Job Description
Substance abuse counselors in Maine earn an annual median wage of $46,890 which is considerably higher than the national average of $41,070. Coupled with the lower state cost of living this means a substance abuse counselor in Maine can enjoy a comfortable lifestyle while helping others overcome addiction.
A full 50 percent of counselors in Maine hold a master’s degree. Another 25 percent hold a bachelor’s degree, so you should take that into consideration when making your long-term goals. Because the highest 10 percent median wage, which typically represents those with higher education levels and more work experience, is over $66,000 earning your master’s degree or higher can translate into almost $20,000 in annual wages. Although you can become certified with an associate degree only five percent of counselors have that level of education, so you should use it as a stepping-stone degree.
Because substance abuse counselor licensure requires a combination of education and experience you should plan your education accordingly. If you're beginning college with an associate or bachelor degree make sure the coursework will segue into a master's or doctorate in the long term. Here's a look at the licensure requirements for substance abuse counselors in Maine.
Maine Licensing & Certifications for Associates & Independent Counselors
Maine has two credentials for substance abuse counselors as well as certification for approved clinical supervisors and is one of the few states that do not require a minimum education of bachelor’s degree for certification. In Maine there's also the position of Alcohol and Drug Counseling Aide (ADCA) to allow students to gain the necessary experience while qualifying for their credential. All positions require the applicant be at least 18 years old, hold a high school diploma, and pass a background check. Here's a look at the two counseling credentials and what is required to apply for each:
Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor (CADC)
To apply to sit for the CADC you have three educational options.
First option: earn at least an associate's degree from a regionally or nationally accredited school and must be either in addiction counseling or clinically based behavioral sciences or in one of the following related fields:
- Social and behavioral sciences
- Social work
- Counseling
- Childhood development
- Education and human development
- Mental health and human services
- Nursing
- Psychology
- Psychology/educational psychology
- Rehabilitation services
Second option: an applicant may also show proof of completion of 30 credit hours from an accredited school in one of the following subjects:
- Psychology
- Crisis Identification and Intervention
- Group Process
- Introduction to Social Service Systems
- Chemical Dependency
- Chemical Dependency Counseling
- Career Experience in Social & Rehabilitative Services
- Models of Addiction
- Addiction and the Family
- Substance Abuse Counseling for Special Populations
- Case Management
- Introduction to Community Mental Health
- Psychosocial Rehabilitation
- Interviewing and Counseling
- Crisis Identification and Resolution
- Substance Abuse with a Dual Diagnosis Component
- Sexual Abuse, Trauma and Recovery
- Mental Health and Aging
- Cultural Competency/Diversity
- Vocational Aspects of Disability
Third option: earn a Mental Health Rehabilitation Technician Certificate (MHRT/Community) from the University of Maine at Augusta or the University of Southern Maine or a Substance Abuse Rehabilitation Technician Certificate from the University of Maine at Augusta
In addition to the educational requirements a candidate must have 4,000 hours of supervised work experience working directly with alcohol and drug addiction clients. This experience must include three of the following functions:
- Case Management
- Client and Family education
- Clinical evaluation
- Counseling of individuals, groups, couples or families
- Treatment Planning
Licensed Alcohol and Drug Counselor (LADC)
The educational requirements to apply for your LADC are the same as the first option under CADC certification. You must hold at minimum an associate's degree in addiction counseling or clinically based behavioral sciences from an accredited institution and you degree must be in one of the following fields:
- Childhood development
- Counseling
- Education and human development
- Mental health and human services
- Nursing
- Psychology
- Psychology/educational psychology
- Rehabilitation services
- Social and behavioral sciences
- Social work
There are several options available to meet your work experience requirement to apply for your LADC:
- 6,000 hours of supervised work experience working directly with alcohol and drug addiction clients.
- If you hold an associates or bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited school the supervised hours required are reduced to 4,000.
- If you hold a master’s degree in addiction therapy or a clinical application behavioral science from an accredited college or university the supervised hour requirement is reduced to 2,000.
- If you hold an active CADC credential the supervised hour requirement is 2,000 hours.
Education Requirements
As outlined above, the educational requirements in Maine are far less strident than in most states. The most important thing is to verify that your school of choice has the proper accreditation as required by the Maine Office of Substance Abuse. The following two organizations are accepted by the Board for accreditation:
- Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO)
- Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF)
In addition, although a graduate degree is not required for licensure the majority of substance abuse counselors in Maine hold a master’s degree, so this should be in your long term plans.
Make sure the credits of your associate's degree will segue smoothly into your future Master's program at the time you enroll.
If an internship is part of your educational requirements make sure you register as a Alcohol and Drug Counseling Aide (ADCA) and that your internship is under a Certified Clinical Supervisor (CCS) so you may apply your experience towards your licensure requirements.
CACREP Accredited Online Certification
Two types of accreditation are recognized in the United States; institutional and specialized. Institutional accreditation takes the entire institution into account while the specialized focus on professional preparation programs. The Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP) is a specialized accreditation that focuses on master’s and doctoral degree programs in counseling at colleges and universities worldwide. Only already-accredited institutions are eligible for CACREP review. The review for accreditation will center on programs offering graduate degrees in counseling.
Choosing a CACREP-accredited program ensures that the program meets the highest of quality standards. Many counseling specialties are accredited bythe CACREP, including addiction counseling. Accredited addiction counseling programs prepare individuals to work with those affected by addictive behavior and their families. Addictive behaviors include alcohol, drugs, food, gambling, sex, and anything else that negatively affects your personal or work life by creating addiction behaviors.
CACREP-accredited programs will focus on treatment models and the phases of addiction including prevention, recovery, and relapse prevention. These 60-semester hour programs will include the application of interventions. When students choose a CACREP-accredited program they can be confident that:
- the program meets or exceeds national standards
- the program will focus on professional counseling rather than psychology oreducation
- the program has an excellent reputation
- CACREP graduates statistically receive higher scores on the National Counselor Examination for Licensure and Certification (NCE).
- the requirements for licensure will be met.
Clinical Supervision Explained
Clinical supervision means your counseling work is done under the direct oversight of a Certified Clinical Supervisor (CCS). Your CCS will be tasked with teaching you, consulting with you, and helping you research as needed in your clinical activity.
A CCS is also the person who helps you track your work experience hours and verifies the hours on the proper form for your certification. It is imperative that you make sure this paperwork is maintained throughout the time you are accumulating your work experience hours.