Ohio

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


Before you begin your first day as an official chemical dependency counselor (or any other such counselor level) in Ohio, you need to complete several requirements. If you don’t yet have a college degree in this field, don’t worry. In your state, you can still work as a chemical dependency counselor assistant (CDCA), as long as you have a high school diploma or GED.


You’ll still have to apply for the appropriate license and show proof of your educational qualifications. You’ll also have to take part in continuing education classes. Once you have accumulated the required number of continuing education (CE) hours, it’s time to apply online to take the relicensing examination. Once issued, your license is good for two years.


Overview


Before you apply to take a licensing or renewal exam, you should know what these requirements are. This way, you’ll be able to find the CE classes you need, knowing they will be approved by the professional board.


You’ll be supervised as you work with residents or clients. This is clinical supervision, which is conducted by your immediate supervisor. Clinical supervision is required—it’s a form of mentoring that’s intended to help you develop your counseling knowledge and skills.


As a chemical dependency counselor, you should seek out and join at least one professional association. Having connections with other chemical dependency counselors enables you to network; you’ll also develop friendships with other counselors.


Education Requirements


In Ohio, substance abuse counselors are known as chemical dependency counselors. Depending on your education and experience level, you may be an assistant, a licensed counselor (at two levels), a licensed independent chemical dependency counselor or a clinical supervisor. Your level of education affects at which level you’ll begin working.


For the two chemical dependency counselor assistant levels, a high school diploma or GED will suffice for your educational requirements. You will have to complete several dozen hours of continuing education courses for your license. As you read through the state of Ohio licensing website, you’ll notice that you have to be of a minimum age—18 years of age, for the two CDCA levels. As you work to reach the second CDCA phase level, you’ll learn that you should have held Phase 1 for a minimum of 10 months. Along with this requirement, you’re going to have to be careful about how many CE hours you obtain once you are granted CDCA Phase 1 status. The state structures this so closely, because the licensing board needs to ensure that Level 1 and Level II CDCAs are professionally ready to move to the next level.


Licensed Chemical Dependency Counselor (LCDC I and II)


You might think that, as you reach the next level (Licensed chemical dependency counselor II or LCDC II), you’ll need a bachelor’s degree from a college or university. An associate degree in a nursing or behavioral science field will be sufficient. At a minimum, you’ll be able to advance to this level in about two years—the amount of time it generally takes to earn an associate’s degree.


With the LCDC III, you will need to have a bachelor’s degree in a behavioral science or nursing. You’ll also need 2,000 hours or one year of chemical dependency counseling experience, either in the form of an internship or compensated (paid) work. You’ll also have to document the hours you have put into practical experience of the 12 core functions. These functions are:


  • Screening

  • Intake

  • Orientation

  • Assessment

  • Treatment planning

  • Counseling (all forms)

  • Case management

  • Crisis intervention

  • Client education

  • Referral

  • Report and record keeping

  • Consultation with other professionals


Each of these functions requires different skills from you. You should know your clients very well so that, when it’s time to refer them to outside services, for instance, you’ll be better able to identify and contact the most appropriate resource for their needs.

Licensed Independent Chemical Dependency Counselor


The next CDC level is the licensed independent chemical dependency counselor. Here, you need a minimum of a master’s degree in the behavioral sciences or nursing. You’ll also have to prove your course work in ten content areas. You’ll have to have 2,000 hours of chemical dependency counseling experience. Again, this can be compensated work or an internship.

If you apply for a license at this level, you’re reaching a fairly high level. The clinical supervisor (CS) requires a minimum of a master’s degree, with provable course work in 10 content areas. You need two years or 4,000 hours of work experience (compensated or an internship). Expect to show proof of 2,000 additional hours of work experience as a clinical supervisor, working with CDCs.


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 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.


Counselor, Social Worker, and Marriage and Family Therapist Board


The Ohio Counselor, Social Worker, and Marriage and Family Therapist Board has the responsibility of protecting Ohio’s consumers of mental health services. The Board establishes and enforces licensure and practice standards for professional counselors, social workers, and therapists. Each of these three counseling fields has a committee designated to review licensure applications and regulate the specific field of practice.


Address

77 South High Street, Room 2468

Columbus, OH 43215


Phone

(614) 466-0912


Website Address

https://cswmft.ohio.gov/


Licensure:

  • Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor (LPCC)

  • Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC)


Ohio has a variety of states. The three main degrees of licensure are referred to as the Dependence Therapist II (LCDC II), the Licensed Chemical Reliance and additionally the Accredited Independent Chemical Dependency Therapist (LICDC). All require a range of training, training along with work experience criteria be fulfilled.


Ohio chemical abuse counselors are certified by the Ohio Chemical Dependency Professionals Board. Treatment licenses are released at three degrees: Accredited Chemical Dependency Counselor II (LCDC II), Accredited Chemical Reliance Therapist III (LCDC III), and also Certified Independent Chemical Dependency Counselor (LICDC). All need education and learning as well as learning, supervised approach, and assessment. The distinctive factor; higher licenses also have added rigorous educational program requirements.


The framework for an Accredited Reliance Counselor II authorization is a partner's degree in an actions scientific research area or in nursing; a prospect can furthermore license with a baccalaureate degree in any kind of location. The structure for an Accredited Dependence Counselor III credential is a bachelor's degree in behavioral science or nursing.


The Board likewise requires master's level leads to have 180 hrs of education and also discovering that is information to chemical reliance counseling; the 180 hours are to be distributed in the same way as they are for LCDC I or LCDC II licensing. Whatever the instructional degree, a possibility will certainly require at least 2,000 hrs of work experience or monitored teaching fellowship prior to a counseling certification can be given.


The Board requires that 20% of the required experience of human resources be bought the 'treatment' core area. The chemical dependency counselor candidate needs to take the ADC evaluation. Board approval is needed. Tests are computer-delivered. The Board remembers that there are testing internet sites not simply in Ohio however in bordering states likewise.


Holding a reciprocatory level credential can make it much less made complex to achieve accreditation or licensure in numerous various other jurisdictions. The fundamental state-level credential is not adequate, nevertheless. Pupils have the alternative of surpassing what is needed for standard Ohio licensure as well as also making a reciprocatory credential. Chemical dependency counselors that go this path will certainly call for 90 hrs of education and learning and discovering past the 180 that Ohio calls for; they will certainly require 80 humans resources of functional training past the 220 that Ohio needs.


Leads who fulfill all demands at the time of licensure could all at once obtain a shared certificate. The Ohio State Dependancy Board can be gotten to by phone. The Ohio Organization of Alcoholism in addition to Medicine Misuse Counselors is an added resource for the state's chemical abuse experts.


To come to be a substance abuse counselor in Ohio calls for one to take a core curriculum or obtain an education degree on the topic. Many people who have an interest in ending up being counselors become educators, which require training in social work or social scientific research. Many individuals who are trying to find employment within the substance abuse therapy field, look for to become therapists.


If you want to end up being a counselor in Ohio you will certainly require to figure out what it requires to turn into one. You can be educated at a university or through an institution that offers training courses in drug abuse. Some states have substance abuse therapists that are certified, which implies that they have been granted a license to exercise. Others have programs that permit you to become a certified therapist without having to go through the training demands that are called for.


The basic training for this career includes a minimum of one year of college. You can likewise earn a certification and also take further training as soon as you have finished the university program. Most people that have actually completed this kind of program then pursue a higher degree as well as come to be an accredited therapist. If you want working in this area but do not have a bachelor's degree after that it might not be a good idea to pursue a career in this area till you have a 4 year college degree.


The training program for being a therapist will certainly educate you just how to talk to people for work and also assistance to establish a task. You will find out the skills needed to be a great therapist as well as the expertise to effectively communicate with individuals with drug abuse troubles. Your responsibilities as a counselor will include helping people come back right into form, managing conflicts as well as handling people who abuse drugs or alcohol.


When you have finished the program to end up being a therapist in Ohio you will certainly need to finish an accepted training program that covers the subjects of substance abuse and dependency. There is an alternative for a 1 year program that can be finished online. This program is normally a mix of class discovering as well as useful laboratory work. A lot of these programs cover various problems such as medicine testing and treatment of substance abusers. In some cases they will certainly likewise cover legal issues that belong to the therapy of addicts as well as their drug abuse.


If you select to complete a full year of scientific training at a healthcare facility or another professional setting after that your medical job will contain two years of supervised scientific experience under the guidance of a registered nurse. The medical hours of this type of program differ from year to year and also will certainly be based upon the requirements of the health center. You will learn the abilities to provide drugs and also screen individuals' progress. You will certainly additionally learn the basics of supplying counseling solutions for substance abusers and also have the chance to practice your skills in various setups such as in prisons as well as in the family court system.


As soon as you have actually finished the accreditation process you will have to sit for the state assessment. Passing this exam will put you in the licensed therapy permit classification in Ohio. This test is additionally known as a CCR examination and also it is provided by a state board of licensure. After you pass the exam you will certainly have the ability to get employment.


If you are interested in ending up being a drug abuse therapist in Ohio you will need to find the area where you wish to work in person. You will certainly need to do some study before you start looking due to the fact that there are many different areas to work in.


Counselor Testing & Examination Process


After you file an application for licensure, you’ll be pre-registered for the licensure exam. You’ll be given a username and password in application email. These are to be used to register for the examination when you schedule your date, time and location. These usernames and passwords are valid only for six months, so schedule as soon as you receive them.


You’ll have three hours to take and complete your exam. You’ll get the preliminary results of your exam on the same day; official results will be sent to you one to two weeks later. If you don’t pass the test, you can reschedule (and pay a new exam fee), but you have to wait at least 90 days before you take the test again.


The exam is computer-based and given at several regional sites in Ohio and the states that border Ohio. Exams are given Mondays through Saturdays.


Whether you’re applying for your initial license or renewing it after several years as a chemical dependency counselor, Ohio does require its chemical dependency counselors, as well as other professionals, to complete specific steps in the application process.


Gather all of the paperwork and documentation you need for your application. This includes your educational program, documentation of the hours you’ve put in as a chemical dependency counselor. Pull your documentation of required education and training together as well. You may need to contact your high school, community college or university to request official transcripts. Because it takes time for educational institutions to process your request, ask for this when you first begin preparing your application for initial or renewal licensing. Once you have all of this, provide documentation of the required practical experience hours—this may be in an internship or an official, compensated job role.


The form you use to apply for initial or renewal licensing will tell you what documentation you need to provide. This includes the hours of paid or volunteer work that’s applicable to the field in which you are being licensed. You’ll also have to provide documentation of the required levels of education and training you have received. Add items such as original transcripts, letters of participation and certificates of attendance at workshops. Next, you’ll have to gather documentation of the practical hours you’ve completed.


In Ohio, at least, you are required to report felony charges and convictions to the board in your application. This includes the circumstances of each felony—which includes active addiction. If it applies to you, answer honestly. Because you will be subject to a criminal background check, any criminal record will be revealed.


Ohio has an interesting provision in its licensing process. If you have a valid and current LCDC II, LCDC III, LICDC or LICDC-CS are eligible to apply for an endorsement in gambling disorders by simply filling out the endorsement application.


Clinical Supervision Explained


Every chemical dependency counselor in Ohio is required to receive clinical supervision. Because you are working with damaged individuals who suffer from an addiction and a possible related co-morbid disorder, you are charged with a huge responsibility. You also have ethical and legal responsibilities. Hence the need for clinical supervision.


Your clinical supervisor should be fully aware of the rationale behind clinical supervision. In this way, they can guide and mentor you. You won’t have to be supervised for every hour that you spend working with your clients. Your clinical supervisor will use a specific ratio in providing clinical supervision. This may be 15-to-1 or 20-to-1, meaning you would be supervised for one hour of every 15 or 20 hours of client contact.


Your supervisor will have specific criteria they need to meet in supervising you and your fellow counselors. They are responsible for ensuring that each counselor reaches the level where they can be credentialed. Their supervision of you and any suggestions or recommendations they make will be with that goal in mind.


Next, each substance abuse facility has to remain accredited with specific accreditation bodies. This form of documentation helps to reassure prospective clients, residents and their family members as they try to decide which facility to enter.

Third, a well-supervised counselor can do a lot to help their assigned counselors to feel more confident in the work they are doing. This means fewer counselors will develop burnout symptoms, then decide to leave.


Clinical supervision enables the clinical supervisor, their supervisor and the counselors to identify any areas of liability with particular clients, if, for instance, a client suffers from a co-morbid disorder, such as depression. They may decide that suicide is the only answer for their depression and pain. The agency could potentially be held liable if staff members didn’t detect the signs of suicidal ideation.


Finally, even though counselors are held to a high level of ethics, some of them may cross emotional or physical boundaries with their clients. When they close their office door to begin a counseling session, what are they doing? If they have decided to abuse a vulnerable client, the agency will be held legally liable if the counselor’s abusive actions were not caught and stopped. Clinical supervision allows agencies and supervisors to be proactive, rather than reactive.


Renewal and Continuing Education


Every continuing education hour you choose must be approved by the licensing board. If you took a course that was not approved by the board, you can request approval once you’ve already taken the course. You’ll have to provide the course agenda and your course certificate to the board, so it can re-evaluate its earlier decision.


You’ll have to take courses in the following nine content areas:


  • Theories of addiction

  • Counseling procedures and strategies with the addicted

  • Group process and techniques

  • Assessment and diagnosis of addiction

  • Relationship counseling with the addicted

  • Pharmacology

  • Prevention Strategies

  • Treatment planning

  • Legal and ethical issues in counseling


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 Ohio Counseling Association maintains a list of associations for substance abuse counselors:


  • American Counseling Association

  • National Board for Certified Counselors, Inc.

  • Association for Specialists in Group Work


Several of these groups are specific to drug and alcohol addiction. Others focus more on mental health or counseling.