Treatment Counselors Of Alcoholism And Substance Abuse Centers

June 26, 2012 0 Comments

Do you know drug and alcohol treatment facilities’ counselors play an important role in the society? Yes, they are important due to their important role in ensuring the mental and physical health of communities. Nevertheless, there’s shortage of counselors in treatment facilities nowadays.

It can’t be denied that majority of us know about drug abuse but not all is aware of the vital role of counselors in solving this problem. Statistics from the Department of Social Services show that approximately 40 percent of alcohol and drug abuse treatment centers wordwide have deficit supply of counselors to treat alcoholics and drug addicts. Moreover, the same holds true to other alcohol and drug therapy centers in other states, thereby making alcohol and drug treatment an arena filled with attractive opportunities for those interested to work on this specific field. No matter how vital their roles are, it is not that easy to become one because you need to comply with numerous requisites to become one.

What are the items needed to become a counselor of drug and alcohol treatment centers?

Hours – For them to qualify for the certification test, they must comply 270 hours of curriculum hours. This is a typical number of hours in most states in the USA but majority are completed online and some states mandate students to comply their full credits inside the classrooms. Meanwhile, the curriculum hours of some states vary from around 150 to 300 hours.

Internship – Once students complied all educational hours, they’re required to be a part of an internship program to become licensed. Internship programs let students interact and work with customers under the management and supervision of accredited and certified counselors, thereby giving them adequate experience and counseling connections.

Subjects – Similar to academic hours, the subjects offered in schools also differ in different states but majority of states demand specific subject fields like counseling skills, drug pharmacology, drug addiction prevention, and ethics.

Continuing Education – After obtaining accreditation, counselors are required to pursue annual continuing education to keep them abreast with the latest trends and therapy methods in the market.

Licensing/Certification – Finally, they also need to pass the accreditation examination of the National Association of ADA Coordinators (NAADAC) Association for Addiction Experts.

Counselors of drug and therapy facilities should complete all the requisites to be adept about drug addiction. By possessing the technical abilities and know-how, they can effectively treat alcoholics and drug abusers.

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