How to Become a Licensed Substance Abuse Counselor in Utah
A licensed substance abuse counselor is a professional who is qualified to help people overcome addictions to drugs, alcohol and other problematic substances. Substance abuse counselors may work in rehabilitation facilities, social service agencies or in private practice. To become a licensed substance abuse counselor in Utah, a minimum of a bachelor's degree is required, as well as at least 2,000 hours of supervised experience in the field.
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Things You'll Need
- Bachelor's degree
- ICRC/AODA score report
- Application
- Official transcripts
- Social security number
- Previous license, if applicable
- Application fee
Instructions
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Earn a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university. Coursework in the social sciences or other areas that relate to substance abuse is highly recommended.
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Take the International Certification Examination for Alcohol and Drug Counselors test. The exam is sponsored by the International Certification and Reciprocity Consortium/Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse Inc. and is referred to as the ICRC/AODA. The Utah division of the Association of Addiction Professionals provides information about local administration of the test on their website (see Resources). A passing score as well as an official score report is required to become licensed.
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Visit the Utah Department of Occupational and Professional Licensing (DOPL) website to download an application (see Resources section, below). There are separate applications for first-time applications and those who want to renew a substance abuse counselor license.
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Fill out the application in its entirety. You will need to give your work supervisors the verification form so they can sign off on the supervised experience requirement. Also included in the application package is a qualifying questionnaire and an affidavit that allows examiners to request information that can help them evaluate your candidacy for a license.
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Attach official transcripts from all of the educational institutions you have attended and fill out the corresponding information on the application about your educational career.
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Include information and copies of other substance abuse licenses you have held in other states.
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Send your completed application with the application fee, to the Division of Occupational & Professional Licensing, P.O. Box 146741, Salt Lake City, Utah 84114-6741. Be sure that you have included your social security number for prompt processing. The DOPL will notify you by mail when a decision regarding your licensure has been made.
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