CACREP standards: Should substance abuse counseling be a requirement?

Through the clinical experiences of the presenters, it has become increasingly apparent that substance abuse and chemical dependency issues have an influence on many clients’ presenting concerns. As counselor educators, the presenters are concerned that substance abuse counseling is not a core training standard required by CACREP, nor does it appear as a minimum counseling/mental health licensing requirement by many state counselor/mental health licensing boards. This prompted a review of current literature, and a research study based upon this literature review is currently under development to evaluate counselor educator and practitioner perceptions on this seeming training gap. Specifically, this presentation will provide information regarding current counselor education training standards in the area of substance abuse and chemical dependency, recommendations for improved training requirements, and information regarding research in substance abuse counselor training.