Educational Requirements:

1. Training Hours:

   • 270 hours of relevant education and training are required.
   • The educational content must be directly related to criminal justice and addiction counseling.
   • The training should include the following core areas:
     • Screening, Assessment, and Engagement
     • Treatment Planning, Collaboration, and Referral
     • Counseling
     • Professional and Ethical Responsibilities
   • In addition, the applicant must complete:
     • 6 hours of Professional Ethics related to addiction counseling.
     • 4 hours of HIV/AIDS education.

   Note: Education can be in the form of college or university courses, seminars, workshops, or structured in-service training.

Work Experience Requirements:

1. Work Experience Requirement:

   • 6,000 hours (approximately 3 years) of work experience related to the criminal justice and addiction field.
   • The experience must be supervised and include work with clients involved in the criminal justice system who have issues related to substance abuse or dependency.
   • Supervised Work Experience: This involves direct clinical supervision, which includes methods such as case review, direct observation, and clinical discussion to enhance skills relevant to addiction counseling in the criminal justice system.

2. Educational Substitution for Work Experience:

   • A Bachelor’s Degree in a Behavioral Science can replace 2,000 hours of work experience.
   • A Master’s Degree can replace 4,000 hours of work experience.

Supervision and Evaluation Requirements:

• Supervised Work Log: A log documenting supervised work hours must be maintained and signed off by the supervisor.
• Counselor Evaluation Form: An evaluation of the applicant’s skills must be completed by a supervisor and sent directly to ABCAC.

Ethics Requirement:

• The applicant must sign a Code of Ethics that aligns with the standards set forth by the National Association of Alcohol & Drug Abuse Counselors (NAADAC) and ABCAC.
• Ethical requirements include principles such as confidentiality, competence, client welfare, non-discrimination, and professional behavior.

Letters of Recommendation:

• Two letters of recommendation are optional but encouraged. The letters should be from individuals familiar with the applicant’s work within the criminal justice or addiction counseling fields.

Examination Requirement:

• The applicant must pass the IC&RC Criminal Justice Addiction Professional (CCJP) exam.

Fees:

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

Application Checklist:

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

Where to Submit Application:

• Completed applications, along with all required documentation, must be submitted to [email protected] or mailed to the ABCAC office at P.O. Box 83165 Phoenix, AZ 85071.

The Certified Criminal Justice Professional (CCJP) credential is aimed at those working specifically with clients involved in the criminal justice system, focusing on addiction treatment and related support services. This certification ensures that counselors possess the specialized skills and knowledge necessary for effective addiction counseling within criminal justice settings​.