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Licensed behavioral health professionals are certified counselors or therapists who provide life-saving support for individuals struggling with mental illness and substance abuse.
In general, behavioral health professionals are broken down into two broad categories:
- Addiction treatment professionals who specialize in substance abuse treatment.
- Mental health professionals who specialize in psychiatric care.
Both mental health professionals and addiction treatment professionals can work in hospitals, private practices, clinics, or substance abuse and/or mental health facilities.
In most states, licensed therapists are required to obtain a master’s degree after earning a bachelor’s degree. There is also a specified level of clinical experience, tests that need to be passed, continuing education requirements, and criteria to become and remain licensed in the state where you intend to practice.
Required Schooling for Behavioral Health Professionals
Depending on the specific career a person is attempting to receive, they will need to complete different levels of education. Commonly, those wishing to work in the behavioral health field are required to complete the following schooling:
- High school diploma: Addiction treatment providers are mental health providers, and each state will have its own set of requirements for certification and the ability to treat patients. The first step in becoming a licensed addiction treatment professional is to obtain your high school diploma or GED.
- Bachelor’s degree: You need to get your bachelor’s degree at an accredited school. This degree can be in any field of your choosing. However, it can be helpful to obtain your bachelor’s of science (BS) in psychology or a related field, to match all of the prerequisites needed for the next step.
- Master’s degree: Next, you need to complete your master’s degree at an accredited school. This degree needs to be in addiction studies, mental health counseling, addiction counseling, or something that falls within the behavioral health profession. It is preferred that you earn your degree in a CACREP-accredited program. Many programs will require certain courses or coursework to obtain a master’s degree in a field supporting addiction treatment and mental health.
Each program and state may have different standards and criteria. Check your state’s requirements for practicing and licensure, and confirm that the program you plan to participate in sets you up properly.
Clinical Experience as a Behavioral Health Professional
To practice as a licensed addiction treatment professional, you need to complete a certain amount of hours performing supervised clinical practice in an approved facility. This means that you will work under a trained supervising professional who can mentor you and give you the necessary work experience.
Supervised clinical training requirements can vary by state, but generally, you will need between 4,000 and 6,000 in total before you can be certified to practice on your own. This number of hours will typically take two to three years of working full-time to complete. Each state will have its own set of requirements for people to become certified to practice mental health medicine as an addiction treatment professional.
Test & Certification Requirements
State medical boards will require that you pass certain exams that demonstrate your competency in the field before you can receive your certification and begin practicing.
Tests can include the:
- National Clinical Mental Health Counselor Examination (NCMHCE). This is required for counselor licensure in many states as well as for the Certified Clinical Mental Health Counselor (CCMHC) certification. This exam is also an option for the National Certified Counselor (NCC) certification. Testing includes 10 clinical simulations across a broad range of competencies. A passing score is required.
- National Counselor Examination (NCE). This is required in most states to become a licensed counselor. This is the second option for the NCC certification. The exam is designed to test your knowledge, abilities, and skills in the field of counseling through 200 multiple-choice questions. A passing score is required.
Your state medical board will have more information on the exact requirements you will need for certification.
Optional Tests & Certifications
There are also optional tests for additional professional certifications within the addiction treatment and behavioral health field. Optional tests include:
- National Certified Addiction Counselor, Level I (NCAC I) exam or “basic level” SUD exam from an entity providing licensing or certification. This is an optional certification that is among the eligibility requirements you can take to become certified as NCAC I through the (NAADAC) National Association for Addiction Professionals. In some states, it may be used to become state board certified. It is a written exam, and a passing score is required.
- National Certified Addiction Counselor, Level II (NCAC II) exam or “advanced level” SUD exam from an entity providing licensing or certification. This is also an optional certification that is a step up from Level I. In some states, it may be used to become state board certified. It is a written exam, and a passing score is required.
- National Certification Commission for Addiction Professionals (NCC AP) Master Addiction Counselor (MAC) This is another optional level of certification. This exam is required to become certified by NAADAC as an MAC.
You can also obtain further credentials by taking NCC AP exams in specialized fields. These are optional and can provide for career advancement.
State Licensing for Behavioral Health Professionals
To practice medicine as a behavioral health professional, which includes counseling or therapy for mental health and addiction treatment, you need to be licensed through your state’s medical board.
Licensing can vary from state to state, and requirements can differ. Check with your state medical board directly to find out what you need to do to become state-licensed.
Typically, states will require the following:
- A bachelor’s degree from an accredited school
- A master’s degree in addiction counseling or a related field
- To have passed a qualifying exam
- Several thousand hours of clinical supervision
Check with your state directly to determine exactly what you will need to become board-certified. State certification expires every year to every couple years, depending on your state. You will need to keep up with continuing education and specific criteria set by your state to renew your license in the allotted time.
Requirements for Continued Education
To maintain your licensure status within your state, you need to complete continuing education (CE) requirements. Just as licensure requirements can vary between states, so can CE requirements.
Typically, states require a certain amount of CE-approved hours within a set number of years to stay currently licensed. Depending on your state, This can range from 20 to 50 hours in a single year or over the course of 6 years.
Many states also require specific forms of CE within the specified total hours, such as:
- 3 to 6 hours in ethics
- 3 hours in cultural competency and/or diversity
- 3 hours in confidentiality
- 2 hours in services related to veterans and mental health
- 3 hours in trauma counseling
- 6 hours in diagnosis and treatment
- 6 hours in suicide training, intervention, and prevention
- 3 hours of training in HIV/AIDS
- 2 hours of tobacco dependence and prevention
Requirements for continued education often include face-to-face classes, presentations, home study, professional development options, and online courses. There are often specifications on exactly how many hours of each type of education are required. Your state medical board can provide you with the exact requirements you will need to keep your license current or to renew your certification.
Resources for Continued Education Credits
NAADAC provides a range of courses that qualify as a Continuing Education Unit (CEU), also known as a Continuing Education Credit (CEC), that are accepted by many organizations and state boards. There are also many online options as well as state, federal, and additional CE opportunities to ensure that you keep up with your CE hours to keep your certification current.
CE programs and CEU training courses keep you up-to-date on relevant topics. The behavioral health field is constantly changing and evolving. Continuing Education opportunities help to keep treatment providers learning and growing as behavioral health professionals, ensuring patients have access to the most current treatment advances.
Making a Difference as a Behavioral Healthcare Professional
Behavioral health professionals make a difference in the lives of millions of Americans every day. Substance use disorders (SUDs) and mental health issues are pervasive in our society, affecting individuals, families, and communities from all walks of life.
According to the latest data from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH):
- 84.5 million adults had either a mental illness or a substance use disorder.
- 20.4 million adults had a co-occurring mental illness and a substance use disorder.
- 58.7 million adults had a mental illness.
- 48.5 million adults had an SUD.
- 28.9 million people had an alcohol use disorder.
- 27.2 million people who had a drug use disorder.
With millions of US citizens struggling with substance abuse and mental illness, there is a big need for behavioral health professionals. These professionals play a crucial role in providing treatment, support, and resources to those who are affected by these conditions.
Those who choose to work in the behavioral health field make a difference in the lives of individuals and families every day. Whether it’s providing therapy, medication management, or case management services, behavioral health professionals can help. The services they provide foster healing and growth in individuals with alcohol and drug use disorders as well as other mental health conditions and guide them on their path to recovery.
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