Steps to Earning Substance Abuse Counselor Certification in New Jersey

That training will prime you for the 3,000 hours of supervised work experience you’ll then acquire performing those exact same 12 core functions in the course of your daily duties. The minimum timeline for acquiring this experience is two years, with no more than 1,500 hours per year. All hours must be completed during the five year period prior to submitting your application.

This experience can be paid or voluntary, but it must involve direct work with clients in recovery from alcohol or other substance addictions, and it must relate to the 12 core functions of alcohol and drug counseling.

During this period, you must have at least 50 hours of direct face-to-face supervision per year, averaging one hour per week, with no more than 25 hours of that being in group counseling. The remaining hours you’ll accumulate while working under general supervision, which just means a qualified supervisor is on-site to review your work and case documentation.

Your work experience can come from multiple agencies and can be part-time as long as the 3,000-hour requirement is met within the five-year period.

During this period, you’ll also need to attend no fewer than 30 group meetings. At least 5 of these must be delivered through AA (Alcoholics Anonymous), another 5 must be through Narcotics Anonymous (NA), and other 5 through Alanon. The remaining 15 can be through any self-help addiction recovery meeting open to the public.

3. Apply for the Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor (CADC) Credential

After completing your supervised training and work experience, the next step to becoming a Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor (CADC) in New Jersey is to apply for the credential.

Begin by obtaining and completing the application form from the New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs website. You will need to provide detailed information about your educational background and work experience, including documentation of the 3,000 hours of supervised work experience within the past five consecutive years.

Gather official transcripts to verify that you have completed the required 270 hours of alcohol and drug education, and provide evidence of completing 300 hours of supervised practical training.

Once you submit all required materials along with a non-refundable application fee of $75, you’re ready to move on to the final step in becoming a CADC in New Jersey!

4. Take and Pass the CADC Exam Administered by the IC&RC

The final step to becoming a Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor (CADC) in New Jersey is to take and pass the required exams. These exams include both written and oral components developed by the International Certification Reciprocity Consortium (IC&RC).

After your application is approved by the Alcohol and Drug Counselor Committee, you will receive a letter authorizing you to schedule your exams. The written exam, which you must pass before taking the oral exam, tests your knowledge of the 12 core functions of addiction counseling. The oral exam involves a case presentation where you will respond to specific questions about a case study, demonstrating your practical application of counseling skills.

To register for the exams, you must contact the Addiction Professionals Certification Board of New Jersey (APCBNJ). Exam dates and locations are provided on the APCBNJ website. The written exam is an international alcohol and drug proficiency test, and you can find an IC&RC study guide by visiting their website. The oral exam involves a case presentation where you will respond to specific questions about a case study, demonstrating your practical application of counseling skills.

The exams are administered quarterly in Middlesex County. You will receive your exam scores by mail within eight weeks. If you do not pass the exams after three attempts, you must complete additional coursework in the areas where you demonstrated deficiencies before reapplying.

Good luck with your exams and remember that thorough preparation is key to your success. With dedication and the right resources, you’ll be well on your way to becoming a Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor in New Jersey.

With a Master’s Degree You Can Become a Licensed Clinical Alcohol and Drug Counselor (LCADC)

The only bar to clear to becoming a Licensed Clinical Alcohol and Drug Counselor (LCADC) in New Jersey is earning a master’s degree in substance use disorder counseling, addictions studies, or a related field. All supervised experience, clinical training, and exam requirements are identical to those you’ve already completed in the course of becoming a CADC, so you can check them off as done.

Earning a master’s degree isn’t exactly a small bar to clear, but it’s one that’s well worth the effort to be able to practice independently and bring the most advanced knowledge and skills to the table when serving clients.

You’ll have to make sure your master’s program includes at least 18 graduate semester hours in counseling distributed among the following areas: