Education: This category will examine your addictions and counseling specific educational history. You will need to substantiate any hours you list, in the form of continuing education certificates, or transcripts. If you list a degree, you will need to provide a copy of your diploma and transcripts as well. Some credentials are available without a degree, but our highest level of credentialing, the CADAC IV/AAODA, requires a master’s degree. All levels of certification, even our entry level Addiction’s Counselor in Training (ACIT) will require documentation that you have completed 6 hours of training in HIV/Aids prevention and awareness, and 6 hours of training in ethics. If you do not have these classes in your portfolio, they are available online from a link on the front page of our web site. Continuing Education Certificates can be printed once you have completed the training, and these and other trainings are offered at least monthly by ICAADA members throughout the state.

Testing: You must register for, take, and pass the certification test offered quarterly in Indiana. This test is administered in Indianapolis, currently, but will be offered at IVY Tech computer labs beginning in September, 2009, at twelve different locations throughout the state. You may pay for and register for the test online, at www.icaada.org, or you may print and mail the form from our website, with a check attached. There are two different tests. The AODA test, necessary for a level I or II certification, or the AAODA test, required for a level IV credential. Please specify which test you will be taking. The AODA test is available in Spanish or Swedish, as well as a large print edition, upon request. The test is offered in March, June, September, and December.

Experience: You will need to document, usually in the form of a notarized statement as part of the application, your hours of experience working as a drug and alcohol counselor. Different levels of certification require different quantities of hours of experience, and are factored in as part of the qualifications of a counselor. Even with a high level of education, time in the field is considered vital and necessary to certification. However, for entry level certification, even time in a self help group, such as AA or NA, may be counted towards experience in the field, so again, a short time in the field will not disqualify you for a credential.

Supervised Practicum: This involves time spent working in the field under the supervision of a credentialed person. If you need help locating a place to do your practicum, you may contact us and we will provide you with members and agencies in your area of the state who allow interns. This practicum will focus on the core competencies of the professional counselor, and there are minimum numbers of hours that you must complete in each competency. There is a gap between education and experience that is partially closed while doing a good practicum, and time spent under qualified supervision is invaluable. It will help you immensely to have people with long term experience available to answer questions and give insight into the incredibly diverse and complex issues surrounding addiction and treatment. Higher levels of credentialing will require more hours in a practicum. If you feel a supervisor is qualified to guide you through a practicum, but is not credentialed, or credentialed in a different discipline, you may fill out a supervisor variance request for the certification board to consider.

References: In the application, we will ask you for references, including co-workers and supervisors. We will send requests to each person you list, which they will fill out and return directly to us, confidentially. W e need to know that those working with you believe you are qualified to be a credentialed counselor.

Case Study: You will be required to write a case study on an individual, or a compilation of a group of individuals that you have worked with, demonstrating your knowledge of the core competencies and treatment planning. Write this case study in a way that preserves client confidentiality, and would convince a hospital or insurance company to approve your client for treatment based on your assessment. Following this article you can find a breakdown of the areas we expect to be included in your case study, and that we will actually use to grade your submitted study. In years past, it was necessary to schedule an oral exam, but the new case study requirements eliminate that need, as it is a bit more comprehensive.

Fees: The application fee for membership with ICAADA is $125.00 initially, for a two year membership, and then $100.00 every other year. Membership qualifies you for 50% discounts on certification fees, discounted fees for training and membership meetings, a free subscription to Counselor Magazine (coming soon), and also, professional discounts on online, distance education, and more. Certification fees are $200.00 every two years for members, and $400.00 for non-members. As a member, your fees average $12.50 a month. This involves you in membership with the IC & RC as well, if you are credentialed as a CADAC II or higher, which makes your credentialing valid in 44 states, the District of Columbia, 2 US territories, and 12 global jurisdictions. IC&RC certification boards also include those affiliated with the Indian Health Services, and the World Federation of Therapeutic Communities. Over 35,000 certified addiction professionals currently belong to IC&RC Member Boards.

Download Grid and Case Study Grading Form Based on the 12 Core Function

ICAADA

Case Study Grading Form

Based on the 12 Core Functions