Addictions Counselors

Career summary

Addictions counselors may also be called chemical dependency counselors.

#4/15/19 lh

People with addictions suffer emotionally, physically, and economically. Addictions counselors help these people identify their problem behaviors and find ways to change those behaviors.

Addictions counselors help their clients change compulsive habits and learn new ways of coping with problems. They work with individuals and groups. They may help families learn how to deal with the emotional and social effects of addictions. Counselors teach family members how to provide support for the addict and for themselves.

Addictions counselors review records and interview clients. They may speak with doctors, family members, police, and other counselors to determine the client's condition and situation. The counselor and patient develop a therapy plan for recovery.

Counselors may refer patients to support services such as medical evaluation and treatment, social services, and employment services. Counselors follow the patient's progress and may revise the therapy plan as needed. Addictions counselors prepare and maintain written records and case files.

Addictions counselors speak to groups concerned with drug and alcohol abuse and other addictions. They may prepare documents for presentation in court and accompany clients to legal proceedings.

Addictions counselors provide treatment in a variety of settings including:

• Hospitals
• Private and public treatment centers
• Private practice
• Community-based behavioral health agencies

Addictions counselors with advanced degrees and licenses can become program directors in hospitals, clinics, and other facilities. They may also run government health and human service agencies.

Related careers

This career is part of the Human Services cluster of careers.

Related careers include:

• Marriage and Family Therapists
• Mental Health Counselors
• Probation Officers
• Psychologists
• Public Health Educators
• Rehabilitation Counselors
• Residential Counselors
• School Counselors
• Social and Community Service Managers
• Social and Human Service Assistants
• Social Workers

Military careers

• Caseworkers and Counselors

Job duties

Task list

The following list of tasks is specific to addictions counselors.

• Counsel clients and patients, individually and in group sessions, to assist in overcoming dependencies.
• Develop client treatment plans based on research, clinical experience, and client histories.
• Interview client, review records, and talk with medical personnel to evaluate client's mental and physical condition.
• Determine client's treatment needs and which program is best.
• Review and evaluate client's progress and make changes to treatment as needed.
• Coordinate counseling efforts with other health professionals, such as doctors, nurses, and social workers.
• Make changes to treatment plans according to the needs and progress of the client.
• Make accurate records and reports about the client's history and progress.
• Provide information about addiction programs to clients and their families.
• Coordinate post-treatment activities, including follow-up care, court dates, community service, and probation requirements.
• Attend training sessions in order to increase knowledge and skills.
• May supervise other workers. Train and supervise interns or new staff members.

Common work activities

Addictions counselors perform the following tasks. These tasks are common to many careers.

• Communicate with supervisors, peers, or subordinates
• Establish and maintain relationships
• Document and record information
• Get information needed to do the job
• Organize, plan, and prioritize work
• Assist and care for others
• Evaluate information against standards
• Make decisions and solve problems
• Update and use job-related knowledge
• Resolve conflicts and negotiate with others
• Identify objects, actions, and events
• Perform for or work with the public
• Provide advice and consultation to others
• Use computers
• Schedule work and activities
• Communicate with people outside the organization
• Teach others
• Perform administrative tasks
• Develop and build teams
• Think creatively
• Explain the meaning of information to others
• Coach others
• Develop goals and strategies
• Judge the value of objects, services, or people
• Coordinate the work and activities of others
• Monitor events, materials, and surroundings
• Convince others to buy goods or change their minds or actions
• Analyze data or information
• Process information

Work requirements

Working conditions

In a typical work setting, addictions counselors:

Interpersonal relationships

• Have a high level of social contact. They constantly work with clients and other health professionals.
• Communicate with coworkers and clients daily by telephone, e-mail, or in person.
• Are placed in conflict situations weekly and often deal with violent clients.
• Work well in teams and with groups of people. This is extremely important because counseling is often done in groups.
• Are responsible for clients' and coworkers' health and safety.
• Write letters and memos on a weekly basis.
• Are somewhat responsible for the work done by other counselors and therapists.
• Speak in front of groups on a regular basis.

Physical work conditions

• Mostly work indoors.
• Work close to clients, such as when sitting across from them in a meeting. May need to hold clients that become violent.
• May occasionally be exposed to diseases or infections through contact with clients.

Work performance

• Have the potential to make serious mistakes that are difficult to correct. This is because they are working with another person's health.
• Must be somewhat exact in their work. This is especially important when keeping client records.
• Make decisions that strongly impact the lives of their clients.
• Rarely consult a supervisor before making decisions and set their own priorities and goals.
• Must meet strict deadlines weekly. It is important that counselors make the appointments they set with clients and staff.
• May repeat the same mental tasks.

Hours/travel

• Generally have a set schedule each week.
• Work 40 hours a week.

Physical demands

Addictions counselors frequently:

• Sit for long periods of time.

It is important for addictions counselors to be able to:

• Speak clearly so listeners can understand.
• Understand the speech of another person.
• See details of objects that are less than a few feet away.

It is not as important, but still necessary, for addictions counselors to be able to:

• See details of objects that are more than a few feet away.
• Hear sounds and recognize the difference between them.
• Use fingers to grasp, move, or assemble very small objects.
• Use muscles to lift, push, pull, or carry heavy objects.
• Use muscles to jump, sprint, or throw objects.

Skills and abilities

Addictions counselors need to:

Communicate

• Understand spoken information.
• Speak clearly so listeners can understand.
• Listen to others and ask questions.
• Write clearly so other people can understand.
• Understand written information.
• Read and understand work-related materials.

Reason and problem solve

• Use reasoning to discover answers to problems.
• Analyze ideas and use logic to determine their strengths and weaknesses.
• Notice when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong.
• Combine several pieces of information and draw conclusions.
• Understand new information or materials by studying and working with them.
• Judge the costs and benefits of a possible action.
• Follow guidelines to arrange objects or actions in a certain order.
• Recognize the nature of a problem.
• Think of new ideas about a topic.
• Develop rules that group items in various ways.
• Recognize when important changes happen or are likely to happen in a system.
• Identify what must be changed to reach goals.
• Concentrate and not be distracted while performing a task.
• Think of original, unusual, or creative ways to solve problems.

Manage oneself, people, time, and things

• Check how well one is learning or doing something.
• Go back and forth between two or more activities or sources of information without becoming confused.
• Motivate, develop, and direct people as they work.
• Manage the time of self and others.

Work with people

• Be aware of others' reactions and understand the possible causes.
• Look for ways to help people.
• Persuade others to approach things differently.
• Use several methods to learn or teach new things.
• Teach others how to do something.
• Change behavior in relation to others' actions.
• Solve problems by bringing others together to discuss differences.

Perceive and visualize

• Identify a pattern (a figure, object, word, or sound) that is hidden in distracting material.

Education and training

Educational programs

The programs of study listed below will help you prepare for the occupation or career cluster you are exploring.

Programs of study directly related to this occupation

• Addiction Counseling
• Mental Health Counseling

Other programs of study to consider

• Hypnotherapy and Alternative Treatments
• Pastoral Studies and Counseling
• Psychology, General
• Rehabilitation Counseling
• Social Work

Training

To work as an addictions counselor, you must:

• have a high school diploma or equivalent;
• have an associate degree;
• complete an internship;
• pass a state or local licensing exam;
• be free of drugs or alcohol; and
• have strong interpersonal skills.

Education after high school

You need at least an associate degree to work as a counselor. Programs are available at professional-technical schools and two-year colleges. These programs teach you counseling skills. You also learn about drug and alcohol pharmacology. Programs also include education on HIV and AIDS risk assessment.

Or, you might choose to attend a four-year college or universities' bachelor's or master's program in addiction counseling. Most four-year institutions offer advanced degrees in various human services fields of study. Graduate programs take one to two years of full-time study after you have a bachelor's degree. You should take classes that develop your skills in clinical assessments, caseload management, and counseling.

Some addictions counselors have a certificate degree in addictions counseling. These programs are meant for people who have a degree in a related field, such as social work.

Addictions counselors may need to obtain certification in CPR and first aid. This training is available in most communities through the Red Cross and local hospitals.

Work experience

Part-time or volunteer work at a social service agency is good background for this occupation. Internships may be available at some agencies.

On-the-job training

Employers often provide training to new addictions counselors. They may allow you to work while you get your state or local certification. You will also be trained in the operational procedures of the new facility and its treatment program. Training generally lasts up to a year.

Military training

The military trains people to work as caseworkers and counselors. This training lasts from eight to ten weeks. Further training occurs on the job and through advanced courses.

Some military counselors focus on drug and alcohol-related issues.

#Reviewed this section 2/1/12 & 1/30/14. cj.

Helpful high school courses

In high school, take classes that prepare you for college. A college preparatory curriculum may be different from your state's graduation requirements.

You should also consider taking some advanced courses in high school. This includes Advanced Placement (AP) and International Baccalaureate (IB) courses if they are available in your school. If you do well in these courses, you may receive college credit for them. Advanced courses can also strengthen your college application.

Helpful electives to take in high school that prepare you for this career include:

• Anthropology
• Child Development
• Ethnic and Gender Studies
• Parenting
• Psychology
• Sociology

The courses listed above are meant to help you create your high school plan. If you have not already done so, talk to a school counselor or parent about the courses you are considering taking.

You should also check with a teacher or counselor to see if work-based learning opportunities are available in your school and community. These might include field trips, job shadowing, internships, and actual work experience. The goal of these activities is to help you connect your school experiences with real-life work.

Join some groups, try some hobbies, or volunteer with an organization that interests you. By participating in activities you can have fun, make new friends, and learn about yourself. Maybe one of them will help direct you to a future career. Here are examples of activities and groups that may be available in your high school or community.

Things to know

Most employers prefer at least a bachelor's degree in a human services field, such as psychology or sociology, to work as a counselor.

Employers look for addictions counselors who have cooperative working skills, leadership skills, interpersonal skills, and the ability to work with a wide variety of people.

Certification or licensing as a counselor is also preferred. However, some employers will allow you to complete your certifications while you work.

Costs to workers

Some workers may wish to join a professional association, which may have annual dues.

Licensing/certification

Addictions counselors need to be certified as chemical dependency professionals by the State of Washington. The current certification requirements include:

• passing the National Association of Alcoholism and Drug Abuse Counselors (NAADAC) level I or higher or the International Certification and Reciprocity Consortium (ICRC) level II or higher examination;
• an associate degree in human services or a related field from an approved school; or 90-quarter or 60-semester college credits in courses from an approved school of which at least 45-quarter or 30-semester credits must be in courses related to the chemical dependency profession;
• meeting supervised clinical experience requirements; and
• completion of four hours of AIDS education.

For chemical dependency professional trainees the application fee is $110 and the annual renewal is $90.

For chemical dependency professionals the certification application fee is $260 and the initial certification fee is $295. The annual renewal fee is $300.

To renew their license, addictions counselors must complete a plan that shows how they will stay proficient in their occupation. They also must complete 28 hours of continuing education and 12 hours of professional development activities every two years. Counselors must also take three hours of training in suicide assessment every six years.

For more information on state licensing, contact:

Washington State Department of Health
Health Professions and Facilities
Chemical Dependency Program 
PO Box 47877
Olympia, WA 98504-7877
360.236.4700

#Fees, general info ok; added suicide assessment training req. 1/25/16 cj. no changes 1/17/17 lh, or 1/29/18 cj. updated pro fees, url 4/15/19 lh

Job listings

Listed below are links to job categories from the National Labor Exchange that relate to this career. Once you get a list of jobs, you can view information about individual jobs and find out how to apply. If your job search finds too many openings, or if you wish to search for jobs outside of Washington, you will need to refine your search.

• Substance Abuse and Behavioral Disorder Counselors 

To get a listing of current jobs from the WorkSource system, go to the WorkSource website .

Wages

Wages vary by employer and area of the country. The counselor's level of experience also affects wages.

Counselors who work full time usually receive benefits. Typical benefits include sick leave, paid vacation, and health insurance. Some employers also provide a retirement plan.

Employment and outlook

Washington outlook

Tougher DWI (Driving While Intoxicated) laws requiring treatment have increased the number of programs and the need for substance abuse counselors. Increased federal emphasis on drug abuse treatment and prevention may generate demand for workers.

The table below provides information about the number of workers in this career in various regions. It also provides information about the expected growth rate and future job openings.

National employment

Major employers:

• Outpatient care centers
• Residential patient care centers
• Individual and family services

National outlook

Demand is expected to be strong for addictions counselors. New health care laws require that insurance providers cover more mental health services. This will lead to more jobs for addictions counselors.

Several states have passed laws that require counseling instead of jail for people caught with drugs. This shift requires more addictions counselors in those states. Treatment centers are also believed to be more cost effective than prisons to run.

Other resources

American College of Medical Toxicology 
10645 N. Tatum Blvd Suite 200-111
Phoenix, AZ 85028

American Counseling Association 
6101 Stevenson Avenue, Suite 600
Alexandria, VA 22304
800.347.6647
703.823.0252

How Can I Become a Certified Peer Counselor?  

International Association of Peer Supporters 
PO Box 775
Norton, MA 02766

NAADAC: The Association for Addiction Professionals 
44 Canal Center Plaza, Suite 301
Alexandria, VA 22314
800.548.0497
703.741.7686

National Association of Addiction Treatment Providers 
1120 Lincoln Street, Suite 1104
Denver, CO 80203
888.574.1008

Peer Support Counselor information from the State of Washington 

Social Psychology Network 

References

Career cluster

• Human Services

Career path

• Social

O*Net  occupation

• Substance Abuse and Behavioral Disorder Counselors (21-1011.00) 

O*Net job zone 

• Job Zone 5 - Extensive preparation needed. Extensive skill, knowledge, and experience are needed for these occupations. Many require more than five years of experience.

DOT occupation

• Substance Abuse Counselor (045.107-058) 

Holland occupational cluster

• Social/Artistic/Investigative

COPSystem

• Service Professional