Certification eligibility requirements

To be eligible for certification by the Bureau for Behavioral Health as a certified alcohol and drug counselor, an applicant shall have: (1) Completed 300 hours of supervised practical training in alcohol and drug counseling that the commissioner deems acceptable; (2) Completed three years of supervised paid work experience or unpaid internship that the commissioner deems acceptable that entailed working directly with alcohol and drug clients, except that a master's degree may be substituted for one year of such experience; (3) Completed 360 hours of commissioner-approved education, at least 240 hours of which relates to the knowledge and skill base associated with the practice of alcohol and drug counseling; and (4) Successfully completed a department-prescribed examination.