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Alcohol and Drug Abuse Counselors

Certification, Licensing, and Special Requirements

Certification or Licensing

The NAADAC, the Association for Addiction Professionals offers several professional designations including national certified addiction counselor, master addiction counselor, nicotine and tobacco treatment, adolescent addictions counselor, and national certified peer recovery support specialist. Additionally, the National Board for Certified Counselors offers the master addiction counselor designation to counselors who hold the national certified counselor designation and meet educational and professional experience requirements.

Currently, all 50 states and the District of Columbia have credentialing laws for alcohol and drug abuse counselors. These laws typically require that counselors have a minimum of a master’s degree and two to three years of post academic supervised counseling experience. Candidates must also have passed a written test.

Other Requirements

Aside from having a master’s degree, counselors must have two to three years of post-academic supervised counseling experience. They must also pass a written test.