Credentialed Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Counselor Requirements in New York
Synthetic opioids, fentanyl-laced heroin, and street-manufactured Oxycontin have crippled New York in recent years, taking lives, destroying families, and devastating communities. From the streets of NYC to the suburbs of Buffalo, the drug addiction crisis in New York is real. But the state’s drug addiction recovery community is strong and resilient, led by passionate and committed alcohol and drug counselors who have no intention of giving up the fight now.
New York alcohol and drug counselors are credentialed by the New York State Office of Addiction Services and Supports (OASAS), a member board of the International Certification & Reciprocity Consortium (IC&RC), as Credentialed Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Counselors (CASAC).
Most CASAC applicants will first hold a CASAC-Trainee or CASAC-Provisional certification while working toward the CASAC credential.
Select a New York Credentialed Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Counselor (CASAC) Topic Below…
- Education Requirements
- Examination Requirements
- Work Experience Requirements
- CASAC-Trainee and CASAC-Provisional Certification
- Application Process
- Additional Information
Educational Requirements
To become a CASAC, you must hold a high school diploma or GED and complete 350 clock hours of education and training in the areas of substance abuse and alcohol knowledge, alcohol and substance abuse counseling, assessment, evaluation, case management, treatment planning, professional ethics/responsibility, and patient/family/communication education. You must also complete a number of mandatory courses.
You can find programs that meet the 350-hour education and training requirement here.
If you hold an associate’s degree or higher in an approved human services field, the coursework you completed may be used to satisfy some or all of the education and training requirements. You may also be able to use your degree to substitute some of the required work experience hours needed for CASAC certification.
Just some of the human services field recognized by the OASAS include community mental health, education, criminal justice, behavioral science, nutrition, music therapy, forensic psychology, public health, pastoral counseling, rehabilitation counseling, and social work.
Examination Requirements
To earn CASAC certification, you must take and pass the International Certification and Reciprocity Consortium (IC&RC) Alcohol and Drug Counselor (ADC) exam.
The exam is offered via computer through ISO Quality Testing, which has testing centers located throughout New York.
You must first apply for the CASAC. After receiving approval from OASAS, you’ll receive an email from ISO Quality Testing that includes instructions for registering for and taking the exam. You’ll receive the results of your exam within four weeks, and you’ll be credentialed after taking the exam.
Experience Requirements
If you don’t have a degree in an approved human services field, you must complete at least 6,000 hours (about three years) of work experience. However, applicants with a qualifying degree can substitute some or all of the work experience requirements:
- Associate’s degree: Substitute for 1,000 experience hours
- Bachelor’s degree: Substitute for 4,000 experience hours
- Master’s degree: Substitute for 6,000 experience hours
All applicants must also complete at least 300 hours of supervised practical training, with at least 10 hours in each of the core competencies. Supervised practical training must take place under the supervision of a Qualified Health Professional (QHP). You may meet these requirements through the completion of an internship or practicum within your degree program.
CASAC-Trainee and CASAC-Provisional Certification
You may qualify for either the CASAC-Trainee (CASAC-T) or the CASAC-Provisional (CASAC-P) certification while you work toward CASAC certification. To qualify, you must complete the following:
- CASAC-Trainee: 350 clock hours of education and training and the mandatory one-time course requirements; OR 4,000 hours of experience and 85 clock hours in education and training and all mandatory courses
- CASAC-Provisional: Bachelor’s or master’s degree in an approved human services field; all mandatory courses; and an Intent to Hire form
The Application Process
You can apply for CASAC certification before completing all of the requirements. If you meet the requirements for either the CASAC-Trainee or CADAC-Provisional certificate, you’ll be issued the appropriate certificate upon applying. After applying, you’ll be given instructions for completing the fingerprinting and background check process (offered through IdentoGO Centers).
The CASAC application will stay open for five years (based on application postmark date). During this time, you’ll be required to complete all requirements for the CASAC.
You must submit your application through the Credentialing Portal. Before you access the portal, you’ll need to create a valid my.ny.gov ID.
If you need a paper application, you can request one from the Credentialing Unit at [email protected].
Additional Information
The OASAS Credentialing Unit can be contacted [email protected] or at (518) 473-3460.