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MANDATORY ALCOHOL AND OTHER DRUG COUNSELOR CERTIFICATION

Regulations requiring those who work as a counselor in any program certified or licensed by the California Department of Alcohol and Drug Programs went into effect on April 1, 2005.  The entire set of those counselor certification regulations is available at www.adp.ca.gov (recommended reading).

The regulations designate ten different organizations as certifying entities that the Department will recognize.  The California Association of Drinking Driver Programs (CADDTP) is one of the ten.

The regulations provide two ways to become certified:

(1) COUNSELOR CERTIFICATION BY TESTING:

Section 13025 of the regulations provides for certification by testing based on cumulative experience or education.  These requirements allow those who meet the specified experience (five full years) or who hold a post-secondary degree in chemical dependency to “test-out” (or “test-in”, as some would say) to be certified.  The regulations allow this option only until April 1, 2007.

The next exam is currently scheduled for March 24, 2007.  Since eligibility to take the exam must be determined at least sixty days in advance of each exam, applications to be certified under Section 13025 are no longer being accepted by CADDTP.

(2) INITIAL CERTIFICATION FOR THOSE NOT ELIGIBLE FOR TESTING AND THOSE NOT PREVIOUSLY CERTIFIED:

The regulations require those who have not previously been certified, i.e., have not been “grandfathered”, as provided in Section 13020, to register with one of the certifying entities by October 1, 2005, or within six (6) months of initial employment with a certified or

licensed program, whichever comes later.  The registration form is available in down-loadable format below.

It is highly recommended that individuals seeking certification obtain and read the state regulations regarding certification.  As noted, they are available at www.adp.ca.gov.  Section 13040 of these regulations establishes the minimum requirements for initial certification:

• 155 hours of formal classroom education related to alcohol and or other drug topics or other specified areas (see regulations for more detail).  NOTE:  The regulations allow certifying organizations to have higher than the minimum requirements.  CADDTP will require a minimum of 320 hours of formal classroom education in the areas specified in the regulations.  The education should be obtained in a program approved by the California Association for Alcohol and Drug Educators (CAADE).  There are approximately two dozen such programs throughout California.  A list of their locations can be obtained at www.caade.org.  Any other education must be obtained at an accreditedpost-secondary institution and must be pre-approved by CAADTP.
  
• Completion of 160 hours of documented “supervised” training in an alcohol or other drug (AOD) setting (see regulations for more detail).
  
• Completion of 2080 hours or more of paid or unpaid counseling services in an AOD program.  This experience can be obtained prior to, after, or at the same time as the education and supervised training required above.
  
• Obtain a passing score on a written examination approved by CADDTP.  NOTE:  This exam will be administered at least twice a year for CADDTP by CAADE at least four locations throughout California.
  
• Sign a statement documenting whether your prior certification as an AOD counselor, if any, has ever been revoked; and
  
• Sign, and agree to abide by, CADDTP’s code of ethics.  NOTE:  This will be required at the time of registration.  The code of ethics is also available below in downloadable format.

Fees Required:  At registration = $50 / Prior to the exam = $50 (each time) / Prior to certification = $150. The total cost of certification (if only one exam is required) is $250.  Payment may be made by check, money order or credit card.  There is an information form to pay be credit card.

NOTE:  The forms for registration, the code of ethics and credit card payment may also be obtained by calling either of the toll-free numbers noted above.

• Click Here to download the Candidate Information Handbook.


• Click Here to download the latest version of the TAP 21 manual.


• Click Here to download the Registration Form.


• Click Here to download the Code of Ethics.


• Click Here to download the Credit Card Authorization Form.