How to Become a Substance Abuse Counselor in Arizona

The flow of illegal drugs in Arizona has left devastation in its wake. Fentanyl drives opioid fatalities here, which were up a mind-blowing 80 percent between 2018 and 2022. Easier to traffic, cheaper, and more potent than many other illicit drugs, fentanyl is on everyone’s radar here, including the Drug Enforcement Administration. In fact, the DEA reports that as much as 85 percent of all fentanyl that crosses into the US comes through the Arizona-Mexico border. Of all the opioid deaths reported in Arizona in 2021, a shocking 94 percent involved synthetics like fentanyl.

But in the midst of this devastation, there is hope in the form of programs and services for those affected by substance use disorder. Professionals in the field like Licensed Associate Substance Abuse Counselors (LASAC) and Licensed Independent Substance Abuse Counselors (LISAC) are working tirelessly alongside advocates and legislators to tackle Arizona’s drug epidemic and provide hope for those suffering from substance use disorder.

From major metro areas like Phoenix and Tucson to the smallest of suburbs, opportunities to become part of the solution to Arizona’s drug crisis are widespread and growing. Whether you’re lending your talents to hospital systems, state-run inpatient and outpatient treatment centers, correctional facilities, or independently owned and managed private practices, becoming a substance abuse counselor in Arizona means making a difference in the lives of those afflicted by addiction and those who love them.

Drug Overdose Deaths Reach New Highs, Creating a Greater Urgency for Skilled Substance Use Disorder Treatment Professionals

In Phoenix, and throughout Maricopa County, meth caused or contributed to 1,200 deaths in 2021, while fentanyl was responsible for about 1,300 deaths. Nearly two-thirds of all the drug fatalities in the state happened in Maricopa County during this time.

Tucson is also fighting its own battle with illegal drugs and addiction. In recent years, narcotics investigators have seized hundreds of pounds of “super meth,” the super-potent —and pure— meth being produced in Mexican drug labs. In 2021, Pima County reported nearly 500 overdose deaths, much of which were caused by a mixture of opioids and stimulants, including meth.

And in Mesa, fentanyl pills are flooding the streets. In 2021, the city reported 811 overdose deaths – more than 12 times higher than in 2017. Mesa Fire and Medical now responds to as many as 200 opioid overdose calls every month.

Steps to Becoming Certified as a Substance Abuse Counselor in Arizona

The Arizona State Board of Behavioral Health Examiners credentials substance abuse counselors in Arizona. Arizona is unique in that it offers three credentials that are usually achieved consecutively:

All three certification levels are permitted to perform substance abuse counseling services. However, hiring preference is often given to counselors with LISAC credentials since they have the legal authority to diagnose and provide clinical services without oversight.

Note: You can skip many of these steps on your way to earning LISAC certification if you already hold or choose to earn more advanced degrees. Here we shown all the required steps to provide a clear progression from one credential to the next but have also included Tip! sections throughout to provide you with options for fast- tracking LISAC certification.

If you’re just getting started without having completed any college, start with Step 1 if you’re interested in associate degree and entry-level certification. If you’re interested in a bachelor’s degree or more advanced certification, skip to Step 4.
If you already hold an associate degree, start with Step 4.
If you already hold a bachelor’s degree, review Step 6.

Here are the steps you’ll need to take to work your way through the credentialing system and become a Licensed Independent Substance Abuse Counselor (LISAC) and provide substance abuse counseling services on an independent basis:

1. Earn a Minimum of an Associate Degree in a Behavioral Health Science Field

2. Apply for LSAT Certification

3. Take and Pass an Approved Exam

4. Earn a Bachelor’s or Higher Degree in an Approved Behavioral Health Science Field and begin accruing experience

5. Apply for LASAC Certification

6. Earn a Master’s Degree and Apply for LISAC Certification

Arizona’s credentialing process to become a substance abuse counselor can be a tricky one. Not to worry. We’ve all been there, and we know the feeling. We’re here to make the process easier with step-by-step instructions, so you can move ahead with confidence.

1. Earn a Minimum of an Associate Degree in a Behavioral Health Science Field

To enter the field as a substance abuse counselor in Arizona, you’ll first complete a two-year associate degree or higher in a behavioral health science field. Your degree must include at least three semesters in the following core content areas:

You may choose to complete an associate or bachelor’s degree program from a regionally accredited college or university; however, if you choose a program that’s accredited by NASAC, you’ll be sure to meet the coursework requirements for certification.

Tip! While you’ll only need to earn an associate degree to qualify for the entry-level Licensed Substance Abuse Technician (LSAT) designation, if you earn a bachelor’s degree, you’ll be well-positioned to earn the Licensed Associate Substance Abuse Counselor (LASAC) designation (see Step 4) after earning LSAT certification.

2. Apply for LSAT Certification

Once you’ve completed the required education, you’ll apply to become a Licensed Substance Abuse Technician (LSAT), the profession’s entry-level credential. All applicants must apply through Boardal, the application portal for the Board of Behavioral Health Examiners. Once the board has approved your application, they’ll send you approval to take the exam and will provide you with instructions for registering for the exam.

3. Take and Pass an Approved Exam

Once you’ve received approval from the board, you must take and pass one of the following exams:

Tip! Though you can qualify for LSAT certification by taking and passing either the IC&RC’s ADC exam or the NAADAC’s Level I exam, if you take and pass the advanced IC&RC’s AADC exam or the NAADAC’s Level II exam, you won’t need to take and pass these exams when applying for LASAC certification.

4. Earn a Bachelor’s or Higher Degree in an Approved Behavioral Health Science Field and Begin Accruing Experience

You must earn a minimum of a bachelor’s degree in an approved behavioral health field and accrue a minimum of 3,200 hours of supervised work experience in substance abuse counseling to transition from the LSAT credential to the Licensed Associate Substance Abuse Counselor (LASAC) credential.

If you’ve already earned a board-approved bachelor’s degree in substance abuse or addiction counseling or one that’s accredited by NASAC, you can now begin accruing the required experience hours.

If you qualified for the LSAT credential through an associate degree program, you’ll need to continue your education and earn an NASAC-accredited or board-approved behavioral health science bachelor’s degree program.

Tip! If you earn a master’s degree in an approved behavioral health science program that includes a supervised practicum of at least 300 hours, you can skip LASAC certification and earn LISAC certification once you complete the required experience hours and take either the IC&RC AADC exam or NAADAC’s Level II exam (see Step 6).

The college or university where you earned your bachelor’s degree will be an excellent resource for finding employment as an LSAT and begin accruing the 3,200 hours of supervised work experience in substance abuse counseling you’ll need for LASAC certification. You must complete this experience in no less than 24 months. Your work experience must include:

At least 1,600 hours of direct client contact involving the use of psychotherapy related to substance use disorder and addiction issues
No more than 400 hours of direct client contact in psychoeducation
At least 100 hours of clinical supervision
At least one hour of clinical supervision in any month where you provide direct client contact

5. Apply for LASAC Certification

If you qualified for LSAT certification through the IC&RC AADC exam or the NAADAC’s Level II exam and have earned a recognized bachelor’s degree, you’ll have everything you need to apply for LASAC certification after satisfying the required experience hours.

Otherwise, you’ll need to apply for LASAC certification and then take and pass the required exam before your LASAC credential can be issued (See Step 3).

6. Earn a Master’s Degree and Apply for LISAC Certification

If you want to practice independently as a substance abuse counselor in Arizona without any oversight or formal supervision, you’ll need to earn certification as a Licensed Independent Substance Abuse Counselor (LISAC).

To qualify for the LISAC designation, you must complete an NASAC-accredited or board-approved behavioral health science master’s degree program that includes a supervised practicum of at least 300 hours.

If you hold LASAC certification, once you complete an approved master’s degree, you’ll qualify for LISAC certification.

If you completed a master’s degree but do NOT have LASAC certification, you’ll need to complete the required experience hours and take and pass the required exam before your LISAC credential can be issued.

All three levels of substance abuse certifications – LSAT, LASAC, LISAC – must be renewed every two years upon the completion of at least 30 clock of hours of continuing education.

Substance Abuse Counselor Jobs in Arizona

The demand for substance abuse counselors in Arizona is expected to remain strong in the coming years, highlighting countless opportunities for those entering or advancing in the field. According to the U.S. Department of Labor, jobs for substance abuse counselors in Arizona are expected to grow by 54 percent in the decade leading up to 2030 – the highest increase in the nation for these jobs during this time. During this ten-year period, the state should see about 1,170 annual job openings in the field due to a blend of new job creation, retirements, and natural job turnover.

According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s (SAMHSA) 2020 National Survey of Substance Abuse Treatment Services, the number of substance abuse treatment facilities in Arizona more than doubled between 2011 and 2020, from 219 to 447. In 2020 alone, Arizona’s substance abuse treatment facilities treated nearly 45,000 people.

Substance Abuse Counselor Jobs in Phoenix, Tucson and Throughout Arizona

According to CDC stats, Pima and Maricopa Counties ranked among the state’s highest for their share of opioid overdose deaths between September 2022 and August 2023. In Pima County (Tucson), the rate of opioid overdose deaths was 47.2 deaths per 100,000 people, and in Maricopa County (Phoenix, Mesa, Scottsdale), it was 41.2 deaths per 100,000 people – both of which surpassed the national rate of 32.2 deaths per 100,000 people during this time.

As expected, job opportunities for Arizona’s substance abuse counselors are plentiful throughout the state. The Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System (AHCCCS), Arizona’s Medicaid program, has four 24/7 Access Point locations that provide immediate treatment for individuals, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. These community facilities provide medication-assisted treatment, counseling, and referrals:

You’ll also find a wealth of other private and nonprofit inpatient and outpatient programs throughout the state. For example, Arizona Women’s Recovery Center in Tucson is a nonprofit that offers outpatient substance abuse treatment services for women, while Positive Pathways in Phoenix offers medicated-assisted programs and outpatient rehab programs.

Substance Abuse Counselor Salary in Phoenix, Tucson, and Flagstaff, Arizona

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), Arizona’s substance abuse counselors earned a starting salary of about $45,410 (25^th percentile), a median salary of $58,640, and a top salary of about $82,740 (90^th percentile) as of May 2023.

Substance Abuse Counselor Degree Options in Arizona

Because Arizona has three levels of certification options in Arizona, all of which have different degree requirements, you’ll find a wealth of degree programs in the behavioral health fields in Arizona offered at the associate, bachelor’s, and master’s levels.

For example, Mohave Community College’s AA in Substance Abuse Counseling is accredited by NASAC and therefore meets the education requirements to become an LSAT in Arizona. Similarly, Kansas-based Ottawa University has a satellite campus in Surprise that offers both a BS and an MA in Addiction Counseling that meet the requirements for LASAC and LISAC certification.

Arizona State University

The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
Accreditation: HLC
Campus, Online

Bachelor's Degrees

Master's Degrees

Graduate Certificates

Grand Canyon University

College of Humanities and Social Sciences
Accreditation: HLC
Campus, Online

Bachelor's Degrees

Master's Degrees

Graduate Certificates

Mohave Community College

Health and Public Services Division
Accreditation: HLC
Online

Undergraduate Certificates

Associate Degrees

Rio Salado College

Behavioral Science and Human Services Field of Interest
Accreditation: HLC
Campus, Online

Undergraduate Certificates

Certificate of Completion (CCL) in Substance Use Prevention and Interventions
CCL in Workforce Development-Foundations in Addictions and Substance Use Disorders
CCL in Addictions and Substance Use Disorders Level I
CCL in Addictions and Substance Use Disorders Level II
CCL in Professional Addictions Counseling

Associate Degrees

Tohono O'odham Community College

Accreditation: HLC
Campus

Undergraduate Certificates

Associate Degrees

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.