District of Columbia Certification

District of Columbia Certification Board for Professional Alcohol and Drug Counselors (DCCB)

• Certified Addictions Counselor - Entry Level I - Non-Reciprocal (CAC)
• Certified Alcoholism and Drug Addictions Counselor - Advanced Level (CADC)
• Certified Clinical Supervisor - (CCS)
• Certified Prevention Specialist (CPS) (Non-reciprocal)
• Certified Prevention Professional - Advanced Level (CPP) (Reciprocal)
• Certified Criminal Justice Addictions Specialist - (Entry Level-Non-reciprocal)
• Certified Criminal Justice Addictions Professional - (Advanced Level)
• Recertification

• Certified Addiction Counselor - Level I
• Certified Addiction Counselor - Level II

District of Columbia Certification Board for Professional Alcohol and Drug Counselors (DCCB)

1244 19th Street, NW Suite 20
Washington, DC 20036
phone (202) 637-0124 pr (301) 439-5909
fax (301) 439-1384
www.dccbpadc.com

Requirements

Certified Addictions Counselor - Entry Level I - Non-Reciprocal (CAC):

• 4,000 hours (2 years) supervised experience working in the field of chemical dependency treatment. May be paid or volunteer position. Can include work with alcoholics or individuals addicted to other drugs; must have taken place within the past 5 years from date of application.
• 200 hours of Clinical Supervision. Document hours where a person providing guidance and assessment evaluated your work. Individual providing supervision must be a Level II Certified Addictions Counselor, Certified Clinical Supervisor (with an active credential), a NAADAC Level II or MAC credential, an Addictionologist certified by the AMA or ASAM, or a Certified Chemical Dependency Nurse by the Nurses' Board. Can take place in more than 1 facility by more than 1 supervisor. Individual should go over core function areas during supervision and keep a log of time spent in these sessions in each area. Supervision must be provided over, at least, a 1-year period.
• 200 hours of education/training. At least 67 of which must be in substance abuse-specific training in addiction treatment. 6 hours of this training must be in Ethics; 6 in HIV/AIDS and 6 in DSM-IV (R) mental health/dual diagnosis. The minimum number of hours for each performance domain must be met.
• High School diploma/equivalent or greater
• Passage of the written exam
• 4 written reference on the Board forms, 3 from co-workers familiar with your work in addictions treatment and 1 from your direct supervisor.
• Signed notarized release form and ethics statement
• Completion of Board's applications and all forms included therein
• Payment of a non-refundable processing fee. There is a $35 returned check charge for all checks returned from applicant's bank.

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Certified Alcoholism and Drug Addictions Counselor - Advanced Level (CADC):

• 10,000 hours (5 years working full-time) of supervised experience in the field of chemical dependency treatment. Must be obtained over past 10 years.
• 400 hours in courses related to chemical dependency treatment. 6 hours must be in Ethics, 6 in HIV/AIDS, and 6 in DMS-IV (R) mental health/dual diagnosis and 1/3 of training hours have to be substance abuse specific training in addictions treatment. The minimum number of hours in each performance domain must be met.
• 400 hours of clinical supervision. Supervision should have, at least, taken place over a 5-year period. In each performance domain the minimum number of hours must have been met for each area. Clinical supervision must have been obtained minimally over a 2-year period. Individual providing supervision must be a Level II Certified Addictions Counselor, Certified Clinical Supervisor (with an active credential), a NAADAC LEVEL II or MAC credential, an Addictionologist certified by the AMA or ASAM, or Certified Chemical Dependency Nurse by the Nurses' Board.
• Bachelor's degree in mental health or related field of study or greater.
• Passage of the written examination and the Case presentation examination
• 4 written reference on the Board forms, 3 from co-workers familiar with your work in addictions treatment and 1 from your direct supervisor.
• Signed notarized release form and ethics statement
• Completion of Board's applications and all forms included therein
• Payment of a non-refundable processing fee. There is a $35 returned check charge for all checks returned from applicant's bank.

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Certified Clinical Supervisor - (CCS):

• An active CADC certification at the Advanced Level
• 5 years (10,000 hours) working as a counselor in AODA treatment to include receipt of 200 hours of face-to-face clinical supervision; 2 years (4,000 hours) working as a supervisor in AODA treatment
• 30 hours of didactic training in clinical supervision to include assessment/evaluation, counselor development, management/administration, ethics and professional responsibility
• Passage of a written examination
• 4 written reference on the Board forms, 3 from co-workers familiar with your work in addictions treatment and 1 from your direct supervisor.
• Signed notarized release form and ethics statement
• Completion of Board's applications and all forms included therein
• Payment of a non-refundable processing fee. There is a $35 returned check charge for all checks returned from applicant's bank.

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Certified Prevention Specialist (CPS) (Non-reciprocal):

• AA degree in a Human Service Field or minimum of 3 years of ATOD prevention experience
• Verification of 1 year (2,000 hours) of ATOD prevention experience
• Verification of 60 hours of clinical supervision in at least 4 of the 6 performance domains: Program Coordination, Education and Training, Community Organization, Public Policy, Professional Growth and Responsibility, Planning and Evaluation (minimum of 10 hours in each)
• Verification of 100 hours of training/education; 50 must be prevention-specific and the other 50 must be specific to ATOD training
• Passage of the written exam
• 4 written reference on the Board forms, 3 from co-workers familiar with your work in addictions treatment and 1 from your direct supervisor.
• Signed notarized release form and ethics statement
• Completion of Board's applications and all forms included therein
• Payment of a non-refundable processing fee. There is a $35 returned check charge for all checks returned from applicant's bank.

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Certified Prevention Professional - Advanced Level (CPP) (Reciprocal):

• BA degree in Human Services or minimum of 4 years managerial experience in ATOD prevention work
• Verification of 2 years (4,000 hours) in ATOD prevention experience
• Verification of 120 hours of clinical supervision in the 6 performance domains: Program Coordination, Education and Training, Community Organization, Public Policy, Professional Growth and Responsibility, Planning and Evaluation (minimum of 10 hours in each)
• Verification of 100 hours of training/education; 50 must be prevention-specific and the other 50 must be specific to ATOD training
• Passage of the written exam
• 4 written reference on the Board forms, 3 from co-workers familiar with your work in addictions treatment and 1 from your direct supervisor.
• Signed notarized release form and ethics statement
• Completion of Board's applications and all forms included therein
• Payment of a non-refundable processing fee. There is a $35 returned check charge for all checks returned from applicant's bank.

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Certified Criminal Justice Addictions Specialist - (Entry Level-Non-reciprocal):

• 4,000 hours (2 years full-time employment) in direct services in criminal justice and addictions (must be supervised work experience) must be obtained over the past 5 years
• 150 hours of clinical supervision must be obtained over the past 5 years
• 150 hours of classroom documented, verifiable, training/education with the following hours: 30 general counseling, 50 addictions, 54 criminal justice, 6 ethics, 6 HIV/AIDS, 4 mental health/dual disorders. Addiction training must have been obtained over the past 5 years.
• Passage of a examination (exempt through grandfathering period)
• 4 written reference on the Board forms, 3 from co-workers familiar with your work in addictions treatment and 1 from your direct supervisor.
• Signed notarized release form and ethics statement
• Completion of Board's applications and all forms included therein
• Payment of a non-refundable processing fee. There is a $35 returned check charge for all checks returned from applicant's bank.

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Certified Criminal Justice Addictions Professional - (Advanced Level):

• Bachelor's degree and 6,000 hours (equivalent of 3 years full-time employment) in direct services in criminal justice and addictions (must be supervised work experience) and obtained over past 5 years, or High School Diploma/GED and 5 years experience in criminal justice and addictions (must be supervised work experience) and obtained over the past 5 years
• 300 hours of clinical supervision must be obtained over the past 5 years
• 300 hours of classroom documented, verifiable, training/education with the following hours: 60 general counseling, 100 addictions, 104 criminal justice, 6 ethics, 6 HIV/AIDS, 4 mental health/dual disorders,20 clinical supervision). Addiction hours must have been obtained within the past 5 years.
• Passage of a examination (exempt through grandfathering period)
• 4 written reference on the Board forms, 3 from co-workers familiar with your work in addictions treatment and 1 from your direct supervisor.
• Signed notarized release form and ethics statement
• Completion of Board's applications and all forms included therein
• Payment of a non-refundable processing fee. There is a $35 returned check charge for all checks returned from applicant's bank.

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Recertification: All certified counselors, supervisors and those working in the field of prevention are required to renew their credentials every 2 years

CAC: 40 hours of training every 2 years in BOARD APPROVED courses/seminars related to substance abuse and/or counseling skills (1/3 must be substance abuse specific)
CADC: 40 hours every 2 years in BOARD APPROVED course work related to drug addiction treatment (1/3 must be substance abuse specific)
CCS: 6 hours every 2 years in BOARD APPROVED course work related to clinical supervision, and maintenance of the CADC credential
CPP/PS: 40 hours every 2 years in BOARD APPROVED training, 20 in prevention training and 20 in alcohol, tobacco and drug treatment-specific training
CJS/CJP: 40 hours every 2 years in BOARD APROVED training, 20 in criminal justice and 20 in substance abuse specific training
(all require 6 hours of ethics every recertification period)
All candidates for certification with DCCB/PADC must live and/or work in the District of Columbia 50% or more of their time, unless the State in which you live and work does not have a certification board which is a member of the I.C.R.C. If that is not the case, it is necessary to contact the Credentialing Board in your state. This applies to all DCCB/PADC credentials.
All training certificates, letters, anything with a signature and clinical supervision forms submitted with applications must be originals. Please send a self-addressed stamped envelope and certificates will be returned review completion. The board will not longer accept copies.
All school transcripts and GED notices must be originals and mailed to the board directly from the school or the Board of Education. The board will not accept copies of these documents nor will diplomas be honored.

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Professional Alcoholism and Drug Abuse Counselor's Association's Certification Commission

P.O. Box 90975
Washington, D.C. 20090-0975
fax (202) 518-5606
phone (202) 518-0445 or (202) 483-0804

Requirements:

Certified Addiction Counselor - Level I:

• High School Diploma/GED
• 3 consecutive years full time (6000 hours) supervised experience as an alcoholism and/or drug abuse counselor.
• Written verification of competency in all 12 skill groups verified in writing by 3 supervisors, certified counselors or other health care professionals who have personally observed the candidate's alcohol and/or drug abuse counseling work.
• 200 contact hours of education and training in alcoholism and drug abuse or related counseling subjects. One-third of the 200 hours must be alcohol and drug abuse related, 6 hours in Ethics, 6 hours in DSMIV, and 12 hours in HIV.
• 200 hours practicum experience
• Signed Code of Ethics
• Written exam

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Certified Addiction Counselor - Level II:

• Completion of 4 year degree program
• 5 consecutive years full time (10,000 hours) supervised experience as an alcoholism and/or drug abuse counselor.
• Written verification of competence which includes 3 letters of reference and 3 evaluator forms. One by the Supervisor, who must be a Certified Addiction Counselor II, Certified Clinical Supervisor, National Certified Addiction Counselor II, or Master Addiction Counselor from NAADAC.
• Written verification of competency in all 12 skill groups verified in writing by 3 supervisors, certified counselors or other health care professionals who have personally observed the candidate's alcohol and/or drug abuse counseling work.
• 450 contact hours of education and training in alcoholism and drug abuse or related counseling subjects
• Signed Code of Ethics
• Written exam

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