Loading ...Substance abuse careers will require a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree in order to work in this type of field. As a substance abuse counselor you can work in several different types of environments such as a homeless shelter, hospital, out-patient treatment center, half-way house or in-patient rehab. Here we will find out how you can become a licensed substance abuse counselor as well as learn about the job description for the substance abuse counselor.
Drug Addiction Careers Education Requirements
Working as a substance abuse counselor will not only require the bachelor’s and master’s degree but also 600 hours of supervised clinicals in order to make a passing grade for the course. After you have obtained the correct amount of clinical hours you will need to take a state licensing written and oral exam in order to obtain your licensure in this field. 
Once you begin working as a licensed substance abuse counselor you will be required to earn twenty continuing education hours each year in order to renew your license every three years. You can earn these hours by attending lectures, webinars, complete a home study course, online study course or take online exams. Should you fail to obtain the correct amount of hours you can have your license suspended or revoked.
Substance Abuse Employment: the Working Environment
As a substance abuse counselor you can work in a half-way house, which may require you to live in the same facility as the patients. This type of work environment is high stress as the counselor will be required to work long hours and will be on-call 24 hours a day. You will work with each patient individually in order to counsel them and determine what the best type of treatment plan is for them based on their needs. The counselor can also provide information for the patients regarding job openings and resources for food, housing and clothing. The counselor will also be leading group therapy sessions and need to take careful documentation on each patient in order to determine if they are making progress. The drug counselor that works in this type of environment will also need to perform random and routine drug testing on all of the occupants in the house.
The drug counselor careers that are found in hospitals will also require long hours as these types of facilities will be open 24 hours a day and will deal with patients that are experiencing withdrawal from drugs or alcohol. In this type of treatment facility you may also be dealing with patients that have been convicted of a crime but will first need to go through the withdrawal process before they are deemed healthy enough to be sent to jail or prison. This type of work environment can have a salary range or 32,000$ to 36,000$ depending on the counselor’s years of experience.
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