Obtaining a substance use counselor certification from AIHCP gives you the resources, tools, and skills necessary to help patients navigate the difficult yet rewarding road to addiction recovery. The program features multiple courses that cover various topics, including general theory and practice, treatment options, family-based factors, and general addiction treatment planning. This comprehensive course offering from AIHCP enables you as a healthcare professional to help multiple patients suffering from addiction and give them personalized treatment plans that provide a clear path to recovery.
Requirements and Prices for Substance Use Counselor Certifications
Before joining our Substance Abuse Practitioner Certification program, interested professionals need to have at least one of the following prerequisites to be eligible for enrollment:
- A psychologist.
- A licensed social worker.
- A licensed counselor.
- A registered nurse.
- A physician.
- A school counselor.
- Hold a graduate degree in educational counseling.
- A college degree in human services, psychology, or human behavior.
- AIHCP will also accept other applicable college degrees if you can provide proof of professional experience that shows you working with clients who have substance abuse or addictive behaviors. Furthermore, your work in this capacity must also be under the supervision of someone who meets at least one of our education or professional criteria above.
A Substance Abuse Practitioner certification from AIHCP lasts for four years, with an option to renew through our health care recertification courses. To receive official certification status from AIHCP, you will need to finish the entire program, which amounts to 215 hours of certification education, and get at least a 70 percent on the course exam. Once completed, the candidate can add the “CSAP” credentials to their name which stands for “Certified Substance Abuse Practitioner” .
The program consists of eight required courses, totaling $1,000, and include the CE courses below. After completing the courses there is a certification fee for Substance Abuse Practitioner Certification of $220, plus shipping and handling, which includes the official certificate, ID card, and other related documents.
- SA 500 – Substance Abuse: Theory & Practice
- SA 510 – Foundations of Addictions Counseling
- SA 520 – Addiction Intervention & Treatment
- SA 530 – Substance Abuse & Family Recovery
- SA 540 – Addiction & the Brain
- SA 550 – Cognitive Approaches to Addiction Treatment
- SA 560 – Ethics in Substance Abuse Counseling
- SA 570 – Addiction Treatment Planning
Please note that the costs listed above do not include the pricing of additional textbooks and learning materials required for the course. To see if you qualify for our addiction counseling courses, please fill out our qualification review form. If accepted, we will provide you with details for the next steps.
Explore the program in more detail on our substance use counselor certification course overview page.
How to Renew Your Substance Abuse Counseling Certification
AIHCP also offers healthcare recertification courses if you are nearing the expiration date for your current certification. To be eligible for recertification, you need to log 50 contact hours of continuing education courses. You also need to show evidence of at least 500 hours of practice within your specialty. Similar to the initial application fee, submitting a recertification fee will also cost $220, plus shipping and handling. For more information about the process and criteria, please visit our substance abuse counseling recertification page.
Addiction Counselor Certification Testimonials
Obtaining a substance use counselor certification from AIHCP allows professionals to provide valuable help to those who need it most. In one instance, a graduate of the program was able to help veterans on their road to recovery.
“I currently provided services for veteran at the Department of Veteran Affairs. Veteran often present i crisis either as result of PTSD , Substance Use Disorders and other Mental Health Disorders. This course educated me about ways to assist veterans that are in crisis including domestic violence with substance use. This course gave me a clear understanding of how to stay professional and not allow my emotions to interfere when helping the veterans in crisis. I plan to take Part 2 of this course.”
– Debra J Reed
See more stories on our Testimonials page of new opportunities and experiences that are only possible with AIHCP’s expansive list of certification programs.
The Role of Substance Abuse Counseling
Getting your substance abuse counseling certification puts you on a path to a challenging, yet rewarding career. Each patient provides you with an opportunity to create plans, goals, and tasks unique to each individual’s struggles with addiction and substance abuse. With each session, you also get to tailor those plans based on shifting priorities, setbacks, or massive advancements in progress. Each modification provides an opportunity to test new strategies and methods discussed among professionals, which can improve the entire field for the better. All of this is possible thanks to the comprehensive substance use counselor certification programs offered by AIHCP.
Learn more about the impact of substance use counselors on our blog, and fill out our request form today to see where your professional development can take you next.
FAQs on Substance Use Counselor Certification
What are the key benefits of having a certification as a substance abuse counselor?
Getting the certification opens multiple opportunities for you and your career. The lessons learned can be used to find new ways to provide personalized treatment for each patient and present new ways to improve patient recovery in the long term. This knowledge is also valuable when spreading awareness of new techniques to colleagues, raising the overall level of quality delivered with each new case. The certification also allows for new opportunities in both networking and career advancement, giving you access to higher contacts and better pay.
Do I need to take the continuing education courses or program to achieve my certification?
Our certification model is designed so that certified members obtain the same educational achievements and have consistency in the knowledge and skills attained. This is because our model focuses on core, comprehensive knowledge and skills that have been determined to practice the specialty at a higher level of quality. There are instances where past education may be used to waive some of the courses required, but this is evaluated on an individual basis.
Do you offer a curriculum of continuing education courses that meet the requirements for your certification standards?
Each of our certification programs includes continuing education curricula that are designed to meet the full requirements for certification.
Do your continuing education courses have any board approvals?
Most of our continuing education courses include multiple board approvals. However, the type of approval depends on the professional boards associated with that specialty. You can see the full list on our healthcare CE approvals page.
Is a certification necessary for addiction counselors?
Patients and colleagues expect you to stay on top of new developments and techniques in order to provide a high level of care to patients going through difficult times. Attaining the substance abuse counseling certification shows that you’ve taken considerable time and resources to stay current on new advancements in the industry and pass on that knowledge in your work. In other words, the certification is a sign of commitment to the profession, and it displays your confidence in achieving the best results. You can view more information on what is certification at this link.
Does attaining the substance use counselor certification mean that I’m certified for life?
Initial certifications are for a four-year period, and you would need to be recertified every four years after that. We strongly believe that professional certification requires you to commit and maintain efforts for ongoing education, learning new skills attainment and constantly practicing in your specialty practice. With each recertification, the goal is for you to learn about new advancements in the field and gain new knowledge that translates to more efficient work that helps patients recover in more meaningful ways.
What is the process for your Certification programs? How do I enter and complete a the substance abuse practitioner certification program?
We have a dedicated page that provides a quick over-view of our certification process. It will provide you with good information about the process/phases of both the education courses and application for certification. Click here to access.