Counsel Qualifications

Each Counselor shall meet at least one of the following groups of qualifications:

1. Current licensure in the Commonwealth as a physician.

2. A Master’s Degree or above from an accredited college with a major in chemical dependency, psychology, social work, counseling nursing (with a clinical specialty in the human services) or other related field which includes a practicum in a health or human service agency, preferably in a drug and alcohol setting. If the practicum did not take place in a drug and alcohol setting, the individual’s written training plan shall specifically address a plan to achieve counseling competency in chemical dependency issues.

3. A Bachelor’s Degree from an accredited college above with a major in chemical dependency, psychology, social work, counseling nursing (with a clinical specialty in the human services) or other related field and 1 year of clinical experience (a minimum of 1,820 hours) in a health or human service agency, preferably in a drug and alcohol setting. If a person’s experience did not take place in a drug and alcohol setting, the individual’s written training plan shall specifically address a plan to achieve counseling competency in chemical dependency issues.

4. An Associate Degree from an accredited college with a major in chemical dependency, psychology, social work, counseling nursing (with a clinical specialty in the human services) or other related field and 2 years of clinical experience (a minimum of 3,640 hours) in a health or human service agency, preferably in a drug and alcohol setting. If a person’s experience did not take place in a drug and alcohol setting, the individual’s written training plan shall specifically address a plan to achieve counseling competency in chemical dependency issues.

5. Current licensure in the Commonwealth as a registered nurse and a degree from an accredited school of nursing and 1 year of counseling experience (a minimum of 1,820 hours) in a health of human services agency, preferably in a drug and alcohol setting. If a person’s experience did not take place in a drug and alcohol setting, the individual’s written training plan shall specifically address a plan to achieve counseling competency in chemical dependency issues.

6. Full certification as an addictions counselor by a statewide certification body which is a member of a National certification body or certification by another state government’s substance abuse counseling certification board.