In the state of Utah, only 1 out of 10 people who suffer from substance abuse disorder actually receive treatment. One of the reasons why is that the state does not have enough addiction counselors. Are you wondering how to become a substance abuse counselor in Utah? A section of the Utah Department of Commerce, the Division of Occupational and Professional Licensing (DOPL), provides certification and licensure to substance abuse counselors within the state. There are 6 levels of Substance Use Disorder Counselor (SUDC) credentials available. These are: Certified SUDC Intern (CSUDC-I), Certified SUDC (CSUDC), Certified Advanced SUDC Intern (CASUDC-I), Certified Advanced SUDC (CASUDC), Licensed SUDC (LSUDC), and Licensed Advanced SUDC (LASUDC).
Degree Requirements & Education
The CSUDC-I, CSUDC, and LSUDC applicants are required to hold an Associate’s Degree. The CASUDC-I, CASUDC, and LASUDC applicants must have achieved at least a Bachelor’s Degree.
All applicants will need to have taken classes in human growth and development across the lifespan and general psychology. CSUDC-I, CSUDC, and LSUDC applicants will need to complete 200 hours of education in the substance abuse counseling field. These applicants will additionally be required to complete a supervised 200 hour practicum. The CASUDC-I, CASUDC, and LASUDC applicants are required to complete 300 hours of substance abuse specific education. The same applicants must complete a 350 hour supervised practicum.
Work Experience Requirements
The CSUDC-I and CSUDC do not have any work experience requirements. The LSUDC applicants however, must have completed 2,000 hours of work experience as a CSUDC before applying for LSUDC. CASUDC Intern and CASUDC applicants are not required to complete any work experience hours. Lastly, the LASUDC must complete 4,000 hours of work experience as a CSUDC. For all work experience, the applicant’s supervisor must fill out the Verification of Experience Form.
Application
Application may be done online or on paper. If the application is done on paper, it must be mailed to Division of Occupational and Professional Licensing
PO BOX 146741 Salt Lake City, UT 84114-6741. If online, applicants must register and create an account on E-Government here: E-Government Application Access. All education must be proven by official transcripts sent to the DOPL directly from the educational institution. CSUDC-I, CSUDC, CASUDC-I, and CASUDC applicants must pay an application fee of $70. The LASUDC applicants must pay an application fee of $85.
If any applicants have..
- Any criminal action pending
- Pled guilty to, no contest to, entered into a plea in abeyance or been convicted of a misdemeanor in any jurisdiction within the past ten (10) years
- Pled guilty to, no contest to, or been convicted of a felony in any jurisdiction
- Been incarcerated for any reason in any correctional facility (domestic or foreign) in any jurisdiction or on probation/parole in any jurisdiction
The applicant will need to include a sufficient amount of information to provide the DOPL with an understanding of the circumstances. They will need to provide their own personal account of the incident, police report(s), court record(s) and probation/parole officer report(s).
In order to qualify for certification or licensure, applicants that are required to take an exam must have already taken and passed the exam prior to application. The applicant must provide proof of this when submitting their application.
Exam
Exams are administered to the applicant by the National Association of Alcohol and Drug Abuse Counselors (NAADAC). CSUDC-I and CASUDC-I applicants do not have a required exam. CSUDC, CASUDC and LSUDC applicants however must pass the National Certification Exam Level I, II, or the MAC Exam. The LASUDC applicants must take and pass either the National Certification Exam Level II or MAC Exam.
Renewal
Certifications and licenses all expire on May 31 of odd numbered years. Renewal applications can be filled out online. There is a renewal fee of $78. Every renewal cycle will require counselors to take 40 hours of continuing education. 6 hours must be in professional ethics and 2 hours must be in suicide prevention. The rest of the hours must be relevant to substance abuse counseling.
