Alcohol and Drug Abuse Counselor Preparation - CADC and LADC Preparation & Coaching

The process by which the client is determined appropriate and eligible for admission to a particular program.

Global Criteria

• Evaluate psychological, social, and physiological signs and symptoms of alcohol and other drug use and abuse.
• Determine the client's appropriateness for admission or referral.
• Determine the client's eligibility for admission or referral.
• Identify any coexisting conditions (medical, psychiatric, physical, etc.) that indicate need for additional professional assessment and/or services.
• Adhere to applicable laws, regulations and agency policies governing alcohol and other drug abuse services.

The administrative and initial assessment procedures for admission to a program. 

Global Criteria

• Complete required documents for admission to the program.
• Complete required documents for program eligibility and appropriateness.
• Obtain appropriately signed consents when soliciting from or providing information to outside sources to protect client confidentiality and rights.

Describing to the client the following: general nature and goals of the program; rules governing client conduct and infractions that can lead to disciplinary action or discharge from the program; in a non-residential program, the hours during which services are available; treatment costs to be borne by the client, if any; and client rights.

Global Criteria

• Provide an overview to the client by describing program goals and objectives for client care.
• Provide an overview to the client by describing program rules, and client obligations and rights.
• Provide an overview to the client of program operations.

The procedures by which a counselor/program identifies and evaluates an individual's strengths, weaknesses, problems and needs for the development of a treatment plan.

Global Criteria

• Gather relevant history from client including but not limited to alcohol and other drug abuse using appropriate interview techniques.
• Identify methods and procedures for obtaining corroborative information from significant secondary sources regarding clients' alcohol and other drug abuse and psycho-social history.
• Identify appropriate assessment tools.
• Explain to the client the rationale for the use of assessment techniques in order to facilitate understanding.
• Develop a diagnostic evaluation of the client's substance abuse and any coexisting conditions based on the results of all assessments in order to provide an integrated approach to treatment planning based on the client's strengths, weaknesses, and identified problems and needs.

Process by which the counselor and the client identify and rank problems needing resolution; establish agreed upon immediate and long-term goals; and decide upon a treatment process and the resources to be utilized.


Global Criteria

• Explain assessment results to client in an understandable manner.
• Identify and rank problems based on individual client needs in the written treatment plan.
• Formulate agreed upon immediate and long-term goals using behavioral terms in the written treatment plan.
• Identify the treatment methods and resources to be utilized as appropriate for the individual client.

(Individual, Group, and Significant Others): The utilization of special skills to assist individuals, families or groups in achieving objectives through exploration of a problem and its ramifications; examination of attitudes and feelings; consideration of alternative solutions; and decision making.

Global Criteria

• Select the counseling theory(ies) that apply(ies).
• Apply technique(s) to assist the client, group, and/or family in exploring problems and ramifications.
• Apply technique(s) to assist the client, group, and/or family in examining the client's behavior, attitudes, and/or feelings if appropriate in the treatment setting.
• Individualize counseling in accordance with cultural, gender, and lifestyle differences.
• Interact with the client in an appropriate therapeutic manner.
• Elicit solutions and decisions from the client.
• Implement the treatment plan.