How to Become a Substance Abuse Counselor in Colorado

A grim statistic has garnered Colorado a lot of attention, for all the wrong reasons: In 2021, the U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) reported that one of out every ten residents in the state (10.44 percent) had a drug disorder in 2021, which ranks it among the top states in the nation for drug abuse.

In the Denver region, drug abuse has surged in recent years, largely due to the rise of fentanyl. The City and County of Denver Medical Examiner reported that overdose deaths here nearly doubled between 2022 and 2023 alone. In some areas of the city, like along Colfax Avenue, the disease of addiction can’t be ignored, with scores of the afflicted resorting to openly using drugs. And in Colorado Springs, meth continues to wreak havoc, largely among the city’s homeless population. According to the El Paso County Coroner’s Office, meth accounted for 48 of the 216 drug overdoses in 2022; a combination of meth and fentanyl accounted for another 42 deaths, while fentanyl alone accounted for 36 deaths.

But even in the midst of the devastation, there’s no shortage of hope here in Colorado. From legislators to community leaders to the state’s dedicated Certified Addiction Specialists (CAS), people here are coming together to help communities throughout the state affected by substance use disorders.

At the state level, major organizations include the Colorado Consortium for Prescription Drug Abuse Prevention, which works to improve public awareness and education and institute harm reduction, treatment, and recovery services. There’s also the Colorado Behavioral Health Administration, which is creating regional networks of behavioral health providers that will serve people with mental health and substance use disorders. At the regional level, there are programs like the Northern Colorado Collaborative for Addiction and Recovery Support, a community network of providers and stakeholders working to fight the opioid epidemic and provide solutions. And that’s just the beginning.

From state and regional drug use disorder treatment programs to nonprofit programs to private residential and outpatient treatment facilities, Colorado’s substance abuse counselors are working to help people recover from the disease of addiction and save lives.

Steps to Becoming Certified as a Substance Abuse Counselor in Colorado

The Colorado State Board of Addiction Counselors Examiners (under the Colorado Department of Regulatory Agencies, Division of Professions and Occupations —DORA-DPO) is the state agency responsible for credentialing substance abuse counselors in Colorado.

There are three levels of certification for substance abuse counselors in Colorado:

Certified Addiction Technician (CAT/ACA) – entry-level credential that requires a minimum of a high school diploma
Certified Addiction Specialist (CAS/ACC) – bachelor’s level credential that allows substance abuse counselors to practice independently, treat substance misuse and co-occurring disorders coordinate service and oversee case management; and provide addiction counseling for individuals, families, and groups; and perform clinical assessments that include diagnostic impression, treatment planning, referral, and discharge planning
Licensed Addiction Counselor (LAC) – dual credential requiring a master’s or doctorate clinical behavioral health. The LAC credential allows substance abuse counselors to expand their practice to include behavioral health counseling and the treatment of substance use disorders, addictive behavioral disorders, and co-occurring mental health disorders

In this guide we’ve detailed the process of becoming a CAS/ACC, the state’s standard credential that will allow you to practice substance abuse counseling in Colorado. However, we’ve also detailed the process of becoming a Licensed Addiction Counselor (LAC) in the Earn a Higher Degree and Gain More Experience to Become a Become a Licensed Addiction Counselor (LAC) section to cover the credential you may elect to earn later as you advance in your career.

Here are the steps you’ll need to take to become a CAS/ACC in Colorado:

1. Earn a Bachelor’s Degree in Substance Abuse Counseling or Another Area of Behavioral Health Science

2. Complete Your First 1,000 Hours of Direct, Clinically Supervised Experience

3. Take and Pass the Required Skills and Jurisprudence Exams

4. Apply to Become a Certified Addiction Technician (CAT/ACA)

5. Complete the Remaining 2,000 Hours of Direct, Clinically Supervised Experience

6. Apply to Become a Certified Addiction Specialist (CAS/ACC)

Becoming a substance abuse counselor in Colorado means completing a multi-step process that can be somewhat confusing. But not to worry; we’ve broken down the process into easy-to-understand steps that will help guide you as you work toward certification in the field.

1. Earn a Bachelor’s Degree in Substance Abuse Counseling or Another Area of Behavioral Health Science

The first step to becoming a CAS/ACC in Colorado requires earning a minimum of a bachelor’s degree in a behavioral health sciences field specialty, such as substance abuse disorders/addiction or counseling (social work, mental health counseling, marriage & family counseling, psychology).

Note: The board does not check for education equivalency; instead, they’ve contracted with the Center for Credentialing & Education (CCE) to perform all education equivalency review/evaluations. If you have any questions about whether a degree you may already hold meets CAS/ACC certification, you’ll need to request a program evaluation through CCE.

2. Complete the First 1,000 Hours of Direct, Clinically Supervised Experience

Once you’ve completed your bachelor’s degree, you’ll begin accruing 1,000 hours of direct, clinically supervised hours of experience (supervised by a CAS/ACC or Licensed Addiction Counselor – LAC/ACD). Those hours must be completed in no fewer than six months. Your experience will include training in the following areas:

Client orientation
Client intakes
Client discharge planning
Service coordination
Concurrent record keeping
Client, family, and community education
Co-facilitated clinical interactions

Your bachelor’s degree will likely include a practicum (internship) where you can accrue most or all of those 1,000 hours. Your college or university will be able to help you land a practicum where you can begin satisfying the required hours.

3. Take and Pass the Required Skills and Jurisprudence Exams

You’ll need to take and pass, at a minimum, the National Certified Addiction Counselor Level I exam (NCAC I) to become a Certified Addiction Technician (CAT/ACA), which you’ll need to hold before you can complete the experience requirement hours to become a CAS/ACC.

Tip! If you complete the National Certified Addiction Counselor Level II exam (NCAC II), you’ll be qualified to earn CAT/ACA upon satisfying the remaining clinical experience requirements. In short, choose the Level II exam and you won’t need to take (and pay for) two exams (both the Level I and Level II exam) to become certified as a CAS/ACC.

Both the NCAC I and NCAC II exams are computer-based, multiple-choice exams of 150 questions. After you’ve completed an online application, you’ll receive an email from the Colorado Association for Addiction Professionals (CAAP) that provides instructions for scheduling your exam. You can choose to take the exam at a number of testing sites throughout Colorado.

You must also take and pass the Colorado Mental Health Jurisprudence exam before you can become certified as a CAT/ACA. ISO-Quality Testing administers this online exam, which consists of 45 multiple-choice questions.

4. Apply to Become a Certified Addiction Technician (CAT/ACA)

DORA-DPO is a paperless agency, so you’ll apply for CAT/ACA certification online through the Colorado Division of Professions and Occupations Online Services portal. You’ll need to upload your passing score from the NCAC II exam, your passing jurisprudence exam score, and your official college transcripts when applying.

5. Complete the Remaining 2,000 Hours of Direct, Clinically Supervised Experience

Once you’ve earned your CAT/ACA certification, you can begin accruing the remaining 2,000 hours of direct, clinically supervised experience hours you’ll need to become a CAS/ACC. You cannot begin accruing these hours until you’ve earned CAT/ACA certification:

Clinical screening
Clinical evaluation/assessment
Clinical discharge/discharge planning
Counseling (individual, group, and/or family)
Brief psychotherapy
DUI Level I and II education
DUI Level II therapy
Other client interactions

6. Apply to Become a Certified Addiction Specialist (CAS/ACC)

Once you’ve satisfied the remaining clinical experience hours, you’ll apply to become a CAS/ACC. If you took the NCAC I exam, you’ll also need to take and pass the NCAC II exam before you can apply (see Step 3).

You must also take and pass the Colorado Jurisprudence exam again (it’s only valid for 12 months).

All addiction counselor credentials expire on August 31 of odd-numbered years. You’ll need to complete at least 40 professional development hours during each renewal period to qualify for renewal of the CAS/ACC credential.

Earn a Higher Degree and Gain More Experience to Become a Become a Licensed Addiction Counselor (LAC)

Colorado offers a Licensed Addiction Counselor (LAC) dual credential that permits substance abuse counselors to expand their practice to include behavioral health counseling and the treatment of substance use disorders, addictive behavioral disorders, and co-occurring mental health disorders. To become an LAC, you’ll need to complete the following:

Master’s or doctorate clinical behavioral health degree (acceptable degrees include community counseling, human services counseling, marriage and family therapy, clinical psychology, counseling psychology, human psychology clinical social work, psychiatric nursing/advanced practice nursing, and addictionologist/addiction medicine)
2,000 hours of clinically supervised addiction work experience
The NAADAC’s Master Addiction Counselor (MAC) exam
Seven specialty trainings taken through a Colorado Behavioral Health Administration-approved trainer

Substance Abuse Counselor Jobs in Denver, Aurora, Colorado Springs, and Throughout Colorado

According to the U.S. Department of Labor, jobs for substance abuse counselors in Colorado are projected to grow by 36 percent in the decade leading up to 2030, which makes it one of the highest growth states for this profession during this time.

According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s (SAMHSA) 2020 National Survey of Substance Abuse Treatment Services, the state was home to 393 substance abuse facilities that treated more than 30,000 people.

According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), Denver County, which encompasses Denver, Colorado Springs, and Aurora, reported one of the highest overdose opioid rates in the state between September 2022 and August 2023. During this time, the opioid overdose rate here was 69.7 deaths per 100,000 people – more than double the national opioid death rate of 32.2 deaths per 100,000 people.

It comes as no surprise that the state’s largest metro areas of Denver, Colorado Springs, and Aurora are also home to many substance abuse facilities. Substance abuse counselors jobs here are found in places like the Mile High Recovery Center in Denver, which includes nine recovery houses and a recovery treatment center; Cedar Springs Hospital in Colorado Springs, a behavioral health hospital that provides a continuum of care for adults who suffer from psychiatric disorders and substance abuse; and Aurora Mental Health & Recovery, which offers detox, medication-assisted treatment, and intensive outpatient treatment options.

Substance abuse counselors here also work for major health systems like Denver Health and UCHealth, as well as for nonprofits like Advances for Recovery Colorado and The FullCircle Program.

Substance Abuse Counselor Salary in Boulder, Colorado Springs, Denver, and Throughout Colorado

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, substance abuse counselors in Colorado earned a median salary of $58,110 as of May 2023, which is about $5,000 more than the national median for this profession. Those at the top of the pay scale (90^th percentile) earned about $92,360 in Colorado during this time.

The Boulder metro area reported both the highest median and top salaries for substance abuse counselors during this time:

Substance Abuse Counselor Degree Options in Colorado

From bachelor’s degrees to master’s degrees and beyond, Colorado’s colleges and universities offer a number of degree options to become a substance abuse counselor. Colorado recognizes a number of bachelor’s degrees in the behavioral science field, so it’s possible to meet the requirements to become CAS/ACC through a bachelor’s degree in a number of areas. For example, Colorado State offers a BS in Psychology, with an Addictions Counseling concentration and a BS in Social Work with an Addictions Counseling concentration.

You’ll also find a number of colleges and universities offering master’s degrees in the substance abuse counseling field. For example, Colorado Christian University offers a Masters in Counseling with a focus on Substance Abuse.

Colorado Christian University

College of Adult and Graduate Studies
Accreditation: HLC
Campus, Hybrid, Online

Master's Degrees

Colorado Mesa University

Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences
Accreditation: HLC
Campus

Undergraduate Certificates

Colorado Mountain College

Human Services, Social Sciences and Education academic pathway
Accreditation: HLC
Campus

Undergraduate Certificates

Associate Degrees

Colorado State University-Fort Collins

College of Natural Sciences
Accreditation: HLC
Campus, Online

Bachelor's Degrees

Master's Degrees

Graduate Certificates

2023 US Bureau of Labor Statistics salary figures shown here for Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors. Job growth projections are from the US Department of Labor-sponsored resource, CareerOneStop. Figures are based on state data, not school-specific information. Conditions in your area may vary. Data accessed August 2024.