New Hampshire

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


Requirements for becoming a licensed substance abuse counselor in New Hampshire are somewhat more rigorous than in many other states. While the state is small in size and relatively small in population, the need for substance abuse counseling is still great and the need is growing. Substance abuse counselors can literally save lives, and put lives back on track.


Overview


In New Hampshire, the state Board of Licensing for Alcohol and Other Drug Use Professionals is responsible for licensing and credentialing of alcohol and substance abuse professionals. The NHBLAODUP is a member of the International Certification and Reciprocity Consortium (IC&RC).


New Hampshire Licensing & Certifications for Associates & Independent Counselors

New Hampshire licenses professionals as Licensed Alcohol and Drug Counselors (LADCs) and Master Licensed Alcohol and Drug Counselors (MLADCs).


Education Requirements


LADC candidates must have at least an associate’s degree in either substance abuse counseling, addiction studies or a similar field. If the candidate has earned a bachelor’s degree, it must be in the counseling/addiction field or human services, psychology, social work or clinical mental health.


An LADC candidate must have 270 hours of alcohol and drug education, along with 300 hours of practical training. The 270 hours include six hours of substance abuse-related HIV/AIDS training, six hours of ethics training and six hours of confidentiality training. Not more than 25 percent of the 270 hours may take place via approved distance learning.


The LADC candidate pass 18 categories of competence. These consist of:

  1. Data collection – Collection of important information relating to a client’s history and lifestyle.

  2. Diagnosis of drug/alcohol dependence – knowing indicators for diagnostic purposes of substance abuse.

  3. Initiating treatment – Setting goals and objectives for treatment, along with aiding the client in following the treatment plan.

  4. Crisis response – Identifying a crisis as well as determining its severity.

  5. Human growth and development – Understanding physical, emotional, social and intellectual development

  6. Counseling – Knowledge of various counseling techniques and approaches.

  7. Therapeutic relationship – Developing a rapport and relationship with the client, and assisting the client with gaining insights into their issues.

  8. Evaluation – Learning to evaluate both a program and its effectiveness on a client.

  9. Termination and follow-up – Determining when termination is appropriate and forming a discharge plan.

  10. Recordkeeping – Accurately take and maintain all aspects of client records.

  11. Verbal communication – The ability to verbally communicate effectively with clients, staff and colleagues.

  12. Regulatory issues – Knowledge of New Hampshire and federal regulatory issues relating to client confidentiality, substance abuse and other topics.

  13. Community utilization – Identifying and coordinating existing community resources to benefit the client.

  14. Alcohol and drugs – Knowledge of the effect of alcohol and commonly abused drugs on the human body.

  15. Sociological factors – Cultural influences affecting substance abuse and factors relating to the client’s race, gender, age and ethnicity.

  16. Physiological medical factors – Knowledge of the short and long-term effects of substance abuse on the client’s body and overall health.

  17. Psychological psychiatric factors – Knowledge of the short and long-term effects of substance abuse on the client’s emotional and mental health.

  18. Treatment – Knowledge of progression of addiction and recovery and components of the treatment continuum.


The MLADC candidate must have not only a master’s degree, but 60 complete semester hours of graduate coursework. The MLADC candidate must also have 270 hours of alcohol and drug counseling education, along with 300 hours of practical training, with supervision.


Residency Requirements and Background Checks


New Hampshire does not require that LADC and MLADC licensees are state residents, but it does require that applicants live or work in the state at least 51 percent of the time. Candidates must be United States citizens or hold legal alien status, and must speak and write English. All applicants must pass a criminal background check and have their fingerprints taken by either a law enforcement agency or by a Department of Safety employee. The current fee for fingerprinting is $260.


CACREP Accredited Online Certification


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 oreducation

  • 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.


Board of Mental Health Practice


The New Hampshire Board of Mental Health Practice protects mental health consumers by setting practice standards, a licensure system, enforcing continuing competency, and regulating the industry. The Board was created to ensure that mental health professionals offer effective, quality services. The Board of Mental Health Practice oversees Clinical Mental Health Counselors, Pastoral Psychotherapists, Clinical Social Workers, and Marriage and Family Therapists.


Address

121 South Fruit Street, Suite 303

Concord, NH 03301


Phone

(603) 271-2702


Website Address

https://www.oplc.nh.gov/mental-health/


Licensure:

  • Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor (LCMHC)


You are needed to have 270 credit scores hours in the abiding by places: Scientific treatment issues in chemical reliance; Medical and likewise psychological elements of alcohol/drug use; abuse as well as addiction; Therapy concepts as well as approaches; Group treatment; Modern counseling; Alcohol/drug analysis, instance planning along with monitoring; Expert principles and also troubles; Human growth as well as likewise advancement.


The Board likewise concerns Accredited Healing Assistance Worker along with Medical Supervisor qualifications. One can become a Certified Recovery Support Staff member with a high school education. Capella College provides an online MS in Addiction Study Researches and a PhD in Reliance Psychology. Capella College in addition utilizes three online CACREP-accredited programs: MS in Professional Mental Health Therapy, MS in Establishment Therapy, as well as PhD in Counselor Education as well as Supervision, together with a COAMFTE-accredited program, MS in Marital relationship as well as additionally Household Members Therapy.


Candidates with an accepted associate or bachelor's degree in an approved technique are accredited to look for the LADC. The LADC needs an associate level in dependency research studies, product usage counseling, or an equal area or a bachelor's in scientific mental health and health, psychology, social work, dependence investigates, material use counseling, or a human solutions self-control.


The program needs to include internship requirements in addition to clinical coursework. Intrigued in going after an education primarily misuse therapy? See the following website to uncover counseling scholastic programs by level: Course needs vary by kind of substance abuse therapy authorization in New Hampshire.


Both need 300 human resources of monitored practical training in the level program. The LCW requires 10,000 humans resources of experience as a medication or alcohol counselor, 4,000 hrs of professional manager experience, as well as 200 hours of in person clinical supervision. The New Hampshire Board of Licensing for Alcohol as well as Various Other Drug abuse Specialists manages the licensure process for alcohol and likewise drug counselors in the state.


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In order to become a drug and alcohol counselor in New Hampshire, the school has to complete a rigorous training program. If a student does not have a drug or alcohol abuse problem then he or she should not bother pursuing a career in this field.


The requirements for becoming a drug abuse counselor in New Hampshire are pretty stringent, although this is changing. A school that wants to enroll a student as a counselor must first complete a two-year Bachelor of Science in Counselor Education and Training in Substance Abuse or Alcoholism.


Once a student has completed his Bachelor's degree, the second step is to complete the required clinical skills that are required for successful completion of the degree, including a clinical internship. At this point the school will take the clinical skills to the state board for drug abuse education and training (BETA) and get the state's approval of the program.


At this point the school must complete the clinical training and pass the state examination for drug abuse education and training. It will be necessary for the school to submit the certification to the BETA to be able to continue to train students.


As long as a student passes the state exam for the state board for drug abuse education and training, he or she should have no trouble becoming a drug abuse counselor in New Hampshire. This also gives the student the time to complete the requirements for another four years of education.


If the student is able to complete the clinical skills, they should be able to begin work in an office setting in about three years. After this initial period of employment, the student should take a clinical skills refresher course that will be required every year to keep their certification current.


In order to be sure that a student has successfully completed the clinical skills refresher course, he or she should contact the state board of alcohol and drug abuse counselors at least five years after the completion of the clinical skills course. The state board will give students a date that they will need to start the clinical skills refresher course.


A student who has successfully completed the clinical skills refresher course, then, can start to complete the clinical skills required for admission to the counseling field. This includes completion of an exam and the state test for the state board for drug abuse education and training.


During the clinical skills refresher course, the student should learn about a variety of methods to reduce problems with substance abuse, including individual and group counseling, family therapy, individual counseling, and individual and group family therapy. A student who is able to successfully complete the clinical skills refresher course should also have at least a bachelor's degree, including a minimum of two years of college study, and have completed one or more years of education in a community college, bachelor's program, community college, and/or a four-year bachelor's program.


In addition to the clinical skills refresher course, a student should also take an approved test to determine how well they have learned about the drug abuse issues that are part of their life. The BETA will review the student's test scores and be able to give the student a certification within three years after completion of the clinical skills refresher course. The student will be able to work as a counselor within about one to two years after this certification is obtained.


Once the clinical skills refresher course is complete, the student should move on to the next step in their education, the clinical training in alcohol and substance abuse. This step is required for placement within the field.


The clinical training in alcohol and substance abuse involves the completion of a two-year degree program at a community college or four-year degree program at a university. The student will work on his or her clinical skills and clinical training in a clinical setting, with supervised clinical experiences that include both classroom sessions and clinical training in a clinical setting.


The clinical skills refresher course, clinical training, and the clinical skills refresher course should be completed before the student begins clinical training in alcohol and substance abuse. After completing the clinical training in alcohol and substance abuse, the student will need to pass an exam, in order to be certified to be a drug and alcohol counselor in New Hampshire.


Counselor Testing & Examination Process


LADC candidates must take the IC&RC’s Alcohol and Drug Counselor (ADC) examination. MLADC candidates must take both the Advanced Alcohol and Drug Counselor (AADC) examination and the Co-Occurring Disorders Professional (CCDP) exam. If the candidate has a New Hampshire license in mental health, only the AADC exam is necessary. Scheduling for the exams is arranged through the company providing the computer-based tests. Currently, the test is $110 for LADC candidates and $300 for MLADC candidates.


Applications for the test are available from the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services. LADC and MLADC applicants must fill out and submit the initial application form, along with the confidential page for the applicant’s Social Security information. They must fill out or have the correct entity fill out and submit the appropriate supervised practical training report form; applicant work experience form; supervisor work experience form; employment verification form; educational training and summary form; counselor evaluation form; professional reference form; supervision agreement and the exam form and cover letter. Applicants must also have official transcripts sent to the department. In cases of non-academic education, verify these either by sending a letter from the supervisors or enclosing a certificate of attendance. If training is not approved, a course description is required.


The ICRC exam’s questions are in a multiple choice format, and the candidate chooses between four possible responses. Of these four choices, only one answer is considered the best, and candidates receive credit only for choosing the best response. Upon successful completion of the exam, candidates must send in the ICRC verification form to the state Department of Health and Human Services. Once the test is passed and all clinical supervision requirements are complete and verified, the candidate may apply for licensure from the Department.


Along with the tests, candidates must submit a written case study. The form is available through the state Department of Health and Human Services. The case study is based on a closed case file concerning an actual client. Once the exam is passed, the case study approved and all clinical supervision requirements are complete and verified, the candidate may apply for licensure.


Clinical Supervision Explained


An LADC candidate with an associate’s degree requires 6,000 hours of clinical supervised practice, a higher number than needed in many other states. If the LADC candidate has a bachelor's degree, 4,000 hours of supervised practice is required, which is more typical of IC&RC boards nationwide.


Reciprocity


The NHBLAODUP may license out-of-state substance abuse and addiction counselors whose credentials were based on similar requirements. Since the state board is a member of the IC&RC, those with reciprocal level credentials in other member states may contact the IC&RC. Currently, receiving reciprocity requires a $100 fee.


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


Associations & Organizations


The New Hampshire Alcohol and Drug Abuse Counselors Association (NHADACA) serves as the primary provider of continuing educational services for substance abuse and addictions professionals in the state. This mission of this nonprofit organization, created in 1986 and located in Concord, states it will “provide quality education, workforce development, advocacy, ethical standards and leadership for addiction professionals. We empower efforts in prevention, treatment and recovery.”


The New Hampshire Center for Excellence was established and funded through a public-private partnership of the New Hampshire Department of Health & Human Services' Bureau of Drug & Alcohol Services and the New Hampshire Charitable Foundation. It is supported by the New Hampshire’s Governor's Commission on Alcohol and Drug Abuse Prevention, Intervention and Treatment and the U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Its mission is to “provide technical assistance, disseminate data and information, and promote knowledge transfer to support the effectiveness of communities, practitioners, policymakers, and other stakeholders working to reduce alcohol and other drug misuse and related consequences in New Hampshire.”


Partnership for a Drug-free New Hampshire, organized in 1994 under the auspices of the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services, Bureau of Drug and Alcohol Services, is a nonprofit organization striving to “create and promote consistent statewide messages about the problems and solutions of substance misuse in New Hampshire through engagement of partners, members and champions.”