  a. An accredited university or college;
  b. An integrated program approved by the board; or
  c. An individualized program of seminars and workshops to be approved by the board at time of application
• 220 hours spent in receiving didactic training in substance abuse counseling; minimum of 10 clock hours in each of the following areas:
  a. Understanding the dynamics of human behavior
  b. Signs and symptoms of substance abuse
  c. Treatment approaches, group dynamics and other adjunctive treatment and recovery support
  d. Continuum of care and case management skills
  e. Recovery process and relapse prevention methods
  f. Ethics
  g. Professional Identity in the provision of substance abuse services
  h. Crisis Intervention
• 20 hours in each of the following two areas:
  • Substance abuse counseling treatment planning and substance abuse research
  • Group counseling
• 180 hours of experience performing the following tasks with substance abuse clients:
  a. Screening clients to determine eligibility and appropriateness for admission to a particular program
  b. Intake of clients by performing the administrative and initial assessment tasks necessary for admission to a program
  c. Orientation of new clients to programs rules, goals, procedures, services, costs and the rights of the client
  d. Assessment of clients strengths, weaknesses, problems, and needs for the development of a treatment plan
  e. Treatment planning with the client to identify and rank problems to be addressed, establish goals, and agree on treatment processes
  f. Counseling the client utilizing specialized skills in both individual and group approaches to achieve treatment goals and objectives
  g. Case management activities which bring services, agencies, people and resources together in a planned framework of action to achieve established goals
  h. Crisis intervention responses to clients needs during acute mental, emotional or physical distress
  i. Education of clients by providing information about drug abuse and available services and resources
  j. Referral of clients in order to meet identified needs unable to be met by the counselor and assisting the client in effectively utilizing those resources
  k. Reporting and charting information about clients assessment, treatment plan, progress, discharge summaries an other client-related data
  l. Consultation with other professionals to assure comprehensive quality care for the client
  
  Each of these tasks shall be performed for at least 8 hours under supervision and shall be verified as a part of the application by the supervisor
  
  Groups and classes attended as part of a therapy or treatment program will not be accepted as any part of the educational experience
  
  Experience
• 2,000 hours supervised experience in delivery of clinical substance abuse counseling services
• Average of 2 hours per week of face-to-face consultation between the supervisor and the applicant to total 100 hours within the required experience. No more than half of these hours may be satisfied with group supervision. One hours of group supervision will be deemed equivalent to one hours of face-to-face supervision.
• Applicants must document successful completion of supervised experience
• For information on supervisory requirements and registration of supervision visit:
  http://www.dhp.state.va.us/counseling/counseling_laws_regs.htm

Renewal:
1. Every certificate issued by the board shall expire on June 30 of each year
2. Submit renewal application and renewal fee

Certified individuals shall notify the board of change of address within 60 days. Failure to receive a renewal notice and application forms shall not excuse the certified substance abuse counselor from the renewal requirement.

Licensed Substance Abuse Treatment Practitioners (LSATP):

As of 6/18/03
Prerequisites:
1. Meet the degree program course work and experience requirements
2. Submit to the board in one package the following items, not less than 90 days prior to the date of the examination:

a. A completed application
b. Official transcripts documenting the applicants completion of the degree program and course work requirements
c. Verification of supervision forms documenting fulfillment of the experience requirements and copies of all required evaluation forms
d. Documentation of any other professional license or certificate ever held in another jurisdiction
e. The licensure application processing and initial licensure fee

Education/Course Work Requirements

• Graduate degree from a program that prepares individuals to practice substance abuse treatment or a related counseling discipline from an accredited college or university
• 60 semester hours or 90 quarter hours of graduate study
• Completion of a general core curriculum containing a minimum of 3 semester hours or 4.5 quarter hours in each of the areas identified in this section:
  1. Professional identity, function and ethics;
  2. theories of counseling and psychotherapy;
  3. Counseling and psychotherapy techniques;
  4. Group counseling and psychotherapy, theories and techniques;
  5. Appraisal, evaluation and diagnostic procedures;
  6. Abnormal behavior and psychopathology;
  7. Multicultural counseling, theories and techniques;
  8. Research; and
  9. Marriage and family systems theory.
• Completed 12 graduate semester credit hours or 18 graduate quarter hours in the following substance abuse treatment competencies:
  1. Assessment, appraisal, evaluation and diagnosis specific to substance abuse;
  2. Treatment planning models, client case management, interventions and treatments to include relapse prevention, referral process, step models and documentation process;
  3. Understanding addictions: The biochemical, sociocultural and psychological factors of substance use and abuse;
  4. Addictions and special populations including, but not limited to, adolescents, women, ethnic groups and the elderly; and
  5. Client and community education.
• Completion of a supervised internship of 600 hours to include 240 hours direct client contact. At least 450 of the internship hours and 200 of the direct client contact hours shall be in treating substance abuse-specific treatment problems.
• Written exam

Residency Requirements

• For information on residency and supervision requirements visit:
  http://www.dhp.state.va.us/counseling/counseling_laws_regs.htm

Renewal of licensure:
A. All licensee shall renew licenses on or before June 30 of each year
B. Every license holder who intends to continue to practice shall submit to the board on or before June 30 of each year:

1. A completed application for renewal of the license on which the licensee attests to compliance with the continuing competency requirements
2. The renewal fee for an active License

C. Licensee shall notify the board of change of address within 60 days. Failure to receive a renewal notice from the board shall not relieve the license holder from the renewal requirement.

Continued competency requirements for renewal of licensure:
Minimum of 20 hours continuing competency for each annual licensure renewal. A minimum of 2 of these hours shall be in courses that emphasize the ethics, standards of practice or laws governing behavioral science professions in Virginia.