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Substance Abuse Counselor Training in North Dakota - ND

By Susan Maphis, allied health world contributing writer
Published: July, 15 2010

Substance abuse counseling is a profession requiring specialized training, as these counselors deal with a myriad of issues plaguing those addicted to drugs, alcohol or both. In most states, some form of education is mandated before one can work in the profession. Substance abuse counselor training in North Dakota is no exception. The state of North Dakota mandates that applicants have at least an addiction studies bachelor degree or a bachelor degree in a closely related social science or health care field, with at least 32 credit hours in addiction studies, before applying to become a Licensed Addiction Counselor. These 32 credit hours must address the following areas: treatment methods and models; interviewing techniques; individual and group counseling; assessment and diagnosis models; testing instruments; intervention approaches; documentation, report writing and recordkeeping; verbal communication skills; counselor skill groups; ethics; and theory.

In addition, North Dakota requires that all applicants have completed a 1400 hour practicum. This sort of field experience is usually included in any bachelor degree training program for substance abuse counselors, and is obtained in a real-world setting, such as a hospital or treatment facility. Bachelor degrees in addictions studies are available at colleges and universities throughout North Dakota and sometimes online (although the practical portion of your training must be completed in a real-life setting).