Approval for Alcohol/Drug Counselors in Iowa

Our distant learning courses are available for continuing education credit for addiction counselors, as set forth by the Iowa Board of Certification.
For renewal certification the IBC requires a $15 fee for each distant learning course submitted to the certification board. There is no fee for those seeking their initial certifications.

Initial Certification
There is no limit on distant learning courses for initial certification. *However please be aware of the following IBC content requirements when selecting CE courses from this site:

3 hours of racial/ethnic cultural competency training
is required for all NEW certifications. Note: This has been reduced from the original requirement of 6 hours.
“The racial/ethnic category covers training including, but not limited to, the following categories: American Indian/Alaskan Native, Asian, African American, Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander and Hispanic/Latino.”

CADCs: A minimum of 150 clock hours of training in the Core Functions is required.Some special conditions apply; namely, clock hours must be earned as:
• 45 clock hours in Counseling Theories & Techniques
• 45 clock hours in Alcohol and Drug specific education
• 6 clock hours in Special Populations
• 6 clock hours in Counseling Ethics
• The remaining hours may be earned under any of the Core Functions.

ACADCs
700 clock hours of education and training in the Core Functions. Some special conditions apply; namely:
90 clock hours in Counseling Theories & Techniques
• 90 clock hours in Alcohol and Drug specific education
• 6 clock hours in Special Populations
• 6 clock hours in Counseling Ethics
• The remaining hours may be earned under any of the Knowledge and Skill Competencies.

Recertification
Please be aware of the following IBC content requirements when selecting courses from this site:

No hours of racial/ethnic cultural competency training are required for recertifications. Note: This is a change from the original June, 2009 requirement of 3 hours.

Certified co-occurring disorders professionals(CCCP): must obtain forty (40) clock hours of continuing education during the two-year certification period to qualify for recertification. Three (3) of the clock hours must be in ethics.
The remainder of the hours must be education specific to Co-occurring Disorders
No more than 20 clock hours may be earned through distance learning for each two-year certification period.

Certified Clinical Supervisors: Certified Clinical Supervisors must obtain six (6) clock hours of continuing education during the two-year certification period to qualify for recertification.
• Three (3) of the clock hours must be in ethics.
• The remaining hours must be relevant to the certified professional’s field.
No more than three (3) clock hours may be earned through distance learning for each certification period.

Assessment Specialists: 40 hours will be required for recertification; of these, 3 hours must be in ethics. The remaining hours must be applicable to the assessment specialist field.

CADCs and ACADCs: of the required 40 hours for recertification, three (3) hours must be in ethics. The remaining recertification hours must be applicable to a substance abuse counselor.

Prevention Specialists: of the required 40 hours for recertification, three (3) hours must be in ethics. The remaining recertification hours must be applicable to a prevention specialist.

View a IBC’s Credential Comparison chart that compares all IBC credentials:http://www.iowabc.org/...credential_comparison.pdf

Social Work Today CE is a service of CE Learning Systems LLC. CE Learning Systems is approved to offer continuing educations courses by NAADAC (#410) and many ICRC certification boards. CE Learning Systems LLC maintains responsibility for the courses.