Professional Addiction Counselors

There are many legal and ethical principles and standards one must acknowledge when becoming a professional addictions counselor. In the state of Pennsylvania, the State Board of Social Worker’s, Marriage and Family Therapists and Professional Counselors oversees the process of obtaining a license and sets the requirements for doing so. This board has two levels of certification at both a Bachelor’s Degree level and a Master’s Degree level. In addition to the Pennsylvania Board’s requirements, professional addiction counselors must adhere to a specific code of ethics set by the NAADAC. Failure to adhere to these codes of ethics can lead to legal ramifications, punishments and/or loss of license. Licensure and certification requirements vary

Both are known as the Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor (CADC) and the Certified Advanced Alcohol and Drug Counselor (CAADC). Each level has its own requirements that must be met by prospective substance abuse counselors. For individuals wishing to be licensed as a CADC the following requirements must be met. First, a minimum of a Bachelor’s Degree must be completed with a focus in behavioral science, psychology or addiction counseling. With that education, three hundred hours must be in addiction studies. One hundred of those hours must be directly related to substance abuse. Next, an individual must have four thousand hours of professional supervised employment in over a two-year period with fifty-one percent of that being in direct contact with clients in an alcohol and other drug setting and three hundred hours must be accrued with direct supervision. If the individual’s degree is in a non-Human Services field, that number increases to six thousand. In addition to these educational and work requirements, an individual must have six hours in professional ethics and responsibilities training, communicable diseases education and must sign the Pennsylvania Board’s code of ethics. Lastly, a most important, a person must pass the board’s written examination. The requirements for a license as an advanced counselor are much the same as a CADC, however one must have a minimum of a Master’s Degree and two thousand hours of supervised

One ethical issue is that of a counselor being able to balance their personal beliefs versus their profession. A counselor must be able to resolve their own feelings toward a client or their behavior and enter the professional relationship from non-judgmental standpoint. Another key ethical issue is that of dual relationships. A counselor must understand that there is no circumstance in which a client and counselor must engage in a relationship outside of the professional aspect. It is unethical for a client and counselor to have any sort of social interaction whatsoever and boundaries should be established (Scott, 2000). A key legal issue in that of addictions counseling is confidentiality. A counselor must understand that they are legally required to protect a client’s confidentiality. Especially in documentation. This can also be considered an ethics violation, however, compromising a client’s confidentiality can also lead to legal issues as well. Another key legal issue is that of falsifying documents or making false claims to insurance. These are just some examples of legal and ethical issues that may arise within the addictions counseling professional. It is important for counselors to understand both the situations and the potential consequences. Being a counselor that upholds a code of ethics and practices in a professional and competent level