Educational Requirements:

1. Degree Requirement:

   • High School Diploma or GED is required for this level of certification.

2. Training Hours:

   • 200 clock hours of education are required.
   • There must be 90 hours in addiction studies.
   • The remaining hours can fall within behavioral sciences.
   • Additionally, the applicant must complete:
     • 6 hours of education in Professional Ethics and Responsibilities.
     • 4 hours in HIV/AIDS Education.

   Note: Education is defined as formal classroom education, which can include workshops, seminars, institutes, in-services, and college or university work.

Work Experience Requirements:

1. Supervised Work Experience:

   • 2 years or 4,000 hours of work experience with substance abuse clients is required.
   • This work experience must involve working directly with clients who have a diagnosis of alcohol and/or other drug abuse or dependency (AODA).
   • Supervised Work Experience: This must be completed under clinical supervision, which involves regular one-on-one or group supervision sessions focused on developing counseling skills.

2. Clinical Supervision:

   • The clinical supervision should include direct observations and evaluations to ensure skill competency.
   • Supervisors need to complete a Supervision Log and an Evaluation Form, both of which must be submitted as part of the application.

Ethics Requirement:

• The applicant must sign a Code of Ethics provided by the Arizona Board for Certification of Addiction Counselors (ABCAC).
• This Code of Ethics includes various principles like non-discrimination, competence, confidentiality, client welfare, and inter-professional relationships, aligning with the National Association of Alcohol & Drug Abuse Counselors (NAADAC) standards.

Letters of Recommendation:

• Two letters of recommendation are optional but encouraged, which should be from professionals who are familiar with the applicant’s work in the addiction field.

Examination Requirement:

• The applicant must pass the IC&RC Alcohol and Drug Counselor (ADC) exam.

Fees:

• The application fee is $375.00, which covers:
  • The application manual, processing fees, the IC&RC exam, and two years of certification.
  • If the applicant has already passed the IC&RC exam, the fee is $200, which covers processing and the application manual.

Application Checklist:

• The application should include:
  1. Education and Experience Documentation: Copies of training certificates and official transcripts.
  2. Supervision Field Work Log and Evaluation Form submitted by the supervisor.
  3. Two Letters of Recommendation (optional).
  4. Application Fee.

All application materials must be submitted to [email protected] or sent to the ABCAC address in Phoenix, Arizona​.