CHAPTER 10.5. ADDICTION COUNSELORS; CLINICAL ADDICTION COUNSELORS; LICENSURE; EXAMINATIONS
IC 25-23.6-10.5
Chapter 10.5. Addiction Counselors; Clinical Addiction
Counselors; Licensure; Examinations
IC 25-23.6-10.5-1
Addiction counselor license requirements
Sec. 1. An individual who applies for a license as an addiction
counselor must meet the following requirements:
(1) Furnish satisfactory evidence to the board that the individual
has:
(A) received a baccalaureate or higher degree in addiction
counseling or in a related area as determined by the board
from:
(i) an eligible postsecondary educational institution that
meets the requirements under section 3(1) of this chapter;
or
(ii) a foreign school that has a program of study that meets
the requirements under section 3(2) or 3(3) of this chapter;
(B) completed the educational requirements under section 5
of this chapter; and
(C) completed the experience requirements under section 7
of this chapter.
(2) Furnish satisfactory evidence to the board that the individual
does not have a:
(A) conviction for a crime of violence (as defined in
IC 35-50-1-2(a)(1) through IC 35-50-1-2(a)(13); or
(B) conviction in the previous two (2) years that has a direct
bearing on the individual's ability to practice competently.
(3) Furnish satisfactory evidence to the board that the individual
has not been the subject of a disciplinary action by a licensing
or certification agency of another state or jurisdiction on the
grounds that the individual was not able to practice as an
addiction counselor without endangering the public.
(4) Pass an examination established by the board.
(5) Pay the fee established by the board.
As added by P.L.122-2009, SEC.29.
IC 25-23.6-10.5-2
Clinical addiction license requirements
Sec. 2. An individual who applies for a license as a clinical
addiction counselor must meet the following requirements:
(1) Furnish satisfactory evidence to the board that the individual
has:
(A) received a master's or doctor's degree in addiction
counseling, addiction therapy, or a related area as
determined by the board from an eligible postsecondary
educational institution that meets the requirements under
section 4(a)(1) of this chapter or from a foreign school that
has a program of study that meets the requirements under
section 4(a)(2) or 4(a)(3) of this chapter;
(B) completed the educational requirements under section 6
of this chapter; and
(C) completed the experience requirements under section 8
of this chapter.
(2) Furnish satisfactory evidence to the board that the individual
does not have a:
(A) conviction for a crime of violence (as defined in
IC 35-50-1-2(a)(1) through IC 35-50-1-2(a)(13); or
(B) conviction in the previous two (2) years that has a direct
bearing on the individual's ability to practice competently.
(3) Furnish satisfactory evidence to the board that the individual
has not been the subject of a disciplinary action by a licensing
or certification agency of another state or jurisdiction on the
grounds that the individual was not able to practice as a clinical
addiction counselor without endangering the public.
(4) Pass an examination established by the board.
(5) Pay the fee established by the board.
As added by P.L.122-2009, SEC.29.
IC 25-23.6-10.5-3
Addiction counselor education requirements
Sec. 3. An applicant under section 1 of this chapter must have a
baccalaureate or higher degree in addiction counseling or in a related
area as determined by the board from an eligible postsecondary
educational institution that meets the following requirements:
(1) If the institution is located in the United States or a territory
of the United States, at the time of the applicant's graduation the
institution was accredited by a regional accrediting body
recognized by the Commission on Recognition of
Postsecondary Accreditation.
(2) If the institution is located in Canada, at the time of the
applicant's graduation the institution was a member in good
standing with the Association of Universities and Colleges of
Canada.
(3) If the institution is located in a foreign country other than
Canada, at the time of the applicant's graduation the institution:
(A) was recognized by the government of the country where
the school was located as a program to train in the practice
of addiction counseling; and
(B) maintained a standard of training substantially
equivalent to the standards of institutions accredited by a
regional accrediting body recognized by the Commission on
Recognition of Postsecondary Accreditation.
As added by P.L.122-2009, SEC.29.
IC 25-23.6-10.5-4
Clinical addiction counselor education requirements
Sec. 4. (a) An applicant under section 2 of this chapter must have
a master's or doctor's degree in addiction counseling, addiction
therapy, or a related area as determined by the board from an eligible
postsecondary educational institution that meets the following
requirements:
(1) If the institution is located in the United States or a territory
of the United States, at the time of the applicant's graduation the
institution was accredited by a regional accrediting body
recognized by the Commission on Recognition of
Postsecondary Accreditation.
(2) If the institution is located in Canada, at the time of the
applicant's graduation the institution was a member in good
standing with the Association of Universities and Colleges of
Canada.
(3) If the institution is located in a foreign country other than
Canada, at the time of the applicant's graduation the institution:
(A) was recognized by the government of the country where
the school was located as a program to train in the practice
of addiction counseling; and
(B) maintained a standard of training substantially
equivalent to the standards of institutions accredited by a
regional accrediting body recognized by the Commission on
Recognition of Postsecondary Accreditation.
(b) An applicant under section 2 of this chapter who has a master's
or doctor's degree from a program that did not emphasize addiction
counseling may complete the course work requirement from an
institution that is:
(1) accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling
and Related Educational Programs;
(2) recognized by the National Association of Alcohol and Drug
Abuse Counselors;
(3) recognized by the International Certification and
Reciprocity Consortium;
(4) accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Marriage
and Family Therapy Education;
(5) accredited by the American Psychological Association's
Commission on Accreditation; or
(6) accredited by the Council on Social Work Education.
As added by P.L.122-2009, SEC.29.
IC 25-23.6-10.5-5
Addiction counselor educational requirements
Sec. 5. (a) An applicant under section 1 of this chapter must
complete the following educational requirements:
(1) Forty (40) semester hours or sixty (60) quarter hours of
course work from an eligible postsecondary educational
institution that includes the following content areas:
(A) Addictions theory.
(B) Psychoactive drugs.
(C) Addictions counseling skills.
(D) Theories of personality.
(E) Developmental psychology.
(F) Abnormal psychology.
(G) Treatment planning.
(H) Cultural competency.
(I) Ethics and professional development.
(J) Family education.
(K) Areas of content as approved by the board.
(2) At least one (1) supervised practicum, internship, or field
experience in an addiction counseling setting that requires the
applicant to provide at least three hundred fifty (350) hours of
addiction counseling services.
(b) The content areas under subsection (a)(1) may be combined
into any one (1) college level course if the applicant can prove that
the course work was devoted to each content area listed in subsection
(a)(1).
As added by P.L.122-2009, SEC.29.
IC 25-23.6-10.5-6
Clinical addiction counselor educational requirements
Sec. 6. (a) An applicant under section 2 of this chapter must
complete the following educational requirements:
(1) Twenty-seven (27) semester hours or forty-one (41) quarter
hours of graduate course work that must include graduate level
course credits with material in at least the following content
areas:
(A) Addiction counseling theories and techniques.
(B) Clinical problems.
(C) Psychopharmacology.
(D) Psychopathology.
(E) Clinical appraisal and assessment.
(F) Theory and practice of group addiction counseling.
(G) Counseling addicted family systems.
(H) Multicultural counseling.
(I) Research methods in addictions.
(J) Areas of content as approved by the board.
(2) At least one (1) graduate level course of two (2) semester
hours or three (3) quarter hours in the following areas:
(A) Legal, ethical, and professional standards issues in the
practice of addiction counseling and therapy or an equivalent
course approved by the board.
(B) Appraisal and assessment for individual or interpersonal
disorder or dysfunction.
(3) At least one (1) supervised clinical practicum, internship, or
field experience in an addiction counseling setting that requires
the applicant to provide seven hundred (700) hours of clinical
addiction counseling services and that must include the
following:
(A) Two hundred eighty (280) face to face client contact
hours of addiction counseling services under the supervision
of a licensed clinical addiction counselor who has at least
five (5) years of experience or a qualified supervisor
approved by the board.
(B) One hundred five (105) hours of supervision from a
licensed clinical addiction counselor who has at least five (5)
years experience as a qualified supervisor approved by the
board.
(4) Any qualifications established by the board under
subsection (c).
(b) The content areas under subsection (a)(1) may be combined
into any one (1) graduate level course if the applicant can prove that
the course work was devoted to each content area.
(c) The board shall adopt rules to establish any additional
educational or clinical qualifications as specified by the Council for
Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs or a
successor organization.
As added by P.L.122-2009, SEC.29.
IC 25-23.6-10.5-7
Addiction counselor counseling experience
Sec. 7. (a) An applicant under section 1 of this chapter must have
at least two (2) years of addiction counseling experience that must
include at least one hundred fifty (150) hours under supervision, one
hundred (100) hours of which must be under individual supervision
and fifty (50) hours of which must be under group supervision. The
supervision required must be provided by a qualified supervisor, as
determined by the board.
(b) A doctoral internship may be applied toward the supervised
work experience requirement.
(c) Except as provided in subsection (d), the experience
requirement may be met by work performed at or away from the
premises of the qualified supervisor.
(d) The work requirement may not be performed away from the
qualified supervisor's premises if:
(1) the work is the independent private practice of addiction
counseling; and
(2) the work is not performed at a place that has the supervision
of a qualified supervisor.
As added by P.L.122-2009, SEC.29.
IC 25-23.6-10.5-8
Clinical addiction counselor counseling experience
Sec. 8. (a) An applicant under section 2 of this chapter must have
at least two (2) years of clinical addiction counseling experience that
must include at least two hundred (200) hours under supervision, one
hundred (100) hours of which must be under individual supervision
and one hundred (100) hours of which must be under group
supervision. The supervision required must be provided by a
qualified supervisor, as determined by the board.
(b) A doctoral internship may be applied toward the supervised
work experience requirement.
(c) Except as provided in subsection (d), the experience
requirement may be met by work performed at or away from the
premises of the qualified supervisor.
(d) The work requirement may not be performed away from the
qualified supervisor's premises if:
(1) the work is the independent private practice of addiction
therapy; and
(2) the work is not performed at a place that has the supervision
of a qualified supervisor.
As added by P.L.122-2009, SEC.29.
IC 25-23.6-10.5-9
Requirements to take examination
Sec. 9. (a) An individual who satisfies the requirements of
sections 4, 6, and 8 of this chapter may take the licensed clinical
addiction counselor examination established by the board.
(b) An individual who satisfies the requirements of sections 3, 5,
and 7 of this chapter may take the licensed addiction counselor
examination established by the board.
As added by P.L.122-2009, SEC.29.
IC 25-23.6-10.5-10
Temporary permit
Sec. 10. (a) The board may issue a temporary permit to allow an
individual to profess to be a licensed addiction counselor or licensed
clinical addiction counselor if the individual pays a fee established
by the board and the individual:
(1) has a valid license or certificate to practice from another
state and the individual has applied for a license from the board;
(2) is practicing in a state that does not license addiction
counselors or therapists but is certified by a national association
approved by the board and the individual has applied for a
license from the board; or
(3) has been approved by the board to take the examination and
has graduated from a school or program approved by the board
and the individual has completed any experience requirement.
(b) A temporary permit issued under this section expires the
earliest of:
(1) the date the individual holding the permit is issued a license
under this article;
(2) the date the board disapproves the individual's license
application; or
(3) one hundred eighty (180) days after the initial permit is
issued.
(c) The board may renew a temporary permit if the individual
holding the permit is scheduled to take the next examination and the
individual:
(1) does not take the examination; and
(2) shows good cause for not taking the examination.
(d) A permit renewed under subsection (c) expires on the date the
individual holding the permit receives the results from the next
examination given after the permit was issued.
As added by P.L.122-2009, SEC.29.
IC 25-23.6-10.5-11
Examination exemptions
Sec. 11. (a) An individual who applies for an addiction counselor
license under this article may be exempted by the board from the
examination requirement under section 1 of this chapter if the
individual:
(1) is licensed or certified as an addiction counselor in another
state and has passed a licensing examination substantially
equivalent to the licensing examination required under this
article;
(2) has engaged in the practice of addiction counseling for at
least three (3) of the previous five (5) years;
(3) has passed an examination pertaining to the addiction
counseling laws and rules of Indiana; and
(4) has not committed any act and is not under investigation for
any act that constitutes a violation of this article;
and is otherwise qualified under sections 1, 3, 5, and 7 of this
chapter.
(b) An individual who applies for a clinical addiction counselor
license under this article may be exempted by the board from the
examination requirement under section 2 of this chapter if the
individual:
(1) is licensed or certified as a clinical addiction counselor in
another state and has passed a licensing examination
substantially equivalent to the licensing examination required
under this article;
(2) has passed an examination pertaining to the addiction
therapy laws and rules of Indiana; and
(3) has not committed any act and is not under investigation for
any act that constitutes a violation of this article;
and is otherwise qualified under sections 2, 4, 6, and 8 of this
chapter.
As added by P.L.122-2009, SEC.29.
IC 25-23.6-10.5-12
Renewal
Sec. 12. (a) A license issued by the board under this chapter is
valid for the remainder of the renewal period in effect on the date the
license was issued.
(b) An individual may renew a license by paying a renewal fee on
or before the expiration date of the license.
(c) If an individual fails to pay a renewal fee on or before the
expiration date of a license, the license becomes invalid.
As added by P.L.122-2009, SEC.29.
IC 25-23.6-10.5-13
Reinstatement of invalid license
Sec. 13. (a) The board may reinstate an invalid license up to three
(3) years after the expiration date of the license if the individual
holding the invalid license meets the requirements under IC 25-1-8-6.
(b) If more than three (3) years have elapsed since the date a
license expired, the individual holding the license may renew the
license by satisfying the requirements for renewal established by the
board and meeting the requirements of IC 25-1-8-6.
As added by P.L.122-2009, SEC.29.
IC 25-23.6-10.5-14
Notification of retirement
Sec. 14. (a) An individual who is licensed under this article shall
notify the board in writing when the individual retires from practice.
(b) Upon receipt of the notice, the board shall:
(1) record the fact the individual is retired; and
(2) release the individual from further payment of renewal fees.
As added by P.L.122-2009, SEC.29.
IC 25-23.6-10.5-15
Exemptions from requirements for certain counselors
Sec. 15. (a) The board shall exempt an individual from the
requirements set forth in this article and grant the individual a
clinical addiction counselor license if the individual meets the
following requirements:
(1) Holds, before July 1, 2011, a master's or doctor's degree in
a human services or behavioral science discipline from an
eligible postsecondary educational institution.
(2) Holds a valid:
(A) level II or higher certification or the equivalent
certification from a credentialing agency approved by the
division of mental health and addiction; or
(B) certification as an addiction counselor or addiction
therapist from a credentialing agency that is approved by the
board.
(3) Furnishes satisfactory evidence to the board that the
individual does not have a:
(A) conviction for a crime of violence (as defined in
IC 35-50-1-2(a)(1) through IC 35-50-1-2(a)(13)); or
(B) conviction in the previous two (2) years that has a direct
bearing on the individual's ability to practice competently.
(4) Files an initial application to the board before July 1, 2011.
(b) The board shall exempt an individual from the requirements
set forth in this article and grant the individual a clinical addiction
counselor license if the individual meets the following requirements:
(1) Holds, before July 1, 2011, a master's or doctor's degree in
a human services or behavioral science discipline from an
eligible postsecondary educational institution.
(2) Has at least five (5) years of clinical addiction counseling
experience.
(3) Furnishes satisfactory evidence to the board that the
individual does not have a:
(A) conviction for a crime of violence (as defined in
IC 35-50-1-2(a)(1) through IC 35-50-1-2(a)(13)); or
(B) conviction in the previous two (2) years that has a direct
bearing on the individual's ability to practice competently.
(4) Holds a license in good standing as a:
(A) clinical social worker under IC 25-23.6-5-2;
(B) marriage and family therapist under IC 25-23.6-8-1;
(C) mental health counselor under IC 25-23.6-8.5-1; or
(D) psychologist under IC 25-33-1-5.1.
(5) Files an initial application with the board before July 1,
2011.
(c) The board shall exempt an individual from the requirements
set forth in this article and grant the individual an addiction
counselor license if the individual meets the following requirements:
(1) Holds a valid:
(A) level II or higher certification or the equivalent
certification from a credentialing agency approved by the
division of mental health and addiction; or
(B) certification as an addiction counselor or addiction
therapist from a credentialing agency that is approved by the
board.
(2) Has at least ten (10) years of addiction counseling
experience.
(3) Furnishes satisfactory evidence to the board that the
individual does not have a:
(A) conviction for a crime of violence (as defined in
IC 35-50-1-2(a)(1) through IC 35-50-1-2(a)(13)); or
(B) conviction in the previous two (2) years that has a direct
bearing on the individual's ability to practice competently.
(4) Files an initial application with the board before July 1,
2011.
(d) The board shall exempt an individual from the requirements
set forth in this article and grant the individual an addiction
counselor license if the individual meets the following requirements:
(1) Has at least three (3) years of addiction counseling
experience.
(2) Furnishes satisfactory evidence to the board that the
individual does not have a:
(A) conviction for a crime of violence (as defined in
IC 35-50-1-2(a)(1) through IC 35-50-1-2(a)(13)); or
(B) conviction in the previous two (2) years that has a direct
bearing on the individual's ability to practice competently.
(3) Holds a license in good standing as a:
(A) social worker under IC 25-23.6-5-1;
(B) clinical social worker under IC 25-23.6-5-2;
(C) marriage and family therapist under IC 25-23.6-8-1;
(D) mental health counselor under IC 25-23.6-8.5-1; or
(E) psychologist under IC 25-33-1-5.1.
(4) Files an initial application with the board before July 1,
2011.
(e) The board may exempt an individual from the requirements set
forth in this article and grant the individual a clinical addiction
counselor license if the individual meets the following requirements:
(1) Holds, before July 1, 2011, a bachelor's degree in a human
services or behavioral science discipline from an eligible
postsecondary educational institution.
(2) Holds the following:
(A) A Level IV certification from the Indiana Counselors
Association on Alcohol and Drug Abuse.
(B) Certification at the Internationally Certified Advanced
Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse Counselor level from the
International Certification and Reciprocity Consortium.
(C) The level of certification from the National Association
of Alcohol and Drug Abuse Counselors that the board
determines is similar to the Level IV certification from the
Indiana Counselors Association on Alcohol and Drug Abuse.
(3) Furnishes satisfactory evidence to the board that the
individual does not have a:
(A) conviction for a crime of violence (as defined in
IC 35-50-1-2(a)(1) through IC 35-50-1-2(a)(13)); or
(B) conviction in the previous two (2) years that has a direct
bearing on the individual's ability to practice competently.
(4) Has at least twenty (20) years of clinical addiction
counseling experience.
(5) Files an initial application to the board before July 1, 2011.
(f) This section expires July 1, 2011.
As added by P.L.122-2009, SEC.29.