PhD/PsyD CADC certification

[SublimeNature]

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I'm completing my intermediate therapy prac at a residential substance abuse facility and love it! I'm looking at the requirements of getting CADC at some point and I'm having a hard time figuring out what the requirements are at the doctoral level. Does anyone have any experience getting their CADC? If so, would you mind sharing your experience?

I'm in IL and I know the requirements are different for different states so anyone that might have done so in IL would be particularly relevant advice.

Thanks!

 

[OneNeuroDoctor]

CADC certification is not needed if you are licensed at the MS or doctoral level. In most States this is a certificate designed for recovering alcoholics/ addicts and normally does not require an academic degree or normally is a associate degree or certificate. I have known of a number who do go to college after recovery and then complete a MSW or LPC licensure. Normally they don't use their CADC license once they have MS licensure.

Many states have eliminated the CADC option due to many of these individuals breaking boundary issues and having relationships with clients that are exploitative. CADC are similar to peer mentors.

If you want to work in substance abuse just finish you PhD and get licensed as a psychologist and don't waste your time on the CADC certificate.

 

[SublimeNature]

OneNeuro, that's an interesting take on the CADC. I think the certification in your state must mean something very different.

In the state of IL, to get your CADC you have to have a min of a B.A., complete a certain number of addictions credits, and work a certain amount of paid hours in the addictions field before you can get your CADC. The requirements depend on your level of education. It certifies you as a specialist in this field and most substance abuse facilities won't hire someone that doesn't have their CADC. While I'm not specifically looking to go into this field, I do think the training is important and useful.

 

[OneNeuroDoctor]

They must have changed the requirement as when I worked in Illinois 15-years ago you did not need the CADC if you were already licensed as an LPC or LSW. In Texas, Missouri, and Arkansas it is associate degree training, and most are recovery alcoholics/addicts.

 

[smalltownpsych]

OneNeuro, that's an interesting take on the CADC. I think the certification in your state must mean something very different.

In the state of IL, to get your CADC you have to have a min of a B.A., complete a certain number of addictions credits, and work a certain amount of paid hours in the addictions field before you can get your CADC. The requirements depend on your level of education. It certifies you as a specialist in this field and most substance abuse facilities won't hire someone that doesn't have their CADC. While I'm not specifically looking to go into this field, I do think the training is important and useful.

According to my 5 minutes of research on the internet, the CADC in Illinois only requires a diploma or GED and 225 hours of specialty education. This sounds a lot like what oneneurodoc was referencing.

 

[SublimeNature]

I think you both are right as I was wrong about the minimum degree required. It looks like you can qualify to take the exam with a HS degree, but it also requires a certain minimum of paid work hours in the field and credit hours in substance abuse counseling to qualify. I'm looking into one of the higher certifications, but it looks like paid work experience (and intern work does not qualify) is required for all of them.

Here's a link to the page that has the info I found earlier. Click on the "counselor model" to view the document I looked at. Sorry, but for some reason I was unable to upload the .doc file directly for anyone who might find it useful.

http://www.iaodapca.org/?page_id=486

I have to say that I'm dismayed at the need for "paid" work experience as a criterion. If I am able to complete a doctorate in psychology and have experience (even at a prac or internship) in this field, my knowledge would far surpass that of someone who graduated HS and took a few extra courses, IMHO.

 

[smalltownpsych]

I think you both are right as I was wrong about the minimum degree required. It looks like you can qualify to take the exam with a HS degree, but it also requires a certain minimum of paid work hours in the field and credit hours in substance abuse counseling to qualify. I'm looking into one of the higher certifications, but it looks like paid work experience (and intern work does not qualify) is required for all of them.

Here's a link to the page that has the info I found earlier. Click on the "counselor model" to view the document I looked at. Sorry, but for some reason I was unable to upload the .doc file directly for anyone who might find it useful.

http://www.iaodapca.org/?page_id=486

I have to say that I'm dismayed at the need for "paid" work experience as a criterion. If I am able to complete a doctorate in psychology and have experience (even at a prac or internship) in this field, my knowledge would far surpass that of someone who graduated HS and took a few extra courses, IMHO.

When you have completed your doctorate in psychology, you will be able to do any kind of work you want including substance abuse treatment. The better treatment facilities want a psychologist in charge for a variety of reasons. My experience has been that our skill set is very marketable. There is really no comparison between a doctoral practitioner and an addictions counselor with a high school diploma. It's like an MD to an LVN, not even an RN which requires at least an associates degree. So I am pretty confident that you won't need about it. If they won't hire psychologists, then they probably aren't willing to pay you what you are worth anyway. How much do you think a CADC makes? I'm guessing about 30k. Even an early career licensed psychologist can easily make 2 to 3 times that amount.

 

[smalltownpsych]

And as Kevin O'Leary says, "It's all about the money!"

 

[Pragma]

CADC varies a ton by state. I do know of many folks that still get it when they work in the addictions arena, even if their license does meet requirements. Truthfully, most psychologists woefully prepared to work with these clients. There was an article out not long ago demonstrating how a minimum of APA programs even require just ONE class about addiction. I've encountered psychologists with pretty archaic beliefs that have made awful, uninformed clinical recommendations that are clearly incompetent to work with this population.

Unless you get some extra training and supervised experiences while you are a student, as well as some practical experience with the highly relevant subcultures clients encounter...I would argue you are practicing outside of your area of competence. A CADC might be helpful in those cases, and for many states it means just demonstrating competence via an exam if you are already licensed.