Chemical Dependency Professional (CDP) Certification Requirements

This is general information. WAC 246-811 includes more detailed information.

To qualify as a CDP you must complete:

• The application
• The application fee
• Completed out of state verification forms sent directly from each state (if applicable)
• Official transcripts indicating course completion
• Four (4) hours of HIV/AIDS education and training
• Supervision forms showing completion of the experience requirements
• Exam scores sent directly from NAADAC or ICRC

Education Requirements

Completion of an AA degree in human services or a related field from an approved school or completion of 90 quarter or 60 semester college credits. Completion of at least 45 quarter or 30 semester credits in courses relating to the topics listed in WAC 246-811-030(a)-(w).

Verification of Supervised Chemical Dependency Professional Experience

The first fifty (50) hours of any face-to-face patient contact are required to take place under the direct observation of an approved supervisor or chemical dependency professional.

An approved supervisor or designated CDP must provide direct supervision when a CDPT is providing clinical services to patients until the approved supervisor has documented in the employee file that the CDPT has obtained the necessary education, training, and experience. The number of supervision hours required is based on the level of formal education. Education must be completed in a human service or a related field.

A related field includes:

• Health education
• Behavioral science
• Sociology
• Psychology
• Marriage and family therapy
• Mental health counseling
• Social work
• Psychiatry
• Nursing
• Divinity
• Criminal justice
• Counseling education

Number of supervision hours based on level of formal education includes:

• 2,500 hours of chemical dependency (CD) counseling for applicants with an associate
• 2,000 hours of CD counseling for applicants with a baccalaureate degree
• 1,500 hours of CD counseling for applicants with a a master or doctoral degree
• 1,000 hours of CD counseling for individuals who are:
  • Licensed as advanced registered nurse practitioners under chapter 18.79 RCW.
  • Licensed as a psychologist under chapter 18.83 RCW.

Licensed as a marriage and family therapists, mental health counselor, advanced social worker, or independent clinical social worker under chapter 18.225 RCW.

850 hours of experience including:

• 200 hours of clinical evaluation
• 100 of the 200 hours must be face-to-face patient contact
• 600 hours of face-to-face counseling to including:
  • Individual counseling
  • Group counseling
  • Counseling families couples, and significant others
  • 50 hours of discussion of professional and ethical responsibilities

The remaining experience hours must be divided among WAC 246-811-047(2)(d) through (i) as determined by the supervisor.

Substantial Equivalency

Applicants who are credentialed in another state can be certified without exam if the other state's credentialing standards are equivalent to those in Washington State. Credentials that are considered equivalent are listed below:

• Alabama-Masters level addiction professional (MLAP)
• Arizona-Licensed Associate Substance Abuse Counselor (SAC)& Licensed Independent Substance Abuse Counselor
• Canada (British Columbia) – International Alcoholism and Drug Addiction Counselor (ICADA)
• Colorado – Certified Addictions Counselor (CAC II), Certified Addictions Counselor (CAC II), Licensed Addiction Counselor (LAD)
• Connecticut- Certified Addiction Counselor
• District of Columbia – Certified Alcoholism and Drug Additions Counselor – Advanced Level & Advanced Certified Alcoholism and Drug Additions Counselor - Master Level.
• Georgia – CAC Level II
• Hawaii- Certified Substance Abuse Counselor-Bachelor Degree & Certified Substance Abuse Counselor-Master Degree or Higher & Certified Substance Abuse Counselor-Licensed Physician (Specialty)
• Idaho-Advanced CADC
• Illinois – CMADC
• Indiana- Not Substantially Equivalent.
• Iowa – Not Substantially Equivalent.
• Kansas- CADCII & CADCIII
• Kentucky – Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor (CADC)
• Louisiana – Certified Addiction Counselor (CAC) & Licensed Addiction Counselor (LAC), Advanced Alcohol and Drug Counselor (AADC) Certification, Substance Abuse Specialty Certificate (LASACT), Certified Co-Occurring Disorder Professional (CCDP), Certified Co-Occurring Disorder Professional – Diplomat (CCDP-D)
• Maine - Not Substantially Equivalent.
• Maryland – Certified Chemical Dependency Counselor (CCDC)
• Massachusetts - LADCI
• Michigan – CAAC
• Minnesota - Not Substantially Equivalent
• Mississippi – CADC I, CADCII, CAADC
• Montana - Not Substantially Equivalent
• Nebraska – Not Substantially Equivalent
• Nevada - Not Substantially Equivalent
• New Hampshire – LADC and LCS
• New Jersey - Not Substantially Equivalent
• New Mexico – LADAC
• New York-Credentialed Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Counselor (CASAC)
• North Carolina - Not Substantially Equivalent
• North Dakota - Not Substantially Equivalent
• Ohio – LCDC II, LCDC III, and LICDC
• Oklahoma – CADC and LADC
• Oregon-CADCII & CADCIII
• Pennsylvania - Not Substantially Equivalent
• Rhode Island - Not Substantially Equivalent
• South Carolina – CAC Level I and CAC Level II
• South Dakota – Not Substantially Equivalent
• Texas – LCDC, AAC, ADC Level I, ADC Level II, and ADC Level III
• Utah – LAC
• Virgina – Not Substantially Equivalent
• West Virginia – No Substantially Equivalent
• Wisconsin – CADCII and CADCIII
• Wyoming-Certified Addiction Practitioner & Licensed Addiction Therapist (If applicant's graduate degree focused on chemical dependency or addictionology)

Exam Requirements

The National Association of Alcoholism and Drug Abuse Counselors (NAADAC) level 1 or higher, or the International Certification and Reciprocity Consortium (ICRC) level II or higher Exam is required for certification.

The application and fee must be submitted to the department at least 90 days before applicants would like to take the exam. All other documents must be submitted at least 60 days before applicants would like to take the exam.

Please click here to review the exam dates.

All certification requirements must be met prior to being approved to sit for the examination.

Verification must be sent directly from NAADAC or ICRC, or the state in which you passed the Exam. If the exam was administered as part of your education, the school must verify your scores.

What does NAADAC or ICRC international certification do for me?"

NAADAC or ICRC certification verifies:

• The experience requirements
• The forty-five quarter or thirty semester hours of topics listed in WAC 246-811-030(2)(a) through (w)
• The exam requirements

If you have NAADAC or ICRC certification, then supervision and verification forms are not required.

Transcripts are needed to verify the additional 45 quarter or 30 semester credits in courses covering the subject content described in WAC 246-811-030(2).

NAADAC or ICRC must send verification of your certification to the department.