Becoming an Addiction Professional: Licensure and

Certification in Virginia

Kevin Doyle, Ed.D., LPC. LSATP2014 Virginia Summer Institute

for Addiction Studies

Goals of the PresentationParticipants will learn about the various licenses

available to professionals who work with clients with substance use problems

Participants will learn about the various certifications available to professionals who work with clients with substance use problems

Participants will learn about the requirements needed for licensure and certification in Virginia in order to help them identify possible steps in moving forward

Disclaimer

• Serve on the Virginia Board of Counseling (2002-2009, 2013 to present)

• Do not speak for the Board

• Each situation is unique

Why become credentialed?

• Professional advancement, respect• Accountability• Higher wage/salary• Public protection• Distinguish among professions• Improve accessibility (3rd party coverage)• Other

Licensure in VirginiaLicensed Substance Abuse Tx Practitioner (LSATP)

Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC)

Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT)

Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW)

Licensed Clinical Psychologist (LCP)

Licensed Substance Abuse Treatment Practitioner (LSATP)

• Virginia license, established in 2001• Independent, autonomous practice• Master’s, SA tx/counseling, 60 credit hours– 9 core courses + 12 addiction specific credits– Internship (600 hrs., 240 client contact)– Supervised Residency (4000 hrs.)– Exam– www.dhp.virginia.gov/counseling

Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC)

• Virginia license, established in 1976• Independent, autonomous practice• Master’s in Counseling, 60 credit hours– Internship (600 hrs., 240 client contact)– Supervised Residency (4000 hrs.)– Exam (NCMHCE)– www.dhp.virginia.gov/counseling

Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT)

• Virginia license, established in ~2000• Independent, autonomous practice• Master’s in MFT/related, 60 credit hours– 24 MFT specific credits– Internship (600 hrs., 240 client contact)– Supervised Residency (4000 hrs.)– Exam– www.dhp.virginia.gov/counseling

Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW)

• Virginia license, long-established• Independent, autonomous practice• Master’s in Social Work, recognized by CSWE– Clinical Practicum (600 hrs.)– Post-master’s supervised experience (3000 hrs)– Exam– www.dhp.virginia.gov/social

Licensed Clinical Psychologist (LCP)

• Virginia license• Independent, autonomous practice• Ph.D., APA accredited or equivalent– Residency– Exam– www.dhp.virginia.gov/psychology

• Also licenses for applied psychologists and school psychologists

A Note about Endorsement

• All of these licenses contain provisions through which a license can be issued to an individual who holds a similar license from another jurisdiction, if the requirements are “consistent with” Virginia regulations

Certification

Master Addictions Counselor (MAC)National Certified Addiction Counselor (NCAC I

and II)Certified Substance Abuse Counselor (CSAC)Certified Substance Abuse Counseling

Assistant (CSAC-A)Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor (CADC)Other

Master Addiction Counselor (MAC)

• NAADAC: The Assoc for Addiction Professionals• Master’s degree in “healing arts,” w) substance

use disorder-specific coursework• Current state certification or license• Alcohol/drug education (500 hrs.)• 3 yrs (6,000 hrs.) supervised experience (2 post Master’s)

• Co-occurring disorder endorsement• See www.naadac.org/mac (Also offered through NBCC)

NAADAC: National Certified Addiction Counselor (NCAC I, NCAC II)

• NCAC I– State certification/licensure as SUD counselor– 6000 hrs. supervised experience -- Exam

• NCAC II• Bachelor’s degree from accredited university• State certification/licensure as SUD counselor• 10,000 hrs. supervised experience -- Exam

• See www.naadac.org/ncac1 or ncac2

Certified Substance Abuse Counselor

Bachelor’s Degree 400 hrs. substance abuse education 220 hrs. of substance abuse counseling ed., at

least 10 hrs in each of 8 domains, 20 in 2 180 hrs. supervised experience Exam See www.dhp.virginia.gov/counseling

Certified Substance Abuse Counseling Assistant (CSAC-A)

• High school diploma or GED 300 hrs. substance abuse education 120 hrs. of substance abuse counseling

education, at least 10 hrs in each of 8 domains 180 hrs. supervised experience Exam See www.dhp.virginia.gov/counseling

Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor (CADC)

• Virginia Certification Board (formerly SACAVA)• Management outsourced to PA Board• Varying experience requirements by degree– No degree: 6,000 hrs. as counselor or supervisor– Assoc: 5,000 hrs., B.A: 4,000 hrs., M.A: 2,000 hrs.– Supervision/education hrs. in 8 domains

• Passage of ICRC exam• See www.vacertboard.org/certifications

Other Certifications through ICRC

• Certified Co-Occurring Disorders Professional (CCDP)

• Certified Criminal Justice Professional (CCJP)

• Certified Clinical Supervisor (CCS)

• Certified Prevention Specialist (CPS)

Other Certifications through NAADAC

• Nicotine Dependence Specialist (NDS)• National Certified Adolescent Addictions

Counselor (NCAAC)• Nationally Endorsed Student Assistance

Professional (NESAP)• Co-occurring Disorders Proficiency Certificate

(CDPC)• Recovery to Practice Certificate (RTP)

What About Medicaid?

Licensed Mental Health Practitioner (LMHP)

Licensed Mental Health Practitioner-EligibleNote Bd. of Counseling does not use “license eligible”

Qualified Mental Health Practitioner (QMHP)

See www.dmas.virginia.gov

Final Cautions

• Caveat emptor: Let the Buyer Beware

• “If it seems too good to be true, it probably is.”

• If unscrupulous people can create an illegitimate degree, they can just as easily create an illegitimate accrediting body

Final Cautions

• Beware of employment and supervisoryarrangements that put all the risk on you

• Issues such as:– Unreasonable repayment of supervision– Contractor/1099 status vs. Employee status (see

www.dol.gov/whd)• Typically, autonomous practice and billing are

restricted to licensed providers

About Your Presenter

Kevin Doyle, Ed.D., LPC, LSATPAssistant Professor, Longwood University

Commonwealth of Va., Board of CounselingPast-President of VAADAC (1999-2001)

Licensed Professional CounselorLicensed Substance Abuse Treatment Practitioner

www.drkevindoyle.comdoyleks@longwood.edu; kevindoylelpc@gmail.com