Section 330-C:11 Licensed Alcohol and Drug Counselor; Scope of Practice.


   I. The scope of practice of the LADC is the screening, assessment, diagnosis, treatment planning, and treatment of substance use disorders and the screening and referral of mental health disorders under clinical supervision as defined in this chapter. The scope does not include the treatment of co-occurring disorders, unless the LADC is in an academic internship as part of a master's program in a mental health field or employed as a LADC and working toward mental health licensure under RSA 330-A, RSA 329, or RSA 326-B. The practice of alcohol and drug counseling includes the following performance areas which encompass the 12 core functions and practice dimensions of addiction counseling:
      (a) The performance of clinical evaluation including the screening, assessment, and diagnosis of alcohol and other drug use disorders, the assessment and identification of symptoms of co-occurring mental health disorders and differential diagnosis indicators and the development of preliminary mental health disorder diagnoses for further assessment and confirmation by an appropriate professional. This includes severity assessment and assessment of dangerousness to self or others;
      (b) The performance of treatment planning; referrals including co-occurring mental health and medical conditions; case management and service coordination including implementation of treatment plans, consultation, coordination of care with mental health and other community providers, ongoing assessment of progress and needs, and client advocacy; education; and documentation;
      (c) The performance of counseling, including:
         (1) Individual, group, family, and significant other counseling; and
         (2) Crisis prevention and intervention to include enlisting the support of trained personnel to manage risk of harm to self or others;
      (d) Adherence to professional and ethical responsibilities as determined by the board.
   II. An LADC may engage in practice only under clinical supervision of an MLADC, LCS, LADC, psychiatric APRN, or licensed mental health provider approved by the board.

Source. 2008, 189:1, eff. July 1, 2008. 2009, 54:4, eff. July 21, 2009.