A Cooperative Effort Between
Idaho State University Department of Health & Nutrition Sciences
and The State of Idaho Department of Health & Welfare

line decor
  
line decor
 

CERTIFIED ALCOHOL AND DRUG COUNSELOR (CADC)

Eligibility for the CADC through the Idaho Board of Alcohol and Drug Counselor Certification (IBADCC) includes the course work for the ISAS and documentation of three (3) years of work experience working directly with substance abusing clients. Requirements for CADC (Certified Alcohol Drug Counselor) through the Idaho Board of Alcohol Drug Counselor Certification (IBADCC):

You must have at least 30 hours in each of the following domains, however, you must have a total of 270 hours total overall -  so you will have more than 30 hours in some of the domains:

I. Drug and Alcohol Education (This would include introductions to Addiction, Pharmacology, etc.)

II. Counseling Skills (At ISU this class is called “Helping Theories” and it focuses on Motivational Interviewing Techniques)

III. Assessments (must be specific class to address Substance Abuse)

IV. Case Management (must be a specific class to address Substance Abuse)

V. Professional Responsibility (includes Ethics, cultural issues, etc.)

These classes must be specific to substance abuse-  we won’t count a social work class that had a couple of chapters on ethics -  or a biology class that talks about the body… instead, they must be specific to substance abuse.

Keep in mind that work experience is different than class room exposure.  You cannot count classroom hours as part of the work experience.

  1. If you have a bachelors degree in a social science (social work, psychology, etc.) you need to have 4,000 hours of work experience under supervision (this is about 2 years).  The supervisor must be qualified under the standards of IBADCC.  IBADCC standards include:  Supervisor must be a CADC, CCS or equivalent.  Equivalent must be a Master’s Level person WITH a certification of license in Addictions.  It cannot just be a Master’s level person (social work, LPC, etc.).  They have to have a certification or license in addition (example would be a MAC).
  2. You must be working in the 12-core functions with substance abusing clients.
  3. You supervision must be documented.  I would recommend that you keep track of your hours, core function you are working in, etc. on a monthly basis, and have your supervisor sign off monthly.  If they leave it is almost impossible to track them down and get them to sign off on you. 
  4. If you do not have a Bachelor’s degree, or if it is a degree not in the social sciences- then you need 6,000 (about 3 years) of work experience supervised.
  5. You supervisor must document supervision, and meet with you face to face (or observe groups, etc.) one hour for every 20 that you work.

For ACADC-  (Advanced Certified Alcohol Drug Counselor) all the above apply with these exceptions:

  1. Must have a Master’s Degree in the Social Sciences.
  2. Only need 180 hours versus 270 (still need 30 in each of the domains).
  3. Only need 2,000 hours (about 1 year) of supervised work experience.

For clarification or additional questions concerning the above criteria, please call Cindy Hansen at 208-251-1787.

BACK TO CADC HOMEPAGE