How to Become a Substance Abuse Professional
If you want to become a substance abuse professional, there are number of career paths you can take. In 2008, 6.9 percent of all teens and adults reported that they engaged in heavy drinking, according to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. About 2.2 million people reported using marijuana during that year. Substance abuse professionals treat people with drug and alcohol addictions. They may work as counselors or educators. They may work as nurses or other care providers in drug and alcohol treatment centers.
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Instructions
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Attend the college of your choice and earn a bachelor's degree in a helping profession. Substance abuse professionals can have a variety of degrees, including degrees in social work, nursing, psychology and counseling. The best degree for you depends on what type of work you want to do. For instance, if you want to counsel people with addictions, you might want to become a licensed professional counselor or a psychologist. If you want to care for patients in a drug rehab center, you might want to become a registered nurse.
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Continue your education to earn a master's degree if required for your chosen career. Social workers do not necessarily need a master's degree, but those that have one can perform some job duties others cannot. Psychologists need an advanced degree in order to become licensed.
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Earn a doctoral degree if required for your chosen field. Most substance abuse professionals do not need doctoral degrees, but those who wish to become licensed psychologists do.
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Obtain a license for your chosen profession if required. If you wish to work as a nurse, you must pass the NCLEX-RN exam and become a registered nurse. If you wish to work as a social worker, you must pass an exam to become licensed to practice.
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Become certified by the Association for Addiction Professionals by meeting all eligibility criteria and passing the exam. Certification is not mandatory for many jobs working with people with addictions, but it demonstrates your competency and will increase your job opportunities and earning potential.
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Continue your education with regard to substance abuse issues. While social workers, nurses and other helping professionals learn about substance while earning their degrees, the information provided in college courses may be limited. Most licensed professionals must earn continuing education credits each year to maintain their licenses and earn their credits by taking classes about substance abuse.
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Tips & Warnings
Different states have different requirements for licensed professionals like nurses and social worker. Check with the appropriate board in the state in which you wish to practice to make sure you meet all the requirements.
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- Photo Credit girl with bottle of alcohol image by Doctor Kan from Fotolia.com
