Substance Use Disorder Counselor Requirements in Utah
While Utah usually comes in below the national average for addiction rates, thousands of people in the state need help every year. And because of the state’s beautiful, therapeutic scenery, people from all over the country come to Utah to rediscover tranquility and start a new leg of their recovery journey.
Best of all, the Substance Use Disorder Counselor Licensing Board offers a streamlined certification process. Whether you have an associate degree, a bachelor’s, or a master’s, there’s a place for you in this small yet talented recovery community.
Select a Utah Substance Abuse Counselor Topic Below…
- Substance Use Disorder Counselor Education and Training Requirements
- Advanced Substance Use Disorder Counselor Education and Training Requirements
- Master Addiction Counselor Education and Training Requirements
- Examination Requirements
- The Application Process
- Out-of-State Substance Abuse Counselors
- Additional Information
Substance Use Disorder Counselor Education and Training Requirements
To become a Substance Use Disorder Counselor in Utah, you need an associate degree or higher. While it doesn’t have to be a degree in substance use disorder counseling, you do need to complete a substance use disorder program (which can include a full degree program or a certificate program) at an institution accredited by a Council for Higher Education Accreditation-recognized (CHEA) agency.
The DOPL says your education program should include a few specific things: 200 hours of SUD education, a 200-hour practicum, and pre-requisite courses in general psychology and human growth development. You’ll also need to complete a two-hour suicide prevention class, but this can be a workshop instead of a formal class.
Your next step is to complete 2,000 hours of supervised work experience. For every 40 hours of client care you provide, you’ll work directly with your supervisor for at least one hour. Only paid employment counts towards this requirement.
Advanced Substance Use Disorder Counselor Education and Training Requirements
If you want to reach the Advanced Substance Use Disorder Counselor level, you’ll need at least a bachelor’s degree in either SUD treatment, psychology, social work, marriage and family counseling, or mental health counseling. You’ll need to complete prerequisites in general psychology and human development as well as a two-hour suicide prevention course. By the end of your education, you’ll need to take a total of 300 hours of class and complete 350 practicum hours.
On top of that, you’ll need 4,000 hours of post-degree supervised experience. Once again, you’ll have to meet with your supervisor for one hour for every 40 hours of client contact you have.
If you were formerly an SUDC, you can count 200 class hours, 200 practicum hours, and 2,000 supervised experience hours you earned for that level of licensure towards ASUDC requirements.
Master Addiction Counselor Education and Training Requirements
To become a Master Addiction Counselor, Utah’s newest and highest level of licensing, you need a master’s degree in substance use disorder treatment or counseling. You can also become an MAC with a graduate degree in a field like social work or psychology if you have an associate degree in substance use disorder counseling and have completed a 200-hour SUD treatment practicum.
After earning your degree, you’ll need to complete 3,000 clinical supervision hours. 1,200 hours should be dedicated to direct client care and 100 hours to direct clinical supervision. Additionally, your supervisor should observe you working with clients for at least 25 hours. All in all, it should take a little over two years to meet your experience hour requirement.
Examination Requirements
No matter which level of licensure you pursue, one of the final steps you’ll have to take is passing a final exam. Your level of licensure will determine which exam you have to pass, but you can choose from exams administered by either the National Association for Alcoholism and Drug Abuse Counselors (NAADAC) or the International Certification and Reciprocity Consortium (IC&RC).
Exams from both agencies at all levels are made up of 150 multiple choice questions. Here are your exam choices by licensure level:
- SUDC: The NAADAC’s National Certified Addiction Counselor Level I (NCAC I) Exam or the IC&RC’s Alcohol and Drug Counselor (ADC) Exam.
- ASUDC: The NAADAC’s National Certified Addiction Counselor Level I (NCAC II) Exam or the IC&RC’s Advanced Alcohol and Drug Counselor (AADC) Exam.
- MAC: The NAADAC’s NCAC II or Master Addiction Counselor (MAC) Exam or the IC&RC’s AADC Exam.
You can also choose a higher-level exam than your level of licensure. For example, you can take the NAADAC’s NCAC II Exam to earn a Substance Use Disorder Counselor license.
The Application Process
You can apply for a substance use disorder counselor license through the mail or online through the UtahID registration system. In addition to sending in the applications themselves, you’ll also have to submit official transcripts sent directly from your school and supervised experience forms.
You’ll also have a few fees to pay. The application fee for MACs is $120, $85 for SUDCs and ASUDCs.
When it comes time to take your exam, you’ll register through the Association of Utah Substance Abuse Professionals (AUSAP). If you become a member of the AUSAP, your exam fee will be $210. For nonmembers, it’s $225.
Out-of-State Substance Abuse Counselors
If you’re already licensed in another state with similar requirements, you can get licensed in Utah by submitting a verification form and the appropriate fees. The DOPL deems certain states like Nevada, Arizona, and Colorado as similar. If licensing regulations in your home state aren’t similar, you’ll have to submit transcripts, experience hour verification forms, and exam scores to the DOPL.
Outside of that, you also have to have your license for at least one year and be in good standing in your home state to qualify for reciprocity.
Additional Information
For more information about the licensing process, you can contact the Department of Professional and Occupational through email or by phone at (801) 530-6628. If you’re in the state, you can call their toll-free line at (866) 275-3675.
If you have any questions about the exam or need some study guides, you can reach out to the Association of Utah Substance Abuse Professionals through their website or by phone at (801) 558-3622.