CADC - Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor

Experience

Up to 6,000 hours (depending on level and focus of degree), full- or part-time clinical counseling experience working with substance use disorder clients at a program licensed by the State of Michigan as a substance use disorder services provider, or MCBAP-approved alternative provider. Refer to “Experience” section in the application instructions for further explanation.

Education

300 education hours. Of these hours, 180 must be specific to substance use disorders and the additional 120 may be related to the ADC Domains. Six (6) hours of MCBAP approved education in behavioral health professional practice ethics, or MCBAP approved alternative. Refer to “Education” section in the application instructions for further explanation.

Specific substance use disorder education for the CADC must be in the IC&RC ADC Domain topics and must be specifically focused on alcohol, tobacco, and/or other drug use issues. Key words in course titles are: substance abuse, substance use disorder, drug addiction, chemical dependency, alcohol, tobacco, drug use, or co-occurring disorders. General courses in clinical theory and therapeutic methods will count as related to SUD specialty services.

Supervision

Up to 300 hours (depending on level and focus of degree), of direct supervision in SUD services, specific to the IC&RC/ADC Performance Domains (with a minimum of 10 hours in each Domain. Refer to “Supervision” section in the application instructions for further explanation.

Testing

IC&RC/ADC, Alcohol and Drug Counselor examination – or AADC exam (if you’re working on future Master’s degree.)

Code of Ethics

Sign and adhere to the current MCBAP Counselor Code of Ethical Standards.

Residency

Must live or work within the State of Michigan fifty-one (51%) percent of the time.

Application

When all requirements have been completed, submit your CADC application to MCBAP for review.  All documentation must be on copies of the forms provided and in the format specified in the application forms and instructions. Please note, all requirements must have been completed within the previous ten years of submitting the application.

Fee

Submit the non-refundable application fee.

Initial Certification

Once approved, the initial CADC certification period will be for two (2) years.

Renewal

Renewal at the end of the two (2) year period requires submission of the Renewal Application and proof of completion of at least 40 hours of continuing education, with at least 20 being SUD specific.