Nebraska

What does an Addiction Counselor in Nebraska do? What is Their Job Role?


The need for substance abuse counselors is on the rise nationwide. If you’re considering becoming a licensed alcohol and drug counselor, you’ll spend your days helping people who need professional guidance to overcome their addictions and embrace their best healthy, sober lives.


Becoming a substance abuse counselor doesn’t happen overnight. Before you can obtain the proper credentials needed to practice on your own, you’ll need to complete years of education and training, as well as a challenging licensing exam.


Here’s what you’ll have to do before you’re able to start practicing as a licensed alcohol and drug counselor in Nebraska.


Overview


The Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services defines a substance abuse counselor as “an individual who provides the 12 core functions of: screening, intake, orientation, assessment, treatment planning, counseling (individual, group and significant others), case management, crisis intervention, client education, referral, reports and recordkeeping and consultation with other professionals in regard to client treatment and services.”


Alcohol and drug counselors in Nebraska must be licensed to practice by the state’s Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) division. Before they can earn licensure, counselors must complete relevant coursework and training, gain experience in a supervised setting, and pass the licensing exam.


Nebraska Licensing & Certifications for Associates & Independent Counselors


A counselor who meets all of the requirements of licensure is certified as a Licensed Alcohol and Drug Counselor (LADC). Counselors who are in the process of completing the steps needed for licensure are known as Provisional Licensed Drug and Alcohol Counselors (PLADC). Both levels of licensure must be applied for individually, and each one has requirements that must be completed in order to work towards or keep a valid license.


Prospective counselors in Nebraska have the ability to enter the field holding just a high school diploma (provided they meet the minimum age of 19), but the process is faster and easier overall with a bachelor’s degree. Nebraska’s policies regarding graduate experience differs from those of many states--LADCs with graduate degrees do not automatically receive additional credentials with their license. They can, however, obtain extra credentials through DHHS.


Addiction counselors who do earn an advanced degree may be eligible to be certified as a Licensed Professional Counselor. They may also apply for licensure as a Mental Health Practitioner, which allows addiction counselors the ability to practice as a mental health counselor. This is especially useful when treating clients with co-occurring disorders, as LADCs without a MHP license must refer clients elsewhere for mental health diagnoses and treatment.


Education Requirements


On top of a high school diploma or GED, the prospective LADC must complete a minimum of 270 education hours. This can take place in a traditional college or university setting, or in workshops, institutes, or seminars.


Students will need to complete 45 hours covering each of the following subjects:


  • Techniques and theories of counseling

  • Group counseling

  • The medical and psychosocial aspects of drug and alcohol addiction


Students will also need to complete 30 hours studying each of the following topics:

Human growth and development

  • Clinical treatment issues

  • Multicultural counseling

  • Assessment, case planning, and management


Prospective counselors must also complete an additional 15 hours of ethics training.

Several universities in Nebraska have submitted their courses to be pre-approved by the DHHS. The DHHS website contains a list of approved classes to cover the LDAC education requirements.


Counselors who have earned graduate degrees in addiction can reduce the course load needed before they’re eligible to obtain licensure. However, they will need to document the courses they took to properly cover the required content areas.


Provisional Training and Supervised Experience


Nebraska employs a two-part licensure process that prospective substance abuse counselors must complete before they’re able to begin practicing on their own.


As part of their training, PLADC candidates must complete at least 300 hours of practice experience under the supervision of a licensed counselor. This must include a minimum of ten hours in each of the 12 areas of function outlined by the state’s DHHS. Upon completing their 300 work hours and passing a standard criminal background check, candidates may be eligible to apply for a provisional license.


In this part of the process, candidates will be supervised by a LADC or psychologist with training in addiction counseling. They will take on a caseload of clients for whom they will perform the duties of an LADC, which must include:


  • Assessment

  • Case management

  • Consulting with other professionals

  • Counseling

  • Record keeping and maintenance

  • Referrals

  • Treatment planning


For every ten hours of core alcohol and drug counseling training completed, the candidate will need to meet with their supervisor for a face to face evaluation lasting at least one hour. They’ll also need to log one hour of individual or group supervision for each hour of paid experience.


Prospective licensees who don’t hold a college degree will need to gain experience by completing a minimum of 6,000 hours of work experience. This is the equivalent of three years working full time. Candidates with an associate’s degree in addictions or chemical dependency can get their work requirement reduced to 5,000 hours. A bachelor’s degree in addictions, chemical dependency, sociology, social work, or psychology can eliminate an additional 1,000 hours of required experience, knocking the number of hours needed to 4,000. Candidates with a graduate degree in addictions, chemical dependency, sociology, social work, or psychology will only need to complete 2,000 hours of experience before being eligible for full licensure.


A prospective LADC may hold a provisional license for up to six years. They’ll need to meet with their supervisor for one hour of face to face evaluation for every 40 hours worked.


LADC Examination Process in Nebraska


Candidates seeking LADC licensing must first take the IC&RC Alcohol and Drug Counselor (ADC) exam. Prospective counselors will need to apply to the DHHS for permission to take the computer-based exam. They’ll also need to pay a $100 application fee.


Once eligibility is confirmed, licensing candidates can expect to receive information about scheduling and taking the exam. Testing sites are located in North Platte and Omaha.


Candidates who don’t pass the test will be eligible to take it again, but will have to wait at least 60 days after the exam date to retest. They will also have to pay the application fee for each exam taken.


After passing the exam, PLADCs can submit an application to be licensed as a practicing alcohol and drug counselor in Nebraska. All forms required for application can be found on the DHHS website.


Renewal and Continuing Education


Once a substance abuse counselor has earned a LADC, they will need to work to retain their license.


The renewal process takes place every two years. No matter the date on which the license was initially received, renewal takes place statewide on September 1st of each even numbered year. For example, all LADCs will need to renew their licenses in September of 2018 and will need to do so again by September 1st of 2020.


Licenses can be renewed online. Renewal applications are also available for download on the DHHS website. Counselors will need to pay a $175 license renewal fee with their application.


In order to keep their license active, substance abuse counselors will need to complete 40 hours of continued education during every licensing cycle. At least 20 of these hours must be in areas specific to drug and alcohol addiction, and must be approved by the DHHS or by one of the following groups:


  • Addiction Technology Transfer Centers (ATTC)

  • American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM)

  • National Association of Alcohol and Drug Abuse Counselors (NAADAC)


The remaining 20 hours may be in addiction related areas but can also take place in other relevant areas of concentration. In order to count toward the continued education requirement, these credit hours must be approved by one of the following groups:


  • American Counselors Association (ACA)

  • National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC)

  • American Medical Association (AMA)

  • Nebraska Medical Association (NMA)

  • American Nurses Licensing Center’s Commission on Accreditation

  • American Psychological Association (APA)

  • National Association of Social Workers (NASW)

  • American Association of Marriage and Family Therapists (AAMFT)

  • Nebraska Nurses Association (NNA)


For each two-year renewal period, licensees can earn up to a total of:


  • 15 hours of continued education through home study programs

  • 15 hours as the presenter in a seminar or group presentation

  • 10 hours spent doing research in a peer review setting


Continued education hours must be properly documented to count towards credit requirements.


Nebraska's alcohol as well as drug counselors are accredited by the Nebraska Department of Health And Wellness and Individual Solutions. Licensure depends upon finishing addictions-related coursework and also useful training, working under support, and also passing a licensing examination. A specialist that has actually fulfilled all demands is called a Qualified Alcohol as well as Drug Therapist (LADC).


It is feasible to end up being an LADC with simply a senior high school diploma, yet the credential can be accomplished a lot more quickly by people with college levels. The marginal age for either credential is 19. Capella College supplies an internet MS in Addiction Research Researches and also a PhD in Dependence Psychology. Capella University in addition utilizes three on the internet CACREP-accredited programs: MS in Medical Mental Wellness Counseling, MS in School Treatment, as well as PhD in Therapist Education and additionally Support, along with a COAMFTE-accredited program, MS in Marital relationship and likewise Family members Members Treatment.


With a partner's degree in addictions or chemical dependence, the need is minimized to 5,000 hrs. The requirement is 4,000 human resources for a prospect with a qualifying bachelor's level as well as additionally 2,000 for one with a master's. Accrediting levels at the bachelor's along with master's degrees consist of addictions, counseling, psychology, social job, as well as also sociology.


The supervisor needs to be registered; the Board has to be notified of any sort of succeeding change of supervisor. If the prospect falls short to register assistance, work will certainly not be connected even if it was performed under an or else qualified manager. The individual is to contend least a hr of in person evaluative advice for every 40 hrs of paid run in alcohol and drug counseling.


Education and learning along with practical training must be confirmed in the starting application. The supervisor will definitely verify valuable training. A prospect using the LADC degree will verify employment. The Licensure System will certainly require main documents of licensing academic coursework. Workshops and also institutes may be validated with qualifications of final thought. A possibility at either degree should record age as well as citizenship or authorized presence.


Of the 270 asked for hrs, 45 need to be completed in team treatment, counseling theories, and also facets of medication and also alcoholism. An extra 30 hrs need to be associated with human advancement, a course covering the growth and also growth of human beings via life, circumstance preparation, and likewise administration, and also a training course that covers the collection along with use of client data.


Some companies similarly function as a supporter for substance abuse counselors. From education and learning to occasions, members of the American Society of Addiction Medicine take pleasure in different benefits. ASAM in addition acts as an advocacy system for specialists across the country. All assessments called for to find a licensed drug abuse therapist in Nebraska are made use of via the IC&RC.


Specialists can situate funding for research study along with new addiction-related research via the site. Created especially for currently licensed wellness as well as wellness experts in Nebraska, NE LAP is a totally free source that executes personal alcohol and also substance abuse analyses. As the Nebraska stage of NAADAC, this group is liable for organizing neighborhood celebrations for chemical abuse as well as addiction counselors.


You have probably seen commercials for the various drug treatment centers and programs in the local news or seen them in the movies, but how can you become an addiction counselor in Nebraska? Well, it depends on how you want to go about it.


First of all, there are many different addiction centers that offer the treatment and help to addicts. The best part about this is that they all are different, and all have their own programs to provide help and services. There are a number of different rehab centers, treatment facilities, and recovery centers that offer this service.


There are a number of different things that a person can do to become an addiction counselor in Nebraska, including taking college classes in the hopes that they can become a certified professional that they can offer treatment and help to addicts. This can be an excellent choice as long as the person is willing to put the effort into becoming a counselor and making the program work.


There are many options available in Nebraska. Some of these include the treatment of addicts, the treatment and support of addicts, and also a program where counselors can go and train in a new area. These options are all available in the state of Nebraska. The key is to look into the options available and find a school that fits your needs.


In order to become an addiction counselor in Nebraska, you will have to attend a school that offers addiction counseling. This is a very important part of the process. The school will be able to show you how to help addicts and how to handle them, whether it is dealing with the addict themselves, helping them to get into a sober life, or getting them to recover from drugs and alcohol.


You can find out all of the information you need to know about becoming an addiction counselor in Nebraska by going to your local state's department of education, as well as your local college or university. They can also give you all of the resources you need to get you on your way to becoming an addiction counselor in Nebraska.


When you begin looking for information on how to become an addiction counselor in Nebraska, remember that you do not have to be an experienced addict. The school will teach you all you need to know and make sure that you understand the process.


It is very important that you are committed to becoming an addiction counselor in Nebraska. because you will be dealing with addicts for the rest of your life. So you will want to make sure you are committed to the education and learning process and to your training.


In order to be certified as an addiction counselor in Nebraska, you will need to go to a school that is accredited. This means that the school needs to have an accredited course that will provide you with all of the information you need to become an addiction counselor in Nebraska. You will also need to make sure that the school has a very good reputation in the community.


The school will be one of the most important things you will do in order to become an addiction counselor in Nebraska. It is not as easy to find one in Nebraska, as it is in some other states. The school will provide you with all of the resources you need to become a certified addiction counselor in Nebraska.


You will also want to take the time to meet with a counselor before you become certified. The counselor will be able to help you understand the addiction and the process and help you find a school that is right for you. The counselor will be able to teach you about the right way to use the schools, as well as the right way to approach the school.


You will want to take the time to talk to a counselor before you become an addiction counselor in Nebraska and understand what the school can do for you. In order to become an addiction counselor in Nebraska, you will need to take the time to find the right school.


Potential Counselor Career Path Options


  • Addiction Counselor

  • Alcohol and Drug Addiction Counselor

  • Behavioral Health Specialist

  • Certified Addiction Drug and Alcohol Counselor

  • Chemical Dependency Counselor

  • Mental Health Counselor

  • School Counselor

  • Substance Abuse Counselor


LADC Associations in Nebraska


Joining a professional organization can provide additional resources for substance abuse counselors looking to stay on top of current rules and regulations.


Nebraska substance abuse counselors have the option to join the Nebraska Association of Alcoholism and Drug Abuse Counselors. This group is a local affiliate of a larger national organization.


Associations & Organizations


Two types of accreditation are recognized in the United States; institutional and specialized. Institutional accreditation takes the entire institution into account while the specialized focus on professional preparation programs. The Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP) is a specialized accreditation that focuses on master’s and doctoral degree programs in counseling at colleges and universities worldwide. Only already-accredited institutions are eligible for CACREP review. The review for accreditation will center on programs offering graduate degrees in counseling.


Choosing a CACREP-accredited program ensures that the program meets the highest of quality standards. Many counseling specialties are accredited by the CACREP, including addiction counseling. Accredited addiction counseling programs prepare individuals to work with those affected by addictive behavior and their families. Addictive behaviors include alcohol, drugs, food, gambling, sex, and anything else that negatively affects your personal or work life by creating addiction behaviors.


CACREP-accredited programs will focus on treatment models and the phases of addiction including prevention, recovery, and relapse prevention. These 60-semester hour programs will include the application of interventions. When students choose a CACREP-accredited program they can be confident that:


  • the program meets or exceeds national standards

  • the program will focus on professional counseling rather than psychology or education

  • the program has an excellent reputation

  • CACREP graduates statistically receive higher scores on the National Counselor Examination for Licensure and Certification (NCE).

  • the requirements for licensure will be met.


Department of Health and Human Services


Mental Health and Social Work Practice


As an arm of the Department of Health and Human Services, the Mental Health and Social Work Practice regulates the many licenses and titles offered to counselors in the state. Nebraska offers two levels of licensure for Addiction Counseling. The Provisional Licensed Alcohol and Drug Counselor (PLADC) license is provided for beginners to gain experience while supervised. The ultimate goal will be to attain a Licensed Alcohol and Drug Counselor (LADC) designation.


Address

P.O. Box 95026

Lincoln, NE 68509


Phone

(402) 471-3121


Website Address

http://dhhs.ne.gov/publichealth/Pages/crlMHPSWHome.aspx


Licensure:

  • Provisional Licensed Alcohol and Drug Counselor (PLADC)

  • Licensed Alcohol and Drug Counselor (LADC)