Substance Abuse Counselor Requirements in Missouri
Missouri’s substance abuse counselors bring compassion and actionable guidance to every client interaction every day. There’s nothing easy about the job, but the mission is straightforward: When people with substance use disorder are ready to get serious about recovery, alcohol and drug counselors are there to provide the tools and support they need to overcome the disease of addiction.
The state of Missouri does not require certification or licensure for substance abuse counselors to provide their services. That means that both the professional community that hires qualified counselors and the public rely on a nonprofit organization to vet and certify these professionals. That organization is the Missouri Credentialing Board (MCB), a member of the International Certification and Reciprocity Consortium (IC&RC), a well-known certifying agency recognized throughout the US.
MCB offers the following credentials for substance abuse counselors in Missouri:
- Certified Alcohol & Drug Counselor (CADC)
- Certified Reciprocal Alcohol & Drug Counselor (CRADC)
- Certified Reciprocal Advanced Alcohol & Drug Counselor (CRAADC)
The MCB also offers the Missouri Associate Alcohol Drug Counselor I (MAADCI) and the Missouri Associate Alcohol Drug Counselor II (MAADCII), entry-level credentials that are often held by those completing the requirements to become a CADC.
Select a Missouri Substance Abuse Counselor Topic Below…
- CADC Certification Requirements
- CADC Application Requirements
- Upgrade to the CRADC and CRAADC Credentials
- Certification Reciprocity
- Additional Information
CADC Certification Requirements
To become a Certified Alcohol & Drug Counselor (CADC), you must meet one of the following requirements, which varies depending on the level of education you have:
- High school diploma
- 4,000 hours of work experience in the last 10 years
- 300-hour practicum
- Associate degree or one-year addiction certificate
- 3,000 hours of work experience in the last 10 years
- 300-hour supervised practicum
- Bachelor’s degree
- 2,000 hours of work experience in the last 10 years
- 300-hour supervised practicum
- Master’s degree
- 1,000 hours of work experience in the last 10 years
- 300-hour supervised practicum
Regardless of which level of education you’re qualifying for certification with, you’ll also need 180 hours of education, including at least 6 hours in ethics (at least 20 hours must have been earned within the last year).
You must also take and pass the International Certification and Reciprocity Consortium (IC&RC) Alcohol & Drug Counselor (ADC) exam.
If you are qualifying for CADC certification with a college degree, it must be in one of the following areas of study:
- Psychology
- Social work
- Criminal justice
- Family studies
- Communication
- Sociology
- Chemical dependency
- Counseling
- Nursing
- Human services
- Art therapy
- Applied behavioral science
- Education
If you’re unsure whether your degree qualifies as an applicable degree, you can contact the MCB at 573-616-2300 for verification.
CADC Application Requirements
All applicants must complete an application (all applications are available on the MCB website by clicking on each credential) and submit it, along with:
- Proof of at least 180 total hours of education
- Completed and signed Counselor Employment Verification form
- Supervised Practicum form (completed by a qualified supervisor)
- Competency Rating form (completed by your qualified supervisor)
- Educational transcripts (sent directly from the school to the MCB)
- Exam score
Upgrade to the CRADC and CRAADC Credentials
Once you have the CADC credential, you can upgrade to the CRADC by earning additional work experience:
- High school diploma: An additional 2,000 hours
- Associate degree: An additional 2,000 hours
- Bachelor’s degree: An additional 2,000 hours
- Master’s degree: An additional 1,000 hours
To upgrade from the CADC or CRADC to the CRAADC, you must have a master’s degree with a clinical application in an applicable area of study. This credential also requires 2,000 hours of work experience in the last 10 years.
Certification Reciprocity
The MCB grants reciprocity based on comparable reciprocal-level credentials from any state’s IC&RC member board. You can begin the process by contacting your current board. Processing times will vary from one board to another, with most taking between 30 and 45 days.
Additional Information
The Missouri al Credentialing Board can be reached by phone at 573-616-2300 or at [email protected],
The Missouri Addiction Counselors Association is an additional professional resource.