Substance Abuse Counseling Certification in South Carolina
South Carolina has three main levels of certification, two at the clinical provider level and one at the supervisor level. The three levels are titled as follows: the Certified Addictions Counselor I (CAC-I), Certified Addictions Counselor II (CAC-II) and the Certified Clinical Supervisor (CCS). Each one has a variety of requirements including education, experience and certifications met.
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For the Certified Addictions Counselor (CAC-I) Level
- Pass a criminal background check.
- You need a minimum of an Associate’s degree in a Human Services field or a Bachelor’s degree in any area from a regionally accredited university or college.
- You must complete 270 hours of Addictions Counseling training/education in the 12 Core Functions: Screening; Intake; Orientation; Assessment; Treatment Planning; Counseling; Case Management; Crisis Intervention; Client Education; Referral; Reports and Record Keeping; Consultation.
- 4000 hours of clinically supervised work experience over two years. This must be experience within the 12 core functions.
- 150 hours of direct supervision by a CCS.
- Sign the South Carolina Certification Ethical Standards statement.
- Pass the Level I written examination
- Pass the oral examination.
- You can find the application form here under Appendix IV.
For the Certified Addictions Counselor (CAC-II) Level
- Pass a criminal background check.
- You need a minimum of an Associate’s degree in a Human Services field or a Bachelor’s degree in any area from a regionally accredited university or college.
- You must complete 450 hours of Addictions Counseling training/education in the 12 Core Functions: Screening; Intake; Orientation; Assessment; Treatment Planning; Counseling; Case Management; Crisis Intervention; Client Education; Referral; Reports and Record Keeping; Consultation.
- 8000 hours of clinically supervised work experience over four years. This must be experience within the 12 core functions.
- 150 hours of direct supervision by a CCS.
- Sign the South Carolina Certification Ethical Standards statement.
- Pass the Level II written examination
- Pass the oral examination.
For the Certified Clinical Supervisor (CCS) Level
- You must have current active certification as a CAC-II
- Pass a criminal background check.
- You need a minimum of an Bachelor’s degree in a Human Services field or a Master’s degree in a Human Services discipline with a clinical application from a regionally accredited university or college.
- You must complete 250 hours of Addictions Counseling training/education in the 12 Core Functions: Screening; Intake; Orientation; Assessment; Treatment Planning; Counseling; Case Management; Crisis Intervention; Client Education; Referral; Reports and Record Keeping; Consultation.
- You must have 30 hours of training related to Clinical Supervision in addition to other training and educational attainment.
- 10000 hours of clinically supervised work experience over five years. This must be experience within the 12 core functions.
- 150 hours of direct supervision by a CCS.
- Sign the South Carolina Certification Ethical Standards statement.
- Pass the oral examination for the CCS.
- You can find the application form here under Appendix IV.