Substance Abuse Counseling

Assessing and Treating Chemical Dependency...

The Substance Abuse Counseling program prepares students for employment as alcohol and other drug abuse (AODA) counselors. It also provides counseling education and training for social services and human resource professionals concerned with addicted individuals and their families.

The Substance Abuse Counseling program is accredited by the Illinois Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse Professional Certification Association (IAODAPCA) and meets the association's requirements to sit for the ICRC examination, the international certification for alcohol and other drug abuse counselors.

IAODAPCA certification means that the counselor has demonstrated the knowledge, skills and core functions necessary to provide quality care to individuals seeking treatment of their alcohol and/or other drug abuse or dependence.

Although IAODAPCA requires applicants to have 225 clock hours of supervised training to be eligible to sit for the exam, Oakton's Preparatory Substance Abuse Counseling Certificate program requires 300 hours and the Advanced Substance Abuse Counseling Certificate program requires 600 hours of supervised training. (Completing of these programs does not meet the experiential requirements for paid work experience, which must be completed separately by the applicant.)

IAODAPCA requires 40 hours of CEUs every two years for recertification.

To learn more, contact Marvin Bornschlegl, Coordinator, Human Services and Substance Abuse Counseling Programs, at 847.635.1845, or mbornsch@oakton.edu.