Certified Addiction Counselor work experience conundrum

April 22, 2024 5:50 AM

How do I get work experience while I am still working on the certification? I am in Marietta, Georgia, and I need 6,000 hours of work experience in the field. I'm looking for anyone with their CAC or CADC I who can help me figure out how they got the hours while working on the certification.

I am taking the 300 hours of coursework and will hire someone to supervise me, but I am not sure how to get the 6,000 hours of work experience without my certification. I will visit some rehab centers, but I feel very ignorant about this part of the work.

Did you get an entry-level position? I know 6,000 hours is 3 years of full-time work, and it seems insane to do that before I even get certified.

Any enlightenment will help.

posted by shaarog to Health & Fitness (4 answers total)

It looks like in your state you get the CADC-T first to work, then once you've started working can obtain the CADC -II followed by the CADC I.
posted by AlexiaSky at 6:09 AM on April 22, 2024

Response by poster: CACD-T is not necessary before CADC I and requires hours of work (300). Again, how do I get those hours without any credentials?
posted by shaarog at 7:39 AM on April 22, 2024

Why can you not ask this question of the people who are delivering your coursework? If anyone will know, it's them, who are training entire cohorts of people who will need to know exactly the same answer.
posted by heatherlogan at 7:51 AM on April 22, 2024 [8 favorites]

You get the initial 300 hours through your class program under supervised practical experience through an internship like placement. Your education provider should assist. If you don't know how this is done you have to ask. Then You apply for the CADC T. With the CADC T you work to get your 4,000 hours to get your CADC II and then a year later one you have the 6,000 can test for your CACD I .
posted by AlexiaSky at 8:14 AM on April 22, 2024 [9 favorites]