Becoming an Addiction
Professional: Licensure and
Certification in Virginia
Kevin Doyle, Ed.D., LPC. LSATP
2014 Virginia Summer Institute
for Addiction Studies
Goals of the Presentation
 Participants 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?
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Professional advancement, respect
Accountability
Higher wage/salary
Public protection
Distinguish among professions
Improve accessibility (3rd party coverage)
Other
Licensure in Virginia
Licensed 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-Eligible
Note 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 supervisory
arrangements 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, LSATP
Assistant Professor, Longwood University
Commonwealth of Va., Board of Counseling
Past-President of VAADAC (1999-2001)
Licensed Professional Counselor
Licensed Substance Abuse Treatment Practitioner
www.drkevindoyle.com
doyleks@longwood.edu; kevindoylelpc@gmail.com