Texas Substance Abuse Counselor

Texas Certification Board of Addiction Professionals (TCBAP) is the state licensing board for substance abuse counselors in the Lone Star State. The TCBAP offers 4 different levels of certification, an internship, and a counselor license. Each certification or license varies depending on education and experience.

1. Alcohol Drug Counselor (ADC)
2. Advanced Alcohol and Drug Counselor (AADC)
3. Certified Chemical Dependency Specialist (CCDS)
4. Certified Clinical Supervisor (CCS)
5. Licensed Chemical Dependency Counselor Intern (LCDC-I)
6. Licensed Chemical Dependency Counselor (LCDC)

*All applicants applying for certifications 1-5 must provide documentation of a 300 hour Chemical Dependency Counseling Practicum. The practicum must take place in a setting where addiction counseling is performed.

ADC

ADC is the first level of certification, and is a good place to start for those entering the field of substance abuse counseling. In order to become a certified ADC the applicant must meet the following requirements:

• Applicant must have a High School Diploma or GED
• Applicant must have documentation of 270 hours of chemical dependency education hours.
• Must have 6,000 documented hours of experience of chemical dependency counseling

*However, if the applicant holds an associate’s degree, the degree will count for 1,000 of these hours. If the applicant holds a bachelor’s degree in behavioral science, it will count for 2,000 hours. And further, a master’s degree in behavioral science accounts for 4,000 hours.

• Applicant must have taken 270 hours in an educational institution of chemical dependency courses in which 135 hours must be alcohol and drug specific
• 6 of these hours must be HIV/AIDS specific, and 6 must be ethics specific
• Fill out and send in application with the required fee, which can be found here: ADC Application
• Applicant must take and pass the written examination by IC&RC

AADC

AADC is the next level of certification in the state of Texas. To achieve the AADC certification, the applicant will need to achieve a higher level of education and further experience. They will need:

• A master’s degree in a field of behavioral health
• 180 hours of education that is alcohol and drug specific
• 2,000 documented hours (about one year) of experience in the substance abuse counseling field
• Fill out application and pay application fee, find the application here: AADC Application
• Take and pass the written AADC exam by IC&RC

CCDS

In order to become a CCDS, the applicant must already hold a valid ADC or AADC certification in the state of Texas. The applicant will also need the following:

• A master’s degree in a counseling related field
• 4,000 documented hours of experience in counseling, while working under a licensed supervisor

-These hours do not have to be specifically in the field of substance abuse

• All applicants must have taken 135 educational hours in the area of substance abuse
• Fill out application and pay application fee, find the application here: CCDS Application
• A letter of recommendation from a certified or licensed colleague
• Applicants that work in a private practice will need two letters of recommendation
• There is no test for this level of certification

CCS

For this level of certification, the education requirements vary. The applicant will need to already be ADC or AADC certified. The applicant needs:

• 10,000 work hours are required in the field of addiction counseling

*If the applicant has an associate’s degree in behavioral science it will count for 1,000 hours. If the applicant has a bachelor’s degree in behavioral science it will count for 2,000 hours. If the applicant has a master’s degree in behavioral science it will count for 4,000 hours

• 4,000 documented work hours of supervisory experience
• Proof of 30 hours of didactic training covering the CCS domains which are:
• Counselor Development, Professional & Ethical Standards, Program Development & Quality Assurance, Performance Evaluation, Administration, and Treatment Knowledge
• 3 letters of recommendation- 1 letter must be from a clinical supervisor who supervised the applicant
• Fill out application and pay application fee, find the application here: CCS Application
• Take the Clinical Supervision Exam

LCDC-I

The internship is not a license, but is given to those who are working towards their LCDC. You MUST have your LCDC-I before applying for LCDC. The LCDC-I is only good for five years from the date of issue. The intern then must complete all of the necessary requirements for the LCDC within that time period. This credential is not given by TCBAP, but by Department of State Health Services (DSHS). Applicants must:

• Be 18 years or older
• Have at least a high school diploma
• Have taken 270 classroom hours of classes related to substance abuse counseling at a college or university
• Take the exam and pay fees. Apply with the Department of State Health Services here: LCDC-I Application

LCDC

The LCDC is the only actual license available in Texas currently. In order to obtain the license, the applicant must have:

• LCDC-I
• An associate’s degree or higher
• 4,000 documented hours of supervised experience working in the substance abuse field
• 2 letters of recommendation from other LCDCs
• Apply for the exam 30 days before planning to take the exam
• Take and pass the written LCDC Exam and pay the required fee. Find the application here: LCDC Exam Application

Alternatively, if the applicant chooses not to be licensed by TCBAP, they can choose to apply through Texas Department of State Health Services Professional Licensing and Certification Unit. The requirements are the same. Their application can be found here: Texas Department of State Health Services LCDC Application

Fees For Certification & Licensing

• Application fee for the ADC, AADC, and CSS is $140. The exam fee is $250
• Application fee for the CCDC is $125, the application packet is $15
• Application fee for the LCDC-I is $65 and the LCDC Exam fee is $250

*Related Topics

• Texas Counseling Overview, Education, Licensure and Resources
• Texas Social Work Overview, Education, Licensure and Resources

Background Checks

All applicants for all levels of certification must undergo a background check at the time of application. LCDCs will be required to submit their fingerprints upon application. The licensing board will not consider applicants that have been convicted of the following:

• Capital offenses
• Sexual offenses involving a child victim
• Multiple counts of felony sexual offenses involving any victim
• 1st degree homicide

Tests and Study Material

• Find recommended study material here: TCB Study Materials
• Practice Exams: IC&RC Practice Exams

Recertification

• The counselor must recertify every two years on the same date
• In order to qualify for recertification, the counselor must take 40 more hours of continuing education
• The fee is $100