To become a substance abuse counselor in Maine, you’ll earn 30 credit hours in addiction counseling or a behavioral science degree, pass the IC&RC ADC exam to obtain Certified Alcohol & Drug Counselor (CAC) certification, complete 2,000 hours of supervised experience, then pass the AADC exam for Licensed Alcohol & Drug Counselor (LC) status, allowing independent practice.
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The scourge of addiction has left no region or town in Maine untouched, and it’s showing no signs of slowing down. In fact, just the opposite. In 2022, 716 people in the state died of drug overdoses, a record number and a 13 percent increase from the previous year. Eight out of ten overdose deaths here are now attributed to fentanyl.
In big cities like Portland, homeless encampments have become the grim face of the drug epidemic in Maine. Despite city workers routinely clearing encampments like the park-and-ride lot on Marginal Way, Portland’s unhoused population, a large proportion of whom are estimated to suffer from substance use disorder, makes its way back to these spots that become hotbeds for crime and open drug use. In the first three months of 2023 alone, Portland reported 96 overdoses and 11 overdose deaths.
There’s no easy solution to Maine’s multifaceted and multilayered drug epidemic, one that is being fueled by highly addictive and deadly opioids like fentanyl. But that hasn’t stopped Maine’s recovery community of advocates, volunteers, and credentialed professionals like Licensed Alcohol & Drug Counselors (LC) from looking for new ways to reach those afflicted by substance use disorder with life-saving resources and services.
Whether your career aspirations take you to community shelters that provide rapid care and counseling for the state’s unhoused population, to major hospital systems that provide medical detox and long-term residential care, or to outpatient rehabilitation centers that offer a host of recovery services and resources aimed at achieving long-term sobriety, a career as a substance abuse counselor in Maine offers outstanding opportunities to make a difference in the lives of those suffering from substance use disorder.
Steps to Becoming Certified as a Substance Abuse Counselor in Maine
The Maine Board of Alcohol & Drug Counselors within the Office of Professional and Occupational Regulation (OPOR) offers several levels of substance abuse counselor certification:
- Alcohol & Drug Counseling Aide (AD) – Entry-level apprenticeship designation
- Certified Alcohol & Drug Counselor (CAC) – Associate-level certification that allows you to provide substance abuse counseling services only under the supervision of a CCS within an agency
- Licensed Alcohol & Drug Counselor (LC) – Allows you to provide alcohol and drug counseling services independently within an agency or in private practice
- Certified Clinical Supervisor (CCS) – Allows you to provide supervision to individuals who provide alcohol and drug counseling services
In this guide we take you through the process of becoming a Licensed Alcohol & Drug Counselor (LC), which will allow you to provide independent substance abuse counseling services without supervision. We’ve also detailed the process of becoming a Certified Clinical Supervisor (CCS) if you intend to continue on to earn this credential later in your career.
Here are the steps you’ll take to become a Licensed Alcohol & Drug Counselor in Maine:
- Complete 30 Credit Hours of Education from an Accredited Institution
- Take and Pass the Required Exam and Apply for Certified Alcohol & Drug Counselor (CAC) Certification
- Complete 2,000 Hours of Supervised Work Experience in Alcohol and Drug Counseling
- Take and Pass the AADC Exam, if Necessary, and Apply for Licensed Alcohol & Drug Counselor (LC) Certification
- Consider the Value of Earning Certified Clinical Supervisor (CCS) Certification
1. Complete 30 Credit Hours of Education from an Accredited Institution
The first step to becoming a substance abuse counselor in Maine involves earning a minimum of 30 credit hours of education from an accredited institution in the following areas:
- Psychology
- Crisis identification and intervention
- Group process
- Introduction to Social Service Systems
- Chemical dependency
- Chemical dependency counseling
- Career experience in social and rehabilitative services
- Models of addiction
- Addiction and the family
- Substance abuse counseling for special populations
- Case management
- Introduction to community mental health
- Psychosocial rehabilitation
- Interviewing and counseling
- Crisis identification and resolution
- Substance abuse with a dual diagnosis component
- Sexual abuse: trauma and recovery
- Mental health and aging
- Cultural competency/diversity
- Vocational aspects of disability
You can satisfy these requirements through the completion of a certificate program offered through a number of Maine community colleges and four-year universities.
You can also meet the educational requirements for CAC certification by earning an associate degree or higher in the behavioral sciences, addiction counseling, or in one of the following related fields:
- Social and behavioral sciences
- Social work
- Counseling
- Childhood development
- Education and human development
- Mental health and human services
- Nursing
- Psychology/educational psychology
- Rehabilitation services
Tip! An associate degree may provide a smoother and more streamlined path to LC certification in Maine. Most programs at the associate degree level and above include a field experience/practicum where you’ll begin gaining valuable experience in the field. The school through which you earned your degree will be able to connect you with organizations/agencies where you can begin earning the experience you’ll need for LC certification.
2. Take and Pass the Required Exam and Apply for Certified Alcohol & Drug Counselor (CAC) Certification
Once you complete the required education, you’ll apply to take the International Certification & Reciprocity Consortium (IC&RC) Examination for Alcohol and Drug Counselors (ADC).
Tip! You may choose to take the Advanced Alcohol and Drug Counselor (AADC) exam instead of the ADC exam during this time. If you take and pass the AADC, you won’t need to take (and pay for) the AADC again when preparing for LC certification. This means taking and paying for just one exam total rather than two.
You must complete the Maine IC&RC Alcohol and Drug Counselor (ADC) or the Maine IC&RC Advanced Alcohol and Drug Counselor (AADC) exam Eligibility form (available on the board’s website) and pay the required fee.
You’ll receive notice from the IC&RC within ten days with instructions detailing how to schedule your examination.
Once you’ve passed the ADC or AADC exam, you’ll apply for CAC certification, which includes completing an online application and providing proof of the required education and passing exam score.
3. Complete a Minimum of 2,000 Hours of Supervised Work Experience in Alcohol and Drug Counseling
Now that you’ve achieved the CAC credential, it’s time to land a job and gain the experience you’ll need to earn the Licensed Alcohol & Drug Counselor (LC) designation, so you can practice independently, without supervision.
You cannot begin accruing the 2,000 hours of supervised experience until you’ve earned your CAC credential and are working under the supervision of a Certified Clinical Supervisor (CCS). The CCS supervising your work will need to document your hours through the Supervisor’s Affidavit, which is required when applying for LC certification.
If you earned an associate degree, you may be able to continue earning the required experience with the same agency where you completed your fieldwork experience. Your college or university will be an excellent resource for helping you locate an agency where you can satisfy the supervised experience requirement.
4. Take and Pass the AADC Exam, if Necessary, and Apply for Licensed Alcohol & Drug Counselor (LC) Certification
If you’ve already taken and passed the AADC exam (see Step 2), you’ll be ready to apply for LC certification once you’ve satisfied the experience requirements. This includes completing an online application and providing proof of the required education and passing exam score.
If you previously passed only the ADC exam, you’ll need to take and pass the AADC exam before applying for LC certification (see Step 2).
Your LC certification renews yearly on November 30. You’ll need to complete at least 25 contact hours of continuing professional education, including at least four hours in professional ethics, every two years to maintain your license (due every odd-numbered year).
5. Consider the Value of Earning Certified Clinical Supervisor (CCS) Certification
Now that you hold LC certification, you can easily become a Certified Clinical Supervisor (CCS) and help other aspiring substance abuse counselors in Maine become Licensed Alcohol & Drug Counselors (LCs).
Active LCs can achieve the CCS designation by completing 24 hours of training in clinical supervision, which includes at least six hours of training in each of the following areas: skills assessment and evaluation, counselor development, management and administration, and professional responsibility.
Once you achieve both LC and CCS certification, you’ll need to renew both credentials annually. You’ll also need to complete at least 37 contact hours of continuing professional education every two years (due every odd-numbered year), four of which must be in professional ethics.
How to Become a Substance Abuse Counselor in Maine Without a Degree
It is possible to become a substance abuse counselor in Maine without earning a post-secondary education or degree by first earning the Alcohol & Drug Counseling Aide (AD) credential and completing at least 4,000 hours (about two years) of licensed supervised work experience hours in alcohol and drug counseling services.
To earn AD certification, you must be at least 18 years old, you must pass the ADC exam, and you must have a job lined up that includes working with a Maine Certified Clinical Supervisor (CCS) who is willing to take you on under a supervisory role.
Once you satisfy the required hours (which must be documented), you’ll meet the requirements to apply for CAC certification.
Substance Abuse Counselor Jobs in Maine
Governor Janet Mills has been fully committed to making significant behavioral health investments in Maine, which include increasing funding for and making investments toward the purchase and distribution of naloxone, adding more than 140 new residential treatment beds for substance use disorder between 2021 and 2022, and providing behavioral health providers with much-needed funding to expand treatment capacity and increase the number of patients they serve. The Mills administration also created the OPTIONS program, which has created response teams throughout the state that promote drug prevention and harm reduction strategies, help people locate treatment services, and distribute naloxone.
These types of major efforts to curb substance use disorder reflect a growing need for certified substance abuse counselors throughout the state. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s (SAMHSA) 2020 National Survey of Substance Abuse Treatment Services reports that Maine was home to 196 substance abuse treatment facilities that treated nearly 11,000 people in 2020 alone.
Substance Abuse Counselor Jobs in Portland, Lewiston, Bangor and Throughout Maine
According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), the number of opioid overdose deaths in Maine’s largest counties between September 2022 and August 2023 far exceeded the national rate during this time of 32.2 deaths per 100,000 people:
- Cumberland County (Portland): 45.5 deaths per 100,000 people
- Androscoggin County (Lewiston): 67.2 deaths per 100,000 people
- Penobscot County (Bangor): 63.8 deaths per 100,000 people
As a result, the state’s big cities of Portland, Lewiston, and Bangor are where you’ll find a wealth of job opportunities in substance abuse counseling.
In Portland, a number of major centers provide a continuum of care for those suffering from substance use disorder. For example, Liberty Bay Recovery Center offers residential programs, a partial hospitalization program, an intensive outpatient program, a community outpatient program, and aftercare services. Other established treatment centers in the Portland area include Pine Tree Recovery Center, Casco Bay Recovery, and the South Portland Comprehensive Treatment Center.
In Lewiston, licensed substance abuse counselors provide individualized treatment plans at places like Health Care Resource Centers and oversee counseling groups at places like Groups Recover Together Lewiston. And in Bangor, programs like Wellspring provide treatment at halfway houses for both men and women.
Substance Abuse Counselor Salary in Portland, Lewiston, and Bangor, Maine
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), substance abuse counselors in Maine earned a median salary of $53,900 as of May 2023, which is on par with the national median of $53,110 for this profession. Early-career (25th percentile) substance abuse counselors in Maine earned about $42,030 during this time, while those at the top of their field (90th percentile) earned about $83,570.
Substance abuse counselors in Bangor reported the highest median salary among the state’s metro areas as of May 2023, while the Lewiston metro area came out on top for its top pay of substance abuse counselors during this time:
- Bangor: $47,160 (25th percentile), $59,040 (median), $79,050 (90th percentile)
- Lewiston (also includes Auburn): $35,150 (25th percentile), $47,470 (median), $86,310 (90th percentile)
- Portland: $47,360 (25th percentile), $57,020 (median), $83,580 (90th percentile)
For more detailed salary information across different career levels and regions, visit our comprehensive substance abuse counselor salary guide.
Substance Abuse Counselor Degree Options in Maine
Associate and bachelor’s degrees in the behavioral sciences and in addiction counseling provide a solid foundation for a career in substance abuse counseling in Maine. For example, the University of Maine at Augusta offers both an AS and BS in Mental Health & Human Services, while Southern Maine Community College offers an AAS in Human Services.
A number of programs in Maine are recognized as meeting the 30-hour coursework requirement for certification, including the University of Maine at Augusta’s Substance Abuse Rehabilitation Technician Certificate and the University of Southern Maine’s Mental Health Rehabilitation Technician Certificate.
Beal University
School of Health Sciences
Accreditation: ACCSC
Online
Associate Degrees
- AAS in Addiction Counseling
Bachelor’s Degrees
- Diploma in Addiction Counseling
- BS in Addiction Counseling
Eastern Maine Community College
Accreditation: NECHE
Campus
Undergraduate Certificates
- Certificate – Substance Abuse Rehabilitation Technician
Associate Degrees
- AAS in Human Services with a Substance Abuse pathway
University of Maine at Augusta
Mental Health and Human Services Department
Accreditation: NECHE
Campus, Online
Undergraduate Certificates
- Certificate – Substance Abuse Rehabilitation Technician
Bachelor’s Degrees
- BS in Mental Health and Human Services – Addiction Counseling concentration
- Minor in Addiction Studies
Graduate Certificates
- Graduate Certificate in Substance Use Disorders
University of Maine at Presque Isle
Criminal Justice Department
Accreditation: NECHE
Campus
Undergraduate Certificates
- Certificate – Drug Policy and Intervention
Washington County Community College
Human Services Department
Accreditation: NECHE
Campus
Undergraduate Certificates
- Certificate – Substance Use and Recovery
Associate Degrees
- AAS in Human Services – Substance Use and Recovery program
Key Takeaways
- Maine offers four certification levels: AD (entry-level), CAC (supervised practice), LC (independent practice), and CCS (clinical supervisor)
- The path to Licensed Alcohol & Drug Counselor (LC) certification requires 30 credit hours of education (or an associate/bachelor’s degree), passing the IC&RC exam, 2,000 supervised experience hours, and the AADC exam
- You can become a substance abuse counselor in Maine without a degree by earning AD certification and completing 4,000 supervised hours before applying for CAC status
- Maine substance abuse counselors earn a median salary of $53,900, with higher salaries in Bangor ($59,040 median) and top earners in Lewiston reaching $86,310
- Major job opportunities exist in Portland, Lewiston, and Bangor, where opioid overdose rates exceed the national average and treatment facilities are expanding
- Multiple Maine colleges offer qualifying programs, including certificate programs, associate degrees, and bachelor’s degrees in addiction counseling and behavioral sciences
Ready to Begin Your Substance Abuse Counseling Career in Maine?
Explore degree programs and certification paths that align with your goals. Whether you’re starting fresh or building on existing education, Maine offers multiple pathways to make a difference in the lives of those struggling with addiction.
Explore Degree Options2023 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.
