Alcohol and Drug Abuse Counselor Requirements in Nevada
For individuals caught in the grips of substance use disorder, the road to recovery can seem world’s away. But through the tireless work of Nevada’s alcohol and drug counselors, who often serve as the first point of contact and the face of the drug recovery community, hope is always on the horizon for those with the determination to free themselves from addiction.
The Board of Examiners for Alcohol, Drug, & Gambling Counselors credentials the state’s alcohol and drug counselors at two, primary levels:
- Certified Alcohol and Drug Abuse Counselors (CADCs) – bachelor’s level credential
- Licensed Alcohol and Drug Abuse Counselors (LADCs) – master’s level credential
While completing requirements, individuals are credentialed as Certified Alcohol and Drug Abuse Counselor Interns (CADC-Interns).
The Board also offers a Licensed Clinical Alcohol and Drug Abuse Counselor (LCADC) credential for mental health clinicians who provide co-occurring disorders treatment to individuals with SUD and secondary mental health diagnoses.
The Board of Examiners also licenses Native American Alcohol and Drug Abuse Counselors (NACADC). It is possible to earn the credential without a degree, but substance abuse education and training is mandatory.
Select a Nevada Alcohol and Drug Abuse Counselor Topic Below…
- General CADC, LADC, and NAADDC Requirements
- CADC-Intern Requirements
- CADC Pre-Examination Requirements
- LADC Pre-Examination Requirements
- NACADC Pre-Examination Requirements
- The Examination Process
- Reciprocity
- Application Process
- Additional Information
General CADC, LADC, and NAADDC Requirements
To become an alcohol and drug counselor in Nevada, you must be at least 21 years old; have no alcohol, drug abuse, or gambling issues in the prior two years; and have not been on parole or probation in the prior two years.
CADC-Intern Requirements
To become a CADC-Intern, you must have a high school diploma or GED, and you must either be working toward a college degree or have already earned a bachelor’s or master’s degree in an approved social science field. If you haven’t yet earned your degree, you must have already completed at least 60 semester credits toward your degree.
During this time, you must enter into an Internship Supervision Agreement with a qualified supervisor. Your progress will be documented by your supervisor through a bi-annual CADC-I Progress Report Form.
CADC Pre-Examination Requirements
To qualify for the CADC, you must complete, at a minimum, a bachelor’s degree in an approved social science field and two years (4,000 hours) of full-time supervised experience providing drug and alcohol counseling services.
The number of supervising experience hours may be reduced to just 1,500 hours upon the completion of one of the following:
- A bachelor’s degree in a social science field AND at least 18 semester units in addictions
- A master’s degree in a social science field AND at least 12 semester units in addictions
LADC Pre-Examination Requirements
To become an LADC, you must earn a master’s degree in an approved social science field and at least 3,000 hours of counseling experience (post-graduate) in alcohol and drug abuse under the supervision of a professional who is qualified in psychiatric mental health or is approved by the Board.
NACADC Pre-Examination Requirements
To become a Native American Alcohol and Drug Abuse Counselor (NACADC), you must (1) be at least 21 years old; (2) be of Native American descent; and (3) complete at least 270 hours of education specific to assessments, counseling, case management, education/professional responsibilities, and ethics.
You must also complete at least 10 hours of training in each of the 12 core functions and at least 4,000 hours of supervised alcohol and drug counseling experience.
You can substitute 1,000 hours of practice if you have an associate’s degree in an approved social science field (e.g., alcohol and substance abuse counseling; psychiatry; psychology; social work; marriage and family therapy; nursing).
The Examination Process
To become a CADC or LADC, you must take and pass an examination offered through the International Certification & Reciprocity Consortium (IC&RC):
- CADC: Alcohol & Drug Counselor (ADC) exam
- LCADC: Advanced Alcohol & Drug Counselor (AADC) exam
Upon approving your application, the Board will pre-register you for the exam. You’ll receive an email from the IC&RC regarding instructions for registering and taking the appropriate exam.
The Application Process
All candidates must apply online through the Nevada State Board of Examiners for Alcohol, Drug and Gambling Counselors’ Applicant Portal. You must undergo a criminal background check to qualify for licensure.
Your application must include a completed and signed Supervision Agreement, a current resume, three letters of recommendation, and proof of the completion of at least 12 CEUs (6 hours in ethics and 6 hours in confidentiality/HIPAA) completed no more than 90 days before submitting your application.
Reciprocity
Addiction counselors who hold licensure or certification in other U.S. states or territories may request to be licensed as CADCs or LADCs without further examination. The addiction counselor must have already passed an examination. It will be necessary to verify that education and experience requirements were met.
Addiction counselors who are certified by North West or South West Indian Certification can request to be certified as NACADCs without further examination.
Additional Information
The Nevada State Board of Examiners for Alcohol, Drug, and Gambling Counselors can be reached at (775) 684-8922 or at [email protected].
The State of Nevada Association of Addiction Professionals (SNAAP) is an additional professional resource. SNAAP is the state NAADAC affiliate.