With its tropical climate and rich Polynesian culture, Hawaii is arguably one of the most beautiful and unique states in the US. Unfortunately, that distinction comes at a cost—especially when it comes to how substance use disorders affect the lives of the state’s residents.
Due to Hawaii’s isolation, many illicit drugs hit its shores through the mail, which authorities say makes it tough to catch suppliers. In 2022, local law enforcement seized over 1,700 pounds of crystal meth, a drug that locals say has wreaked havoc here for decades. However, officials report that the price of crystal meth has plummeted. Despite record-breaking busts, the supply chain is alive and well.
But whether it’s crystal meth, heroin, or alcohol, studies show that substance use disorders often affect Indigenous Hawaiians the most. For many, poverty and the long-lasting effects of colonization keep recovery resources out of reach.
If you’d like to bring recovery and hope to Hawaiians from all walks of life, this guide will walk you through what it takes to answer the call to become a substance use disorder counselor in Hawaii. To help you plan your career, we’ll also cover salaries, potential employers, and schools where you can learn all about providing compassionate, evidence-based care.
Steps to Becoming Certified as a Substance Abuse Counselor in Hawaii
To become a substance abuse counselor in Hawaii, you’ll need to be certified through the Alcohol and Drug Abuse Division (ADAD) of the Hawaii Department of Health. The ADAD offers five types of certifications:
1. Certified Prevention Specialist (CPS)
2. Certified Substance Abuse Counselor (CSAC)
3. Certified Criminal Justice Professional (CCJP)
4. Certified Clinical Supervisor (CCS)
5. Certified Substance Abuse Program Administrator (CSAPA)
As frontline professionals, Certified Substance Abuse Counselors are trained to help people through any type of substance use disorder. Even if you’d like to enter a more advanced role later in your career, becoming a CSAC in Hawaii can be a great way to gain first-hand experience. In this section, we’ll cover what steps you can take to do just that.
Step 1: Fulfill Basic Education Requirements
Hawaii is one of the few states where you can become a substance use disorder counselor with a high school diploma or GED. However, if you earn a college degree in a field related to behavioral health or a certificate in substance use disorder education, you may not have to complete as many supervised work hours in the next step.
But no matter what your highest level of education is, you’ll have to complete 300 education hours. 270 of those hours must be directly related to the eight domains of substance use disorder counseling:
- Clinical evaluation.
- Treatment planning.
- Referral.
- Service coordination.
- Counseling.
- Client, family, and community education.
- Documentation.
- Professional responsibilities and ethics.
Additionally, you’ll need to take six hours of classes on four topics:
- HIV and sexually-transmitted infections.
- Substance use disorder ethics.
- Confidentiality including 42CFR Part 2 (a federal law about how substance abuse professionals should handle patient records).
- Cultural awareness.
You can earn education hours from two sources: ADAD-approved education providers or accredited colleges and universities.
Earning Hours Through Approved Education Providers
There are many in-person and online classes, seminars, and other training opportunities that can count towards your education hour requirement. Information about approved providers and upcoming events can be found on the ADAD’s training information webpage.
If you’re unsure if a provider or class will count towards your certification, you can contact the ADAD for approval.
Earning Hours Through Accredited College Degree Programs
If you pursue a behavioral health-related degree or certification from an accredited college or university, many of your classes may count towards the 270-hour requirement. The ADAD accepts up to 180 hours of classes about substance use disorders and up to 45 hours of classes about co-occurring disorders. A three-semester-hour college course is usually worth about 45 education hours. However, the ADAD often determines credit on a case-by-case basis.
Step 2: Submit the CSAC Application, Submit Other Forms When Requested, and Attend an Orientation Meeting
Hawaii has a unique form submission process. In many states, applicants send in forms and supporting documents all at once. In Hawaii, you submit these documents in stages.
The first stage is sending the initial CSAC application to the ADAD. This form asks for:
- Biographical data.
- Information regarding any convictions or disciplinary actions taken against you.
- Current and previous employers with an official job title and description submitted by your employer.
- Your highest level of education.
- Three references the ADAD can contact.
- A $25 application fee.
- A signature acknowledging that you’ve read the CSAC Code of Ethics.
After receiving your application, the ADAD will review it, check your references, and run a background check. It usually takes them about eight to 10 weeks to process applications.
Once your application is approved, the ADAD will contact you and open a file on your progress. After your file is opened, the ADAD will ask for official school transcripts and more in-depth information about your work experience. It typically takes the ADAD four to six weeks to review and verify this information.
When that’s complete, the ADAD will help you schedule an orientation meeting so you can learn more about the certification process.
While you need a degree, high school diploma, or equivalent to start this process, you don’t have to have all education or work experience hours completed at this time. However, anything you’ve already completed may count towards certification requirements.
Step 3: Complete Supervised Work Hours
To be eligible for the CSAC credential, you’ll need to complete supervised work experience hours under the guidance of an approved supervisor. Through this step, you’ll get invaluable mentoring and learn how to apply counseling principles to real-world situations.
General Work Experience Hour Requirements
The amount of hours you’ll have to complete depends on what type of degree you have. If you have a:
- High school diploma or equivalent, you’ll need 6,000 hours.
- Bachelor’s degree in a field related to behavioral health or a certificate in substance use education, you’ll need 4,000 hours.
- Master’s degree in a field related to behavioral health, you’ll need 2,000 hours.
In general, any hours spent counseling clients (in groups or individually) whose primary diagnosis is a substance use disorder count towards this requirement. Time spent on duties such as recording client progress and working on treatment plans also qualifies.
Work Experience Hours in the 12 Core Functions
Regardless of how many work experience hours you need, you’ll need to spend 400 of those hours working on the 12 core functions of substance use disorder counselors:
- Screening.
- Intake.
- Orientation.
- Assessment.
- Treatment planning.
- Counseling.
- Case management.
- Crisis intervention
- Client education.
- Referral.
- Report and record keeping.
- Consultation with other professionals regarding client treatment.
To build a solid foundation in each duty, you’ll spend at least 20 hours on each one. Your supervisor can help you determine which areas you should spend the remainder of your hours on.
Finding a Supervisor
If you earned a degree or already work in substance use disorder treatment, your former instructors or more experienced colleagues might make great supervisors. However, your supervisor must meet a few requirements. They must be:
- Employed or contracted by the organization where you’re earning work experience hours.
- A CSAC or higher in Hawaii or another state that certifies counselors through the International Certification and Reciprocity Consortium (IC&RC)—the organization that runs the exam process in the next step.
- Trained and experienced in the 12 core functions.
If you have trouble finding a supervisor in your area, you can ask the ADAD about options during your orientation meeting.
Step 4: Pass the IC&RC Alcohol and Drug Counselor Exam
The final step to becoming a CSAC in Hawaii is passing the IC&RC’s Alcohol and Drug Counselor Exam. The exam fee is $125.
This computer-based exam consists of 150 multiple choice questions covering four topics:
- Screening, assessment, and engagement.
- Referral, treatment planning, and collaboration.
- Counseling and education.
- Ethics and professional responsibilities.
You’ll have three hours to complete the exam. You can choose when and where to take it, but the ADAD only operates a few testing sites so you may have to travel. To prepare, you can use materials found in the IC&RC’s test prep database.
Once you pass, the ADAD will contact you to verify your information within 30 days. After that, you’ll receive your new CSAC certificate by mail in five to 10 business days.
If you don’t pass on the first try, you can retake the exam after 90 days. Applicants who don’t pass after three tries can still become CSACs. To help them improve, the ADAD may assign them more supervised training hours or other types of training.
With a Master’s Degree and More Experience Comes Advanced Certification in Hawaii
As you gain experience in your new role, you might discover that your true passion and talents lie in a specific aspect of being a CSAC. Fortunately, the ADAD offers advanced certifications in a wide variety of specialties:
- Certified Criminal Justice Addictions Professional. Many people who battle substance use disorders run into legal issues. CCJPs are experts in helping people find hope whether they’re incarcerated, on probation or parole, or living in an at-risk community.
- Certified Clinical Supervisor. If you enjoy mentoring new counselors, becoming a CCS can be a great way to help Hawaii’s recovery network grow.
- Certified Substance Abuse Program Administrator. Recovery centers of all kinds need administrators who don’t only know the ins and outs of budgeting, but know how to design programs that truly help people.
Requirements vary, but you’ll need to acquire relevant experience for each role, go through a little more training, and pass another exam. While not always required, many people prepare for advanced certifications by pursuing bachelor’s or master’s degrees.
Substance Abuse Counselor Jobs in Honolulu, Maui, and Throughout Hawaii
If you’re looking for substance abuse counselor jobs in Hawaii, the capital of Honolulu on O’ahu is a great place to start. In addition to many independent providers, the city is home to The Queen’s Medical Center and Moanalua Medical Center, both of which provide substance use disorder services. On Maui, Maui Behavioral Health Resources operates a network of mental health, substance use disorder, and youth and family services centers.
You can explore other job opportunities through:
- The Ohana Addiction Treatment Center: A center in Kailua Kona that combines holistic wellbeing with evidence-based treatments.
- The Big Island Substance Abuse Council: A recovery services provider with multiple locations on Hawai’i.
- The Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation: The government agency responsible for overseeing jails, prisons, and probation programs in Hawaii.
- The Bobby Benson Center: A center founded in 1990 in Kahuku that specializes in residential youth recovery services and co-occurring disorders.
For more opportunities, you can explore state-wide efforts sponsored by the ADAD. Through projects such as the Hawai’i Opioid Initiative and Hawaii CARES, ADAD partners with local substance use disorder recovery organizations to bring services to every segment of the population. Hawaii is also a hub for many privately-owned recovery centers that serve people from all over the country.
Substance Abuse Counselor Salary in Honolulu, Maui, and Throughout Hawaii
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, substance abuse counselors in Hawaii make a median salary of $46,740 as of May 2023. Entry-level counselors in the state often make around $45,950 while the highest-earning professionals make about $99,290 and up. However, your own salary expectations may vary based on exact location.
- Honolulu. As of May 2023, substance abuse counselors in Honolulu make a median salary of $46,040. New counselors typically make about $45,950. Experienced counselors sometimes make around $99,290.
- Maui. In the Kahului-Wailuku-Lahaina area on Maui, the median wage for substance abuse counselors is $49,610 with early-career professionals making about $46,760 as of May 2023. The highest earners in the area make about $93,150.
Substance Abuse Counselor Degree Options in Hawaii
Even though Hawaii is one of the smallest states by size and population, you’ll find no shortage of college programs that can help you become a CSAC. For instance, many of the 10 schools in the University of Hawaii Community College system offer two-year substance abuse and addictions studies certification programs. These programs:
- Are specifically designed to help students meet CSAC requirements.
- Include online learning options.
- Often offer hands-on practicum experiences.
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.
If you’d like to get a degree in the broader field of behavioral health, Chaminade University in Honolulu offers both a bachelor’s in psychology (available online) and a Master’s in Counseling Psychology. Brigham Young University in Laie offers a bachelor’s of social work with classes on substance use disorders. Though not solely focused on counseling, these types of programs can prepare you to help people through substance use disorders, mental health issues, and more.
2023 US Bureau of Labor Statistics salary figures for Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors. Job growth projections 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 April 2024.