Substance Abuse Counseling Certification in Tennessee

There is only one level of licensure in Tennessee that of the Licensed Alcohol and Drug Counselor (LADC). The LADC has a number of specific educational, experience and testing benchmarks that must be met before you are awarded the title of LADC.

Are you interested to learn about Addiction and Substance Counseling? Take the opportunity to learn about dedicated programs. Request free information to begin or continue a degree program.

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Licensed Alcohol and Drug Counselor (LADC) Requirements

• Pass a criminal background check.
• You must possess a High School diploma or GED. However, if you have an Associate’s degree in Alcohol and Drug
• Addiction Counseling you can substitute this for your required education. A Bachelor’s degree in Addiction Counseling is recommended for those who want to promote quickly within an organization.
• You are required to have 270 hours of Addictions Counseling training/education in the 12 Core Functions with ten hours in each area: Screening; Intake; Orientation; Assessment; Treatment Planning; Counseling; Case Management;
• Crisis Intervention; Client Education; Referral; Reports and Record Keeping; Consultation.
• You will need to have accumulated 3 years of supervised clinical experience in Substance Abuse Counseling, this equates to 6,000 contact hours. You must have performed the 12 primary functions outlined above during this supervised experience.
• Your supervisor must be a LADC with a current license in Tennessee.
• You are required to have three professional references.
• Pass the Tennessee written examination.
• Pass the Tennessee oral examination.
• Provide a Case Study.
• Write a short essay on your Treatment Philosophy.
• Sign the Tennessee Substance Abuse Counselor Ethical Standards.
• You can find the application to become a LADC in Tennessee here.