CAC Requirements | What Does It Take? | FAQs | College Course Requirements
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Certified Addiction Counselor Certification - FAQ's
- What class would give me the best idea if a CAC career is for me?
We recommend beginning with either the Addictions Counseling Skills or Principles of Addiction course. Both classes give you a broad view of what substance abuse counseling is all about. - Will the college course I took count for one of these required classes?
It depends. Some college course will be accepted for required CAC training. In order to have a college course count towards your CAC certification training requirement, you must submit the class description from the college catalogue and a course syllabus. In general the class must pertain to substance abuse issues for it to be substituted for a CAC course. Please download and review DORA's College Equivalency Requirements. - Can you pass any of the required classes by just passing the test?
You may test out of the Addictions Counseling and Client Record Management classes by successfully passing the NAADAC exam and submitting a 20 minute counseling skills demonstration video to DBH.
The NAADAC exam is a 4 hour exam that covers a wide range of substance abuse issues and costs $120.00. The test is administered every three months. We recommend that unless you have extensive experience and education in substance abuse that you consider taking the training programs at a specialized facility like Odyssey Training Center.
Note: For those of you interested in the NAADAC exam, you will need to contact the Society of Substance Abuse Counselors of Colorado, view their website at www.sacc.cc or call 303-763-7198 for details. - Do you take a test for each class and is there an exam when you apply for certification?
You will be tested at the end of each workshop and must pass the test in order to receive a certificate of completion. There is no test requirement when you apply for your CAC certification. - Are there scholarships or grants for the cost of tuition?
Unfortunately, the answer is no. At this time there is no scholarship money available for CAC classes. However, if you qualify by meeting specific requirements, Vocational Rehabilitation or Colorado Workforce may be able to help pay or pay for the cost of training. - Will DBH licensed treatment programs pay for classes for employees?
Most DBH licensed programs will provide their employees with an educational benefit package which may be applied towards the cost of CAC training. There is a wide range of policies regarding this so find out what they are before you accept a job. Typically, the employee must be working on the job for several months before they qualify for benefits. - Can I take classes online?
Yes, Odyssey Training Center offers 3 online course approved for CAC elective credit necessary for obtaining CAC Level II and III certification. - What exactly qualifies as work experience for certification?
Work experience is defined as paid or unpaid, clinically supervised by a CACIII or LAC, alcohol and drug specific counseling and related activities. See DBH's regulations for more information. This experience does not have to be from an DBH licensed program, but must meet the following standards:
- The nature of your work experience must fit into the description of substance abuse counselor duties.
- You receive a minimum of 3 hours per month of direct clinical supervision by a CACIII or LAC, where your job performance is evaluated and either modified or approved by your supervisor and documented to receive your CACI certification.
- In cases where your position was not specifically in a substance abuse treatment setting, yet a significant percentage of your work dealt with substance abuse issues, that percentage of your hours may count towards the work requirement, providing it meets the above criteria.
Document Your Experience! In order to document your work experience you must use the DORA's Work Verification Form included in the CAC Application packet. If you have field experience in more then one treatment setting, a separate form must be completed by each clinical supervisor. - Will my work experience in a treatment program count even if it was out of state or in a non-licensed DBH program?
Yes, absolutely your work experience hours will count towards the hour requirement, as long as it can be documented in compliance with the application standards from DORA. See DORA's Licensing Information for Addiction Counselors. - Will the time working with clients with substance issues count towards the CAC requirements even though my job was not in substance abuse treatment setting. For example I worked as a Social Worker in a Community Clinic where 50% of my caseload dealt with substance abuse issues?
Yes, providing you can document those hours and that you received appropriate clinical supervision and your supervisor has a CACIII. - What about hours volunteering? Does that count?
Absolutely yes! All you have to do is document it and get it signed off by a CACIII. - I spent years on the other side of the desk. Do I get credit for graduating from the school of hard knocks?
Officially, no. Personal experience in addictions is not part of the CAC requirements. You do, however, need to be clean and sober for a minimum of one year and not use any substance in manner dangerous to yourself or others. See DBH Regulations Section 810. Unofficially, the experience of graduating from the school of hard knocks can be a real resource in understanding and dealing with substance abuse counseling. - How do I decide which Level of Certification I should apply for?
That depends on how much you want to do and make in this field. - Where do I find out what DBH licensed programs are in my area of Colorado and what kinds of services they offer?
You can find a complete listing of programs by region and the types of services offered in the DBH licensed treatment directory. Just click DBH's Directory to be linked to their site.
