How do you become a drug and alcohol counselor

The CAC is an intermediate practice credential for people who work side-by-side with clinical staff to provide services to individuals with substance use conditions.

The CAC designates competency in the domains of Clinical Evaluation; Treatment Planning; Counseling; Case Management and Referral; Client, Family and Community Education; Documentation; and Professional Responsibilities. A CAC is not qualified for independent practice and must work under appropriate supervision.

The CAC is the reciprocal level credential for individuals transferring into Florida with the IC&RC Alcohol and Drug Counselor (ADC) credential. As such, all CAC applicants will also, automatically, earn the IC&RC Alcohol and Drug Counselor (ADC) credential at no extra cost.

CAC applicants must hold a high school diploma, general equivalency degree or higher. Work experience requirements vary depending on the applicant’s level of formal education.

CAC Application Documents

Applying for certification is a multi-step process that requires you to submit information and supporting documentation directly to the FCB and to request documentation from other individuals, which they will need to submit directly to the FCB on your behalf.

Please carefully review all of the credential documents before applying for certification.

Policy

Mandatory Forms

• CAC On-the-Job Supervision Verification Form
• CAC Work Experience Verification Form
• CAC Professional Recommendation for Certification Form
• CAC Training Verification Form

Test Preparation

• The FCB offers study guides available for purchase on our Products page.
• For information regarding the IC&RC ADC Exam, download and review the IC&RC Alcohol and Drug Counselor (ADC) Exam Candidate Guide.
• For additional information regarding IC&RC ADC Exam Study Materials, please review the IC&RC Exam Study Materials webpage.

How to Apply

1. If you don’t already have one, create an online account.
2. Create an electronic application for certification (from your online account).
   • Complete all required fields of information.
   • Upload required documents.
   • Pay the certification fee.
3. Provide mandatory forms to eligible people to complete and submit to FCB on your behalf.

Key Information

1. When the application fee is paid, the FCB assigns the record to a dedicated Certification Specialist, who will serve as the single point of contact for applicants throughout the certification process.
2. The credential is awarded after all requirements have been submitted and approved. 

At a Glance

• 1-year (full-time), fully online program
• Completion of 13 academic units
• 200 hours of supervised clinical field work
• Faculty mentoring and support available
• Christian environment emphasizing integrated learning, respect for all persons, and compassionate whole person care

Overview

The drug and alcohol counseling certificate program prepares master's- and doctoral-level professionals to:

• Effectively counsel individuals with substance use disorders and their families.
• Provide coursework and expert consultation on practice in a convenient online environment.
• Become eligible for certification in substance use treatment by select national organizations such as:
  • NAADAC: the Master Addiction Counselor (MAC)
  • CCAPP: the Licensed Advanced Alcohol and Drug Counselor (LAADC)
  • AAHCPAD: the Certified Addiction Specialist (CAS)
• As applicable, allow hours of experience to be accrued concurrently to meet BBS, AAMFT, and other certifying organization requirements.

Students enrolled in the MFT MS or Counseling MS programs within the Department of Counseling and Family Sciences are able to graduate with this certificate by adding one three-unit course and four units of practicum to their program of study.

The drug and alcohol counseling certificate program at Loma Linda University has graduated substance use treatment professionals for twenty years. This 100% online program has continually been refined to stay current with advancements in the field. Our alumni are drug and alcohol counselors working in outpatient and inpatient substance use treatment settings, for-profit and non-profit organizations, specialty private practices, and developers of their own substance use treatment programs.

Curriculum and Timeline

The program is 13 quarter units and anticipated to be completed in one year with full-time enrollment. The 100% online program consists of both synchronous and asynchronous content. Each practicum course is synchronous--students and the professor meet via Zoom for two consecutive hours every other week during the quarter (5 meetings each quarter). All other courses are asynchronous--students and the professor remain in consistent contact but there are no required meeting times. The program is available online only and is authorized in these states.

A suggested course schedule (students may enter the program in any quarter):

Additional requirements: 200 hours of supervised clinical field work.

Course Schedule Course Descriptions

Approximate Cost

• Non-practicum courses: $879/unit for the 2023-2024 academic year. (Click here to view 2022-2023 tuition and fees.)
• Practicum courses: $150/unit.
• Cost of books vary but students may expect to invest a minimum of $100/quarter on textbooks.

Students entering an MS degree program within the Department of Counseling and Family Sciences in academic year 2022-23 who are interested in obtaining certification in Play Therapy or Drug and Alcohol Counseling will receive a tuition waiver for the certificate program of their choice. Students interested in this benefit are required to enroll in elective courses specified by their academic advisor. Given available spaces, students enrolling in the Systems, Families, and Couples PhD program may also take advantage of this benefit. Tuition waivers do not apply to any units used to support the student's primary degree program.

Admission

Applications are accepted for enrollment each quarter. Each application is assessed at the time of completion. At this time, applications are accepted from 29 states in the United States. Please check here to see if your state is included. Applicants must:

• Hold a bachelor's degree in behavioral health or closely related field from an accredited university. Students enrolled in the MS MFT and MS Counseling programs may apply and complete the drug and alcohol certificate during their master's program. Applicants who are enrolled in a master's or doctoral program at the time of application to the program must be in good standing.
• Along with the Loma Linda University application, an application essay stating how the applicant will integrate the drug and alcohol counseling certificate into their clinical work, and how the applicant will contribute to their profession and the addiction-treatment field by completing the certificate.
• Three letters of reference are required.
• An interview by the program director is required. This interview is completed via Zoom.

Admissions FAQ

Contact Information and Application

For further details and additional information about the Drug and Alcohol Certificate, please contact the program director, Randall Walker, MS, LMFT, at  or 909-558-4547, ext. 47012.

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