La. Admin. Code tit. 46 § LXXX-701

Current through Register Vol. 50, No. 11, November 20, 2024

Section LXXX-701 - Licensed Addiction Counselor (LAC)

A. The ADRA shall recognize as a LAC each candidate who make application on the forms required by the ADRA and who:

1. possesses a master's degree from an accredited institution of higher education. The degree shall be in human service or a behavioral science discipline or such other discipline(s) as the department may deem appropriate. The applicant shall provide the ADRA with an official (certified) copy of any an all academic transcripts. Any person seeking to be recognized as an LAC who possesses a master's degree in a discipline other than human services or behavioral science may apply to the ADRA for a waiver. In considering the application for wavier the ADRA shall consult with representatives of a national credentialing organization for purposes of insuring compliance with national standards and/or institutions of higher education for advice and guidance and/or the Louisiana Commission on Addictive Disorders and may grant or deny the wavier. The ADRA may grant the waiver on such terms and conditions as are deemed appropriate and in the best interest of the public;

2. is at least 21 years of age (date the application is received);

3. is a legal resident of the United States;

4. is not in violation of any ethical standards subscribed to by the ADRA;

5. is not now, and has not been, a substance abuser or compulsive gambler for a period of two years from the date the application is received;

6. has not been convicted of, pleaded guilty, or entered a plea of nolo contendere to a felony. The ADRA may waive this requirement for good cause upon request of the applicant. The applicant shall provide the ADRA with a certified copy of their criminal history;

7. signs the ADRA form of professional and ethical accountability and responsibility;

8. provides evidence of having satisfied the following requirements in education, supervised practical training and experience:

a. education-has successfully completed a minimum of 270 clock hours of education with a minimum of 180 hours specific to substance abuse and up to 90 hours in related courses or areas of study. Education is defined as formal, structured instruction in the form of work shops, seminars, institutes, in-services, college/university credit courses and distance education. Of the substance abuse specific hours required by this provision, at least 6 hours must be in professional ethics. The professional ethics hours may not be obtained through "in service" training;

b. supervised practical training-has successfully completed a minimum 300 performance hours in the KSA's/12 core functions (with a minimum of 10 hours in each core function or KSA equivalent). The candidate shall document and verify the performance hours on a form required by the ADRA. Training is defined as a formal systematic process that focuses on skill development and integration of knowledge. The training must take place in a setting where addictive disorder counseling is provided. The training may occur as part of eligible work experience (see Subparagraph c below) and may be completed under more than one supervisor or agency. All training hours must be documented and verified;

c. experience-documents and verifies evidence of having successfully completed 2,000 hours (one year) of supervised work experience providing addictive disorder counseling services. Supervised work experience must be paid or voluntary experience as a counselor who provides direct counseling services to individuals diagnosed as having one or more addictive disorders, at least one of which is alcohol or substance abuse related. Supervised work experience must be in the KSA's and 12 core functions with substance abuse clients. Unsupervised work experience will not be considered. The supervision required herein must be provided by a certified clinical supervisor with a minimum of one contact hour per week. In the event a certified clinical supervisor is unavailable, the individual may apply to the ADRA for a waiver;

9. demonstrates professional competency in addictive disorder counseling by satisfying written and oral examination requirements established by the ADRA and providing documentation of such. The ADRA shall indicate the examination requirements that govern each testing cycle;

10. it is the candidate's responsibility to assure himself that his educational preparation has provided comprehensive coverage of the subjects and topics necessary to allow him to develop a sufficient knowledge base and to adequately prepare him to be able to demonstrate professional competency in addictive disorder counseling;

11. it is the candidate's responsibility to assure himself that his clinical experience has provided comprehensive training sufficient to adequately prepare him to be a able to demonstrate professional competency in addictive disorder counseling;

12. provide three letters of recommendation attesting to the individual's fitness to be an addictive disorder counselor;

13. the scope of practice, for the LAC, shall include making appropriate referrals to qualified professionals, providing counseling to family members when appropriate, and utilizing the core functions and KSA's of addictive disorder counseling. The LAC shall have an independent scope of practice.

La. Admin. Code tit. 46, § LXXX-701

Promulgated by the Department of Health and Hospitals, Office for Addictive Disorders, Addictive Disorder Regulatory Authority, LR 31:649 (March 2005).

AUTHORITY NOTE: Promulgated in accordance with R.S. 37:3388.4.