Quick Answer A practicum is your first supervised clinical experience, typically requiring 100 hours with extensive oversight and observation. An internship follows, requiring 600+ hours, where you carry a real caseload with increasing independence. Both are required for substance abuse counselor licensure, but practicums focus on learning fundamentals while internships prepare you for professional practice. […]

  Quick Answer Addiction studies degrees focus on research, policy, and systems-level understanding of addiction, preparing graduates for careers in public health, program administration, and academia. Substance abuse counseling degrees emphasize clinical practice skills and direct client work, leading to careers as licensed counselors in treatment settings. Choose addiction studies for research and policy roles,

What every substance abuse counselor needs to know about evolving certification requirements in the fentanyl era Quick Answer The fentanyl crisis has prompted federal and state governments to update substance abuse counselor certification requirements. The Medication Access and Training Expansion (MATE) Act now requires eight hours of opioid treatment training, while states are adding fentanyl-specific

Quick Answer The best substance abuse counseling internship programs achieve 88-100% job placement rates (typically within 6 months of graduation, based on recent cohort data) by combining typically 600-1000+ supervised clinical hours with exam preparation and employer connections. Top programs include UNC Charlotte (100% first-attempt licensure pass rate maintained over 10+ years), Texas Tech (92.8%

Quick Answer At the 10-year mark, associate’s degree programs often show higher return on investment than bachelor’s programs, mainly because they cost less and graduates begin working earlier. Over a 30 to 40-year career, bachelor’s degrees tend to lead to higher lifetime earnings and more leadership opportunities. Many counselors find success with a hybrid approach: