Alcohol and Drug Counselor Licensure Requirements
Before applying for licensure, please familiarize yourself with the general licensing policies .
An applicant for licensure shall arrange for the following documents to be submitted directly to this office:
Verification of a master's degree from an accredited institution of higher education in social work, marriage and family therapy, counseling, psychology or a related field that included a minimum of eighteen graduate semester hours in counseling or counseling-related subjects.
Applicants holding certified clinical supervisor status by the Connecticut Certification Board, Inc. as of October 1, 1998, may substitute such certification in lieu of the master's degree requirement and graduate coursework requirement, and
Official verification of all professional licenses, certificates or registrations, current or expired, held as an alcohol and drug counselor issued by any state licensing authority, sent directly from the appropriate authority to this office. Most jurisdictions charge a fee for completion of the verification form. Please contact the jurisdiction for fee information (note that this documentation requirement does not include certification issued by professional certifying bodies such as the Connecticut Certification Board);
If not currently certified as an alcohol and drug abuse counselor by the Department of Public Health, please arrange for the submission of the following documents directly from the source to this office:
Verification form documenting completion of three hundred hours of supervised practical training in alcohol and drug counseling;
Verification form documenting completion of three years of supervised paid work experience or unpaid internship, as defined in Sec. 20-74s-l of the Regulations of Connecticut State Agencies that entailed working directly with alcohol and drug clients. Please note that a master’s degree may be substituted for one year of such experience;*
Verification form documenting completion of three hundred sixty hours of approved education, at least two hundred forty hours of which related to the knowledge and skill base associated with the practice of alcohol and drug abuse counseling*;
Verification of successful completion of the International Certification Examination for Alcohol and other Drug Abuse Counselors of the International Certification & Reciprocity Consortium/Alcohol & Other Drug Abuse, Inc. ( IC&RC/AODA);
Individuals who are not certified by the CCB as a substance abuse counselor on or before July 1, 2000, may seek admission to the IC&RC/AODA examination administered by the CCB. Please note that the results of such examination are for the purpose of state certification/licensure, and will not necessarily qualify the examinee for CCB certification.
Once an applicant has been determined eligible for examination, the Department will notify CCB of the candidate’s approval and CCB will schedule the applicant to sit for the next available examination. The examination is administered four times per year.
Please d o not contact the CCB directly to check on the status of your application; however, any questions regarding the examination process may be addressed to CCB.
A completed application with photograph attached. Applications are only accepted online. Please select this link to apply online. The application fee is $190.
*Individuals who are certified by a board that is a member of the IC&RC/AODA shall be deemed to have met these requirements. Applicants to whom this applies need only arrange for verification of certification by an IC&RC/AODA member board. Please note that this office will obtain verification of CCB certification directly from the CCB website.
All supporting documentation should be sent to:
Connecticut Department of Public Health
Alcohol and Drug Counselor Licensure
410 Capitol Ave., MS # 12 APP
P.O. Box 340308
Hartford, CT 06134
Phone: (860) 509-7603
Fax: (860) 707-1980
Email: dph.counselorsteam@ct.gov