Addictions Counseling Certificate Program

The Graduate Academic Certificate in Addictions Counseling integrates core counseling knowledge and skills with the training necessary to provide chemical dependency prevention and treatment services to individuals, families, groups, organizations and communities. Recipients of this academic certificate will be able to complete the application process for the LICDC (i.e., Licensed Independent Chemical Dependency Counselor) in Ohio. Students are encouraged to check with licensing boards in their respective states for requirements for the chemical dependency licensure.

The Counseling and Human Development Graduate Academic Certificate in Addictions Counseling totals 18 semester hours.

For the matriculated Clinical Mental Health specialty graduate student, coursework is divided into three areas: 

  • CHD 635: Addictions (3 credit hours), a required core class for the Clinical Mental Health Counseling concentration. Completion of this course satisfies the Ohio Chemical Dependency Professionals Board Phase I requirements. Students who choose to do so may complete the application process for the Phase I: CDCA (Chemical Dependency Counselor Assistant Preliminary Temporary Credential). 
  • Addictions certificate coursework (3 courses; 9 credit hours)
    • CHD 642: Theory and Practice of Addictions Counseling (3 credit hours). Completion of this course satisfies the Ohio Chemical Dependency Board's Phase II requirements. Students who choose to do so may complete the application process for the Phase II: CDCA (Chemical Dependency Counselor Assistant). 
    • CHD 643: Assessment and Treatment Planning in Addictions Counseling (3 credit hours) 
    • CHD 644: Evidence Based Practice in Addiction Counseling (3 credit hours)
  • CHD 796 I and II: Clinical Mental Health Internship I and II (2 courses), required courses for the Clinical Mental Health concentration. Students pursuing the Academic Certificate in Addictions Counseling will be expected to secure an internship placement that meets the requirement of the Ohio Chemical Dependency Professionals Board (i.e., 220 hours of direct counseling work at an internship site accredited to provide chemical dependency counseling services). Note: The Clinical Mental Health Counseling concentration requires 240 hours of direct counseling work. 

For mental health counseling professionals seeking the academic certificate in Addictions Counseling:

  1. Students retain responsibility to work with the Ohio Chemical Dependency Professionals Board to verify acceptability of:

  • graduate degree, 

  • basic coursework in addictions (i.e., foundational addictions course contained within the graduate degree),

  • internship experience (i.e., verification that the internship site and hours earned in the graduate degree meet the requirements of the Ohio Chemical Dependency Professionals Board). 

  2. Students will present the prescription of the Ohio Chemical Dependency Professionals Board to the coordinator of the CHD Academic Certificate in Addictions Counseling.

  • If prior coursework is found acceptable to the Ohio Chemical Dependency Professionals Board, the student will transfer 3-6 credit hours into the Academic Certificate in Addictions Counseling (acceptable courses for transfer are limited to the foundational addictions class and internship) 

  • If prior coursework is not found acceptable to the Ohio Chemical Dependency Professionals Board: 

    • If prior coursework did not include an acceptable foundational addictions course, the student will take CHD 635 Addictions

    • If prior coursework did not contain an acceptable internship, the student will take CHD 792 Addictions Counseling Internship (synchronously)