TITLE 16               OCCUPATIONAL AND PROFESSIONAL LICENSING

CHAPTER 27       COUNSELORS AND THERAPISTS

PART 11               REQUIREMENTS FOR LICENSURE WITH EXAMINATION AS AN ALCOHOL AND

                                DRUG ABUSE COUNSELOR (LADAC) EFFECTIVE JULY 1, 2005

 

16.27.11.1             ISSUING AGENCY:  Regulation and Licensing Department Counseling and Therapy Practice Board

[16.27.11.1 NMAC - Rp 16 NMAC 27.26.1, 6-15-01]

 

16.27.11.2             SCOPE:  All individuals applying for licensure by examination as an alcohol and drug abuse counselor.

[16.27.11.2 NMAC - Rp 16 NMAC 27.26.2, 6-15-01]

 

16.27.11.3             STATUTORY AUTHORITY:  These parts are promulgated pursuant to the Counselor and Therapist Practice Act, Section 61-9A-3 through 61-9A-7 NMSA 1978.

[16.27.11.3 NMAC - Rp 16 NMAC 27.26.3, 6-15-01]

 

16.27.11.4             DURATION:  Permanent

[16.27.11.4 NMAC - Rp 16 NMAC 27.26.4, 6-15-01]

 

16.27.11.5             EFFECTIVE DATE:  June 15, 2001 unless a later date is cited at the end of a section.

[16.27.11.5 NMAC - Rp 16 NMAC 27.26.5, 6-15-01]

 

16.27.11.6             OBJECTIVE:  The objective of Part 11 is to state the minimum requirements for licensure with examination as an alcohol and drug abuse counselor and list the documentation required for application effective July 1, 2003.

[16.27.11.6 NMAC - Rp 16 NMAC 27.26.6, 6-15-01]

 

16.27.11.7             DEFINITIONS:  [Reserved]

 

16.27.11.8             SUPERVISION:

                A.            Supervision for alcohol and drug abuse counselors must be provided by a licensed professional clinical mental health counselor (LPCC), licensed marriage and family therapist (LMFT), licensed professional art therapist (LPAT), licensed psychologist, licensed psychiatrist, licensed alcohol and drug abuse counselor (LADAC) with three years of alcohol and drug abuse experience acquired after licensure, clinical nurse specialist in substance abuse or licensed independent social worker (LISW).  Supervisors must have experience in alcohol and drug abuse counseling.  Effective July 1, 2007, the alcohol and drug counselor may provide therapeutic services that may include treatment of clients with co-occurring disorders or dual diagnosis in an integrated behavioral health setting in which a multidisciplinary team has developed a multidisciplinary treatment plan that is co-authorized by an independently licensed counselor or therapist.  The treatment of a mental health disorder must be supervised by an independently licensed counselor or therapist.

                B.            It is the responsibility of the individual seeking supervision to assure the supervision is acceptable for the level of licensure that will be requested at the completion of the required supervision.  The relationship between the supervisor and the applicant must promote the development of skill and responsibility in the delivery of counseling or therapy services.

                C.            Client contact and supervision hours acquired prior to being licensed will not be acceptable for licensure.

[16.27.11.8 NMAC - Rp 16 NMAC 27.1.7.5.3&4, 6-15-01; A, 7-1-04; A, 2-10-06; A, 11-19-07]

 

16.27.11.9             APPLICANTS FOR LICENSURE:  An alcohol and drug abuse counselor (LADAC) must possess the following qualifications and provide the required documentation with the application.

                A.            Age requirement:  Be at least 21 years of age.

                B.            Applicant must sign a statement provided in the application indicating the applicant has read the code of ethics and agrees to be bound and governed by the code of ethics.

                C.            Applicant must demonstrate professional competency by passing the national certification examination for addiction counselors (NCAC level 1).

                D.            Education requirements

                    (1)     Holds an associate degree in counseling, counseling related field or a substance abuse related field from an accredited institution.  The board may approve, on a case-by-case basis, applicants whose education is not a counseling related field, and education and training to include 276 clock hours in the following areas:

                              (a)     90 hours in the field of alcohol abuse

                              (b)     90 hours in the field of drug abuse

                              (c)     90 hours in the field of counseling

                              (d)     6 hours that pertain specifically to alcohol and drug counseling ethics training.

                    (2)     Holds a baccalaureate degree in a counseling related field or a substance abuse related field from an accredited institution.  The board may approve, on a case-by-case basis, applicants whose education is not in a counseling related field; and to include 276 clock hours in the following areas:

                              (a)     90 hours in the field of alcohol abuse

                              (b)     90 hours in the field of drug abuse

                              (c)     90 hours in the field of counseling

                              (d)     6 hours that pertain specifically to alcohol and drug counseling ethics training, (must be acquired two years prior to submission of an application).

                    (3)     Holds a masters or doctoral degree in counseling, a counseling related field or a substance abuse related field from an accredited institution and education and training that includes 276 clock hours with 90 hours in each area of alcohol, drug abuse, counseling and 6 hours of professional ethics.  One year and 1,000 client contact hours under appropriate supervision of experience in the practice of alcohol and drug abuse counseling and fifty hours of face to face supervision.  The board may approve, on a case-by-case basis, applicants whose education is not in a counseling related field or substance abuse related field and to include 276 clock hours in education or training.

                E.             Experience requirements.

                    (1)     associate degree requires a minimum of three years and three thousand client contact hours under appropriate supervision of experience in the practice of alcohol and drug abuse counseling and two hundred hour of face-to-face supervision; or

                    (2)     a baccalaureate degree requires a minimum of two years and two thousand client contact hours under appropriate supervision of experience in the practice of alcohol and drug abuse counseling and one hundred hours of face-to-face supervision under appropriate supervision; or

                    (3)     a masters or doctoral degree requires a minimum of one year and one thousand client contact hours under appropriate supervision of experience in the practice of alcohol and drug abuse counseling and fifty hours of face-to-face supervision.

                F.             Documentation required for licensure:

                    (1)     a completed application as specified in 16.27.3.8 NMAC, and

                    (2)     proof of completed education and experience requirements:

                              (a)     the applicant is required to submit an official transcript in a sealed envelope from each institution contributing to the applicant's associate, baccalaureate, or masters degree; the official transcript must be submitted with the application; applicants educated in foreign institutions who are unable to submit certified official transcripts shall submit a statement explaining why such transcripts are not available and shall submit certified copies of the degree certificates granted, information on the curricula offered, and any other documentation requested by the board, and

                              (b)     documentation of required drug, alcohol, counseling and ethics training (attachment D) shall include:

                                        (i)     transcripts from the college or university, or

                                        (ii)     the date, course title, course description, number of hours attended and certificate of attendance, and

                              (c)    a statement from each supervisor in a sealed envelope on a form provided by the board (attachment B) verifying the applicant’s supervised experience and setting forth the nature and extend of  such supervision must be submitted with the application; the statement shall verify that the applicant’s performance was in accordance with adequate counseling standards of alcohol and drug practice; if a supervisor’ statement is not available, the applicant may submit documentation explaining why the supervisor’s statement is not available and sworn affidavits from other individuals verifying that supervision took place and describing the nature and the extent of supervision, and

                    (3)    applicant must sign a statement provided in the application indicating the applicant has read the code of ethics and agrees to be bound and governed by the code of ethics, and

                    (4)    verification of the applicant’s licensure, registration, or certification status must be submitted on attachment form A, which must be sent directly to the board by the jurisdiction in which the applicant is licensed, certified or registered.

[16.27.11.8 NMAC - Rp 16 NMAC 27.26.8, 6-15-01; A, 7-1-04; A, 2-10-06; A, 11-19-07]

 

16.27.11.10          LICENSURE BY CREDENTIALS:

                A.            A completed application as specified in 16.27.3.8 NMAC.

                B.            Verification (attachment A) that the applicant holds a current license or certification issued by the appropriate examining board under the law of any other state or territory of the United States, the District of Columbia or any foreign nation.

                C.            Verification directly from the national certification examination board (NCAC) that the applicant has taken and passed the national certification examination for addiction counselors (NCAC level 1) or the international certification and reciprocity consortium (ICRC).

[16.27.11.9 NMAC - Rp 16 NMAC 27.9.8&9, 6-15-01; A, 7-1-04; A, 2-10-06]

 

16.27.11.11          ALCOHOL AND DRUG ABUSE COUNSELOR:  Requirements for grandfathered licensure.  

                A.            Effective July 1, 2007 through July 1, 2010, the board shall license as an alcohol and drug abuse counselor a person who holds a current certified alcohol and drug abuse counselor certification (CADAC) issued between July 1, 1996 and July 1, 2010 and files a completed application accompanied by the required fees and submits satisfactory evidence that the applicant:

                    (1)     is of good moral character with conduct consistent with the code of ethics;

                    (2)     has reached the age of twenty-one;

                    (3)     has submitted evidence of having participated in a total of six thousand client contact hours and three hundred supervised face-to-face hours; and

                    (4)     has completed two hundred seventy-six clock hours of education or training that includes ninety hours in each area of the fields of alcohol, drug abuse and counseling and six hours of training in professional ethics acquired, within two years of receipt of the application.

                B.            An applicant who meets the requirements of Subsection A of this section will not be required to complete an examination.

[16.27.11.11 NMAC - N, 11-19-07]

 

HISTORY OF 16.27.11 NMAC:

Pre-NMAC History:  The material in this part was derived from that previously filed with the State Records Center and Archives under:

Rule 2, Definitions, 3-24-94

Rule2, Definitions, 3-20-95

Rule 9, Licensure without Examination, 3-24-94

Rule 9, Licensure by Credentials, 3-20-95

 

History of Repealed Material:

16 NMAC 27.26, Requirements for Licensure with Examination as an Alcohol and Drug Abuse Counselor Effective July 1, 2003 - Repealed 6-15-01

16 NMAC 27.9, Licensure by Credentials - Repealed 6-15-01