Unlike many licenses, most states and organizations such as the National Association of Alcohol and Drug Abuse Counselors do not require addictions counselor training to be from a formal educational institution like a university. Many certifying bodies require a certain number of hours (usually 350-450) and certain courses such as pharmacology, group counseling, relapse prevention, motivational interviewing and ethics, but these courses can be earned through online education. The requirements vary, but, in general, addictions counselor certification organizations require that a person receive certificates indicating completion of the identified number of addictions counselor training hours in the identified courses, and then passing an addictions certification exam. NAADAC has a list of providers they have approved. One provider, online casinooptical communicationAll CEUs offers access to all of the required courses and hours for $64.99 per year. They are a not-for-profit organization whose goal is to improve access to addictions counselor education resources and best practices.
