Become a Substance Abuse Counselor in Kentucky - KY

The Kentucky Board of Certification of Alcohol and Drug Counselors (http://adc.ky.gov/) awards the substance abuse counselor certification in Kentucky. To become a licensed counselor, you must first meet their education requirements. You are expected to complete at least a bachelor’s degree in an approved program. There are also 270 hours of board-approved substance abuse coursework required. These courses include six hours of ethics training and two hours of training in infection control.

The next major element is actual field experience. A student is expected to complete six thousand hours of work experience that is supervised and officially documented. Some of this experience may be satisfied within your degree program as part of your practicum.

Once your education is complete and you have the required experience in a substance abuse setting, you can apply for the exam that has been approved by the International Certification Reciprocity Consortium (IC & RC). The test consists of both a written component and an oral interview. This agency is the qualified certifying organization the state of Kentucky recognizes. For the application process, you are expected to submit two references from certified substance abuse counselors who have worked with you directly during your practicum. For information on the IC&RC standards go to www.icrcaoda.org.

Through campus based and online programs, aspiring substance abuse counselors in Louisville, Lexington and Owensboro, Kentucky may be able to prepare themselves for the possibility of employment in some of the largest hospitals and healthcare facilities in the state including Norton Hospital, Saint Elizabeth Medical Center, and Owensboro Medical Health.