Certified Alcohol and Drug Abuse Counselor - (CADC)

Apprentice Substance Abuse Counselor - (ASAC)

Student Assistance Professional - (SAP)

Certified Clinical Supervisor - (CCS)

Recertification

GENERAL REQUIREMENTS:

Any person desiring to be certified shall make application to the Certification Board upon such form and in such manner as the Board prescribes and shall furnish evidence satisfactory to the Board that he/she:

1. is a least 18 years of age,
2. Is a high school graduate (or the equivalent),
3. Has not engaged in unprofessional conduct, and
4. Is engaged in a regular practice of substance abuse counseling in the State of Vermont or has fulfilled the required number of supervised work hours.

Each applicant must also affirm that they are medically and psychologically fit to practice AOD counseling.  The applicant’s clinical supervisor must certify to this in writing.

Finally if the applicant has been convicted of a felony, he/she must provide the Certification Board with further information regarding the conviction.

Certified Alcohol and Drug Abuse Counselor - (CADC)

REQUIREMENTS

In addition to the general requirements for certification, applicants shall meet the following:

Experience:

• The experience requirement is 6,000 hours (three years) of supervised work experience providing alcohol/drug counseling services within 10 years prior to the date of the application.
• Supervised work experience may be paid or voluntary experience as a counselor who provides direct counseling services to AODA clients. An AODA client is a person with a diagnosis of alcohol and/or other drug abuse or dependency.
• Fifty percent of the total 6,000 hours must be direct one-on-one counseling, group counseling, and/or family counseling with the involvement of the primary substance abuser.  
• Supervised work experience must be in the IC&RC/AODA, Inc. twelve core functions. 
• Unsupervised work experience may NOT be substituted for the experience requirement. All experience must be documented. 

An applicant may substitute a college degree for part of the work experience as follows:

• An associate’s degree in a behavioral science area may be substituted for 1,000 hours, 
• A bachelor’s degree in a behavioral science area may be substituted for 2,000 hours,
• A masters degree or doctorate in a human services field from an accredited educational institution, including degrees in counseling, social work, psychology or in an allied mental health field, or a masters degree or higher in a health care profession regulated under Vermont Statutes Title 33 or Title 26, after having successfully completed a course of study with course work, including theories of human development, diagnostic and counseling techniques, and professional ethics, and which includes a supervised clinical practicum, may be substituted for 4,000 hours, 

Supervised Practical Training:

• The supervised training requirement is a minimum of 300 performance hours in the IC&RC/AODA, Inc. twelve core functions with a minimum of 20 hours in each core function.
• Training is defined as a formal, systematic process that focuses on skill development and integration of knowledge.
• The training must take place in a setting where alcohol and drug counseling is being provided.
• The training may occur as part of eligible work experience and may be completed under more than one supervisor or agency.
• All training hours must be documented. 

Education:

• The education requirement is a total of 270 hours. Education is defined as formal, structured instruction in the form of workshops, seminars, institutes, college/university credit courses and distance education. 
• A 3-credit undergraduate college course is the equivalent of 39 hours
• A 3-credit graduate course is the equivalent of 45 hours.
• Education must be specifically related to the knowledge and skills necessary to perform the tasks within the IC&RC/AODA, Inc. performance domains.
• The performance domains are:
  • Assessment
  • Counseling
  • Case management
  • Education and professional responsibility
• College transcripts must be official.
• All education must be documented.

• A minimum of 80 hours must be specific to the skills and techniques of counseling
• A minimum of 80 hours must be specific to alcohol prevention, intervention, treatment skills and techniques
• A minimum of 80 hours must be specific to drug prevention, intervention, treatment skills and techniques
• A minimum of 6 hours must be specific to professional ethics and responsibilities
• A minimum of 135 hours must have occurred within the last 10 years.
• A maximum of 30 hours of education through distance learning, including home study and on-line courses, may be counted toward the education requirement.

Examination:

The examination consists of three parts:

• Applicant must pass the IC&RC/AODA, Inc.’s international written examination. For good cause shown, the standard exam may be administered orally.
• Presentation in writing of a representative case of the applicants choosing with which to demonstrate skills, knowledge, and competence, following the outline included in the application packet. Ones self may not be used.
• Upon acceptance of the formal written case, the applicant will be scheduled for the IC&RC/AODA, Inc.’s Case Presentation Method (CPM) Examination.  The applicant must pass this examination. This is a standardized process by which an applicant’s competence in the twelve core functions is measured by peers through an oral examination.

Period of Validity:  Two Years

Recertification:

The recertification requirement is includes education and clinical supervision. 

The education requirement is 40 hours of continuing education.  All trainings must include a certificate. Trainings must be approved by VADACB, NAADAC or IC&RC member board.  Unapproved trainings must include a syllabus and a copy of the presenters resume.

• A minimum of 6 hours must be specific to professional ethics and responsibilities
• A maximum of 20 hours of continuing education through distance learning, including home study and on-line courses, may be counted toward the education requirement.
• A maximum of 50% of the hours of the total may be carried over from the last certification period, if they were not used then, into the present recertification period. Hours which are carried over must have been obtained in the last year of the last certification period.

The clinical supervision requirement focuses on the IC&RC/AODA, Inc. twelve core functions, clinical skills evaluation and competency to practice.

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Apprentice Substance Abuse Counselor - (ASAC)

REQUIREMENTS

In addition to the general requirements for certification, applicants shall meet the following:

Employment:

• Performance of at least 16 hours of paid or volunteer weekly employment related to the knowledge and skills associated with the twelve core functions as outlined by the ICRC/AODA and receiving appropriate clinical supervision.
• Employment must be ongoing at the time of application and at the time of testing.

Supervision:

• Ongoing weekly supervision by a certified or licensed alcohol and drug abuse counselor.

Training:

• Completion and documentation of at least 26 hours of counselor training
• At least 10 of these hours must be specific to substance abuse
• At least 6 of these hours must be approved ethics training
• All of the 26 hours must have been accrued within 8 years from the date of application. 
• Training must be in classroom format for initial certification. 
• Home study, independent study, on-line or distance learning courses are not accepted.

Examination:

• Successful completion of a written examination designed to measure the applicants knowledge of substance abuse and its treatment. Applicant must fulfill training and employment requirements before taking the exam.

Note:  If applicant has not met the ethics requirement, he/she may still sit for the exam, but certificate will be withheld until documentation for same has been received.

Period of Validity:  Valid for a non-renewable period of 6 years.

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Student Assistance Professional - (SAP)

REQUIREMENTS

In addition to the general requirements for certification, applicants shall meet the following:

Experience:

• 2000 hours experience in a recognized Student Assistance Program as recognized by the Vermont Department of Health Division of Alcohol and Drug Abuse Programs.

Supervision:

• 70 hours documented clinical supervision by a Licensed Alcohol and Drug Abuse Counselor or Certified Clinical Supervisor.

Education:

• The education requirement is a total of 100 hours.
• Education is defined as formal, structured instruction in the form of workshops, seminars, institutes, college/university credit courses and distance education.
• One hour of education is equal to 50 minutes of continuous instruction.
• Education must be specifically related to the knowledge and skills necessary to perform the tasks within the SAP performance domains.
• All education must be documented

Performance Domains:

• A minimum of 12 hours must be specific to brief counseling / crisis intervention / risk behavior identification
• A minimum of 12 hours must be specific to screening
• A minimum of 6 hours must be specific to school and legal issues
• A minimum of 6 hours must be specific to prevention education and programming
• A minimum of 6 hours must be specific to ethics
• A minimum of 24 hours must be specific to Alcohol Tobacco or other Drug pharmacology / chemical dependency
• A minimum of 6 hours must be specific to program development / record keeping
• A minimum of 6 hours must be specific to classroom teaching / management / presentations / curriculum development

References:

Submission of (1) one reference from each of the following:

• Clinical supervisor
• Building / school supervisor
• Community representative

Period of Validity:  Two Years

Recertification:

• The education requirement is 24 hours of continuing education.  All trainings must include a certificate. Trainings must be approved by VADACB, NAADAC, VAPA or IC&RC member board.  Unapproved trainings must include a syllabus and a copy of the presenters resume.

• A minimum of 6 hours must be specific to professional ethics and responsibilities.  The other 18 must be in any of the SAP performance domains
• A maximum of 12 hours of continuing education through distance learning, including home study and on-line courses, may be counted toward the education requirement.
• A maximum of 50% of the hours of the total may be carried over from the last certification period, if they were not used then, into the present recertification period. Hours which are carried over must have been obtained in the last year of the last certification period.

Attention CADCs

• A special note for counselors who are Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselors (CADCs) and also Student Assistance Professionals (SAPs):

• As you know, CADCs must have a total of 40 hours of continuing education. 
• A minimum of 6 hours must be specific to professional ethics and responsibilities
• Of the remaining 34 hours, CADC/SAPs (dual-certified counselors) must insure that:
• A minimum of 18 hours are in the SAP performance domains
• The other 16 can be in any other training approved by VADACB, NAADAC, VAPA or IC&RC member board.

Remember:

• A maximum of 20 hours of continuing education through distance learning, including home study and on-line courses, may be counted toward the education requirement.
• A maximum of 50% of the hours of the total may be carried over from the last certification period, if they were not used then, into the present recertification period. Hours which are carried over must have been obtained in the last year of the last certification period.

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Certified Clinical Supervisor - (CCS)

Revised Requirements

Prerequisite

• The prerequisite for certification as a clinical supervisor is certification as an AODA or AAODA counselor at the IC&RC reciprocal level or an individual holding a specialty substance abuse credential in other professional discipline in the human services field at the masters level or higher.

Experience:

The experience requirement is as follows:  

• Verification of five (5) years (10,000 hours) of counseling experience as an AODA counselor. (Degree substitutions as outlined in the Vermont Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor standards apply).
• Verification of two (2) years (4,000 hours) of clinical supervisory experience in the AODA field. These 2 years may be included in the 5 years of counseling experience and must include the provision of 200 contact hours of face-to-face clinical supervision.

Education:

The education requirement is 30 hours of education in clinical supervision.  This must include training in each of the following areas: assessment/evaluation, counselor development, management/administration, and professional responsibilities.  Additionally the application must have a minimum of 6 hours must be specific to supervision ethics and responsibilities

Examination:  Applicants must pass the IC&RC/AODA International Written Clinical Supervisor Examination.

Period of Validity: Two Years

Recertification:

• The recertification requirement is six hours of continuing education specific to clinical supervision earned every two years.  The hours used toward recertification may be a part of the 40 hours used for the AODA or AAODA recertification.  All trainings must include a certificate. Trainings must be approved by VADACB, NAADAC, VAPA or IC&RC member board.  Unapproved trainings must include a syllabus and a copy of the presenters resume.

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Recertification

• All Certified Alcohol and Drug Abuse Counselors and Certified Clinical Supervisors must apply for recertification every two years.  Please note that if you are also licensed as a substance abuse counselor (LADC), you must renew your license in a separate process through the Division of Alcohol and Drug Abuse Programs (ADAP).  It is necessary for you to maintain your certification in order to maintain your license.  Your recertification date and your relicensure date are not the same.
• Candidates for recertification are required to provide documentation to the Certification Board that they have completed 40 contact hours of professional education and training during the previous two years.  These 40 hours must include a 6-hour ethics training.
• Only 50% (20 hours) of the total may be carried over from the last recertification period if they were not used then into the present recertification period. Hours which are carried over must have been obtained in the last year of the last recertification period. 
• It is also expected that for recertification, the candidate will document clinical supervision from a specific supervisor.  This supervisor can be a peer, a member of the candidate’s supervision group, or another licensed professional such as a psychologist.  Please note that this information is not reflected in the supervisor forms that you will download.  Your supervisor does NOT have to be a Certified Clinical Supervisor (CCS).

Education/Training

Minimum of 40 hours, within the last two years and must include:

• Six hours of ethics training related to alcohol / drug counseling  (Note:  home study ethics courses are accepted for recertification only) 

In addition Certified Clinical Supervisors seeking recertification must include:

• Six hours of training specific to clinical supervision.

These clock hours must be comprised of the following:

• Workshops, conferences, and seminars.   All workshops, conferences, seminars must be:

o       pre-approved by VADACB or IC&RC member board or NAADAC, or 

o       include (a) a detailed  syllabus,  (b) a detailed outline of the workshop content and (c) the instructor’s credentials / resume.

·        Home study or on-line courses must include a certificate. No more than 50% (i.e., 20 hrs) can be from home study or on-line courses.   All home study or on-line courses must be:

o       pre-approved by VADACB or IC&RC member board or NAADAC, or 

o       include (a) a detailed  syllabus,  (b) a detailed outline of the workshop content and (c) the instructor’s credentials / resume.

• Instructor / Trainer / Publication / Research: no more than 10 hrs in any 2 year period

o       The number of teaching hours allowed is 50 percent of the total hours of the actual course or seminar.  The course must have been taught in the current recertification period.

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