Counselor Certification Regulations

Counselor Certification Regulations are now in place.

• CCAC Meeting on July 30, 2007 (PDF)
• CCAC Meeting on March 5, 2007 (PDF)
• CCAC Meeting on November 20, 2007 (PDF)
• Consent For The Release Of Confidential Information Form (PDF)
• Counselor Certification Scholarship (PDF)
• Counselor Certification Regulations (WORD)
  
• Counselor Certification--Statement of Reasons (PDF)

As of April 1, 2005, the counselor certification regulations, Title 9, Division 4, Chapter 8, specifically named ten counselor certifying organizations, Section 13035, for the purpose of certifying alcohol and drug counselors working in California.

These regulations allow currently-employed counselors five years in which to become certified. Certification will be based upon the Addiction Counseling Competencies: The Knowledge, Skills and Attitudes of Professional Practice (TAP 21), published by the Center for Substance Abuse Treatment, available through the ADP, Resource Center. TAP 21 includes understanding addiction, treatment knowledge, application to practice, and professional readiness.

To be considered for inclusion in the list of counselor certifying organizations you must apply to and become accredited by the NCCA, at www.noca.org and meet all other requirements in the regulations, Section 13035.

Nine of the original ten organizations responsible for certifying alcohol and drug counselors in California have now received accreditation by the National Commission for Certifying Agencies (NCCA), as listed alphabetically below:

Association of Christian Alcohol & Drug Counselors- NCCA ACCREDITED
Post Office Box 8604
Redlands, CA 92375
(909) 795-5655      www.acadc.org
Email:    acadc@acadc.org

Breining Institute - NCCA ACCREDITED
8894 Greenback Lane
Orangevale, CA 95662
(916) 987-2007      www.breining.edu
Email:    college@breining.edu

California Association for Alcohol and Drug Educators (CAADE) - NCCA ACCREDITED
Attention: Becca Porter
P. O. Box 7297
Ventura, CA 93006
(805) 641-1677   www.caade.org
Email:    webmaster@caade.org

California Association of Alcoholism and Drug Abuse Counselors (CAADAC) - NCCA ACCREDITED
3400 Bradshaw Road, Suite A-5
Sacramento, CA 95827
(916) 368-9412      www.caadac.org
Email:    counselors@caadac.org

California Association of Addiction Recovery Resources (CAARR) - NCCA ACCREDITED
2921 Fulton Avenue
Post Office Box 214127
Sacramento, CA 95821
(916) 338-9460    www.caarr.org
Email:    caarr@caarr.org

California Association of Drinking Driver Treatment Programs (CADDTP) - NCCA ACCREDITED
1731 Howe Avenue, PMB #352
Sacramento, CA 95825-2209
(800) 464-3597    www.caddtp.org
Email:    info@caddtp.org

California Certification Board of Chemical Dependency Counselors (CCBCDC) - NCCA ACCREDITED
65 Pine Avenue, #325
Long Beach, CA 90802
(562) 624-1111    www.californiacertificationboard.org
Email:    info@californiacertificationboard.org

Forensic Addictions Corrections Treatment (FACT) - NCCA ACCREDITED
565 Pearl Street, Suite 306
La Jolla, CA 92037-5051
(858) 551-6675    www.factcertification.com
Email:    fact@ucsd.edu

Indian Alcoholism Commission of California, Inc. - NCCA ACCREDITED
2755 Cottage Way, Suite 17
Sacramento, CA 95825
(916) 488-0788     www.iaccinc.net
Email:    iacc@iaccinc.net

The American Academy of Health Care Providers (referred to as the Academy) has not yet been accredited by the NCCA.

American Academy of Health Care Providers
731 South Highway 101, Suite 1E, Room 7
Solana Beach, CA 92075
(858) 693-7470      www.americanacademy.org
Email:    info@americanacademy.org

In compliance with Section 13035 of the Counselor Certification Regulations, the Department of Alcohol and Drug Programs (ADP) has prepared written notification to the Academy that it is no longer approved to certify AOD counselors. The letter will be mailed by October 5, 2007 to comply with the requirements of the regulations.

The Academy is now required to send written notification to each of their State of California AOD-recognized counselors registered with or certified by the Academy (Section 13035), including:

(1) Before expiration of their certification or within six months of the notice (whichever is sooner), the counselor shall register with one of the other certifying organizations, listed   above;

(2) The AOD counselor remains valid only if the registered or certified counselor re-registers as required;

(3) The new certifying organization will applicable credit for any continuing education credits earned; and,

(4) Will give sufficient credit for education and experience completed to place the registrant at an equivalent level.

The requirements for renewal of a counselor’s certification are contained in the California Code of Regulations, Chapter 8, and Section 13055. The final text of regulations is located on ADP’s web site at: Final Regulations

Specifically, Section 13055 (l) states “If certification as an AOD counselor has not been revoked, the certifying organization shall renew the AOD counselor’s certification upon documentation of the completion of a minimum of forty (40) hours of continuing education and payment of a renewal fee as specified by the certifying organization”.

The renewal date is determined by the documentation of the completion of the minimum hours of continuing education and the payment of renewal fees, a backdated certificate would not comply with the above mentioned regulation.

For further information, please contact Dianna Cervantes, Analyst, Licensing and Certification Division at (916) 323-0389 or by e-mail at: dcervantes@adp.ca.gov

Last Updated: October 30, 2007