Tuesday, November 5, 2013

Be Considered A Drug Counselor

Substance abuse counselors address prescription and illegal drug abuse.


Drug counselors, also known as substance abuse counselors, help people address and overcome addiction issues. Substance abuse counselors must complete rigorous training standards in order to be certified at the national level. While an individual may become a counselor without professional certification, national certification allows potential clients to measure the effectiveness of their counselor on a professionally standardized guide. The National Association for Alcoholism and Drug Abuse Counselors (NAADAC) provides national certification.


Instructions


1. Obtain an associate's degree, bachelor's or master's degree in a field such as social work or psychology. Alternatively, you can obtain a substance abuse certification.


2. Obtain state certification or licensing, as required by the state. Each state has a different certification process, but typical minimum requirements beyond the education requirement are additional training in substance abuse counseling. Background checks on the candidate may be conducted by the supervising substance abuse counseling agency.


3. Complete three years (or 6,000 hours) of direct, supervised, documented work experience, either paid or volunteer, for any agency offering substance abuse counseling to persons dealing with addictions. Work experience must be practical and address the 12 core functions of a counselor including: screening, intake, orientation, assessment, treatment planning, counseling, case management, crisis intervention, client education, referral, report and record keeping and consultations with other professionals.


4. Document 270 education hours in a formal classroom setting in material related to the 12 core functions. College or university courses, workshops, in-services, seminars and institutes all qualify towards the education requirement.


5. Agree to and sign the Code of Ethics statement found on the Professional Testing Corporation website in the application packet. The Code of Ethics covers a wide range of ethical concerns including but not limited to: the acceptance of diversity, maintaining objectivity, keeping personal issues out of counseling, promoting client welfare and proper use of copyrighted materials.


6. Pay fee ($205 for NAADAC members, $305 for nonmembers).


7. Send packet, completed application and required fee to:


Professional Testing Corporation


1350 Broadway, 17th Floor


New York, NY 10018


212-356-0660


8. Take and pass the written exam.


9. Receive final certification approval.









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