Certification and Licensing

The demand for substance abuse counselors continues to grow, as well as the need for counselors in this field to be certified or licensed. Now, more than half of those working in the substance abuse field have a master's degree, and over 80% have a bachelor's degree, according to a report published by the Center for Substance Abuse Treatment (CSAT).

Currently, the U.S. Department of Labor report for 2004 indicates counselors were working in 601,000 jobs, of which 76,000 were in the substance abuse field. The U.S. Department of Labor also reports that a strong demand continues for substance abuse counselors. This demand is further highlighted by NAADAC, the Association for Addiction Professionals, which estimates that in the next 10 years, a 35% growth is anticipated ...