Kentucky Education Requirements & Certification for Substance Abuse Counselors

Job Description

While the national annual median wage for Kentucky substance abuse counselors in 2017 was $43,300. It is slightly lower at $39,070. This is actually a positive aspect because the cost of living in Kentucky is lower than most states and balances the difference in annual mean wages.

Substance abuse counselors are licensed and certified at a state level so to practice in Kentucky you must meet state requirements. That being said, each state must meet national standards in order to be eligible to receive federal funding and most states require certification or licensure for a facility or program to receive state funding. Likewise, most insurance companies will not cover programs unless the practitioners are certified, licensed, or accredited by the state regulations.

Because of these factors you should know the state licensure requirements before you begin your formal education to become a substance abuse counselor in Kentucky. By having a clear path to follow you can avoid potential roadblocks and make a smooth transition into your counseling career.

Overview

In Kentucky substance abuse counselors are certified and licensed as alcohol and drug counselor by the State Board of Alcohol and Drug Counselors (ADC). Kentucky has two credentials: Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor (CADC) and Licensed Clinical Alcohol and Drug Counselor (LCADC). Each credential has specific educational, clinical, and testing criteria that must be met before you earn the title.

Once you become a substance abuse counselor your education will not end. To maintain your credential, you'll be required to renew periodically and take specific continuing education courses in the interim.

Because substance abuse counseling is a high "burnout" occupation it's a good idea to advance your career in steps while continuing your education. By entering the field via an internship while earning your bachelor’s degree you can get a clear idea of the area in which you would like to specialize, and you can then concentrate your Master's degree or Doctorate in that specialized area. This will give you the benefit of being focused on a career area you truly enjoy and will hopefully prevent burnout once you begin your long-term career.

Kentucky Licensing & Certifications for Associates & Independent Counselors

The licensure standards for Kentucky closely follow those set forth by the International Certification & Reciprocity Consortium on Alcoholism and Drug Abuse (IC&RC). A standard requirement is that you must be a Kentucky resident in order to apply for certification. Here are the two types of licensure and the basic requirements for each:

Education Requirements

All educational requirements except the ethics requirements may be earned via online coursework if desired. While there are no specific degree subject requirements for the CADC the LCADC does require a Master's in a Behavioral Science field, so it's a good plan to begin your education with that in mind. Substance abuse counseling programs may be titled as addiction counseling, Masters in Addiction Studies, or a similar title; you should verify your program meets the state requirements before you enroll.

Kentucky does not require accreditation for licensure but it's a good idea to choose an accredited school in case you choose to practice in a different state in the future. Kentucky does accept accreditation through the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF) specifically for opioid treatment programs.

For certification you'll need to take the specific coursework as outline previously. Because the LCADC certification requires at least a Master's in a Behavioral Science field if you begin your education with a bachelor’s degree you should choose a course of study that will transition into a master's or doctoral program in a Behavioral Science field.

Here are examples of the types of courses you'll need to take:

In addition, you should plan to take computer courses that will enable you to complete the paperwork and documentation required to maintain files on each client.

Your bachelor's and master's degrees will each require an internship. You should choose an internship that will also give you credit for supervised experience as required for your state certification as this will shorten the time to become certified.

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 experience 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:

Counselor Testing & Examination Process

Kentucky has four application deadlines and four written exam dates per year. Your first step will be to complete the application process, which can be submitted online through the Kentucky Board of Alcohol and Drug Counselors website. The current fee schedule as of 2018 is as follows:

Your application will be reviewed by the Board so you should apply at least 10 days before the next scheduled Board meeting. You should receive a reply within two weeks of the meeting stating whether or not your application has been approved. If your application is approved you'll also be notified of the testing location, time, and other pertinent information regarding your licensure exam.

Your exam scores will take up to three weeks and will be sent via postal delivery. If you pass the exam you'll receive an approval notice and a request for the initial Licensure fee. Once the fee is received by the Board they will issue you a license number.

Clinical Supervision Explained

Clinical supervision means you'll be working as a counselor while under the direct guidance of a LCADC licensed professional. In Kentucky supervision must be approved by the Board in advance, and the supervisor must be trained and registered as such with the state.

Your clinical supervisor will document your supervision on a daily basis to record your hours for the state requirements. You will basically be working as a substance abuse counselor and your supervisor will keep a log of the hours they oversaw to verify you are meeting the licensure requirement. This is a vital step to verify while you are completing your internship as you can accumulate experience hours while still earning your degree.

Renewal and Continuing Education

In Kentucky you'll need to renew your substance abuse counselor certification every three years. In the interim you are required to take 60 hours of continuing education classes, three of which must be training in ethics and six hours in suicide assessment, treatment, and management. Half of the total hours may be taken via distance learning (online) and at least half must be live face-to-face education. All continuing education must be board approved; the following organizations are pre-approved by the board for continuing education:

It's important to note that continuing education hours can be accumulated in a variety of ways. Here are some examples:

Potential Counselor Career Path Options

Associations & Organizations

As soon as you begin your education as a Kentucky substance abuse counselor you should consider joining one or more professional organizations. Because many people support the development of newcomers to the field you'll find support and resources that will be invaluable to your education and career. Mentorship, peer support, and online courses are just a few of the options you'll find when joining associations. Here are a few that are available to Kentucky counselors: