Louisiana Administrative Code › Title 46 - PROFESSIONAL AND OCCUPATIONAL STANDARDS › Part LXXX - Substance Abuse Counselors › Chapter 7 - Credentials for License/Certification/Registration › Section LXXX-701 - Licensed Addiction Counselor (LAC)

Current through Register Vol. 50, No. 6, June 20, 2024
A. The ADRA shall recognize as a LAC each
				candidate who make application on the forms required by the ADRA and who:
1. possesses a master's degree from an
				accredited institution of higher education. The degree shall be in human
				service or a behavioral science discipline or such other discipline(s) as the
				department may deem appropriate. The applicant shall provide the ADRA with an
				official (certified) copy of any an all academic transcripts. Any person
				seeking to be recognized as an LAC who possesses a master's degree in a
				discipline other than human services or behavioral science may apply to the
				ADRA for a waiver. In considering the application for wavier the ADRA shall
				consult with representatives of a national credentialing organization for
				purposes of insuring compliance with national standards and/or institutions of
				higher education for advice and guidance and/or the Louisiana Commission on
				Addictive Disorders and may grant or deny the wavier. The ADRA may grant the
				waiver on such terms and conditions as are deemed appropriate and in the best
				interest of the public;
2. is at
				least 21 years of age (date the application is received);
3. is a legal resident of the United
				States;
4. is not in violation of
				any ethical standards subscribed to by the ADRA;
5. is not now, and has not been, a substance
				abuser or compulsive gambler for a period of two years from the date the
				application is received;
6. has not
				been convicted of, pleaded guilty, or entered a plea of nolo contendere to a
				felony. The ADRA may waive this requirement for good cause upon request of the
				applicant. The applicant shall provide the ADRA with a certified copy of their
				criminal history;
7. signs the ADRA
				form of professional and ethical accountability and responsibility;
8. provides evidence of having satisfied the
				following requirements in education, supervised practical training and
				experience:
a. education-has successfully
				completed a minimum of 270 clock hours of education with a minimum of 180 hours
				specific to substance abuse and up to 90 hours in related courses or areas of
				study. Education is defined as formal, structured instruction in the form of
				work shops, seminars, institutes, in-services, college/university credit
				courses and distance education. Of the substance abuse specific hours required
				by this provision, at least 6 hours must be in professional ethics. The
				professional ethics hours may not be obtained through "in service"
				training;
b. supervised practical
				training-has successfully completed a minimum 300 performance hours in the
				KSA's/12 core functions (with a minimum of 10 hours in each core function or
				KSA equivalent). The candidate shall document and verify the performance hours
				on a form required by the ADRA. Training is defined as a formal systematic
				process that focuses on skill development and integration of knowledge. The
				training must take place in a setting where addictive disorder counseling is
				provided. The training may occur as part of eligible work experience (see
				Subparagraph c below) and may be completed under more than one supervisor or
				agency. All training hours must be documented and verified;
c. experience-documents and verifies evidence
				of having successfully completed 2,000 hours (one year) of supervised work
				experience providing addictive disorder counseling services. Supervised work
				experience must be paid or voluntary experience as a counselor who provides
				direct counseling services to individuals diagnosed as having one or more
				addictive disorders, at least one of which is alcohol or substance abuse
				related. Supervised work experience must be in the KSA's and 12 core functions
				with substance abuse clients. Unsupervised work experience will not be
				considered. The supervision required herein must be provided by a certified
				clinical supervisor with a minimum of one contact hour per week. In the event a
				certified clinical supervisor is unavailable, the individual may apply to the
				ADRA for a waiver;
9.
				demonstrates professional competency in addictive disorder counseling by
				satisfying written and oral examination requirements established by the ADRA
				and providing documentation of such. The ADRA shall indicate the examination
				requirements that govern each testing cycle;
10. it is the candidate's responsibility to
				assure himself that his educational preparation has provided comprehensive
				coverage of the subjects and topics necessary to allow him to develop a
				sufficient knowledge base and to adequately prepare him to be able to
				demonstrate professional competency in addictive disorder counseling;
11. it is the candidate's responsibility to
				assure himself that his clinical experience has provided comprehensive training
				sufficient to adequately prepare him to be a able to demonstrate professional
				competency in addictive disorder counseling;
12. provide three letters of recommendation
				attesting to the individual's fitness to be an addictive disorder
				counselor;
13. the scope of
				practice, for the LAC, shall include making appropriate referrals to qualified
				professionals, providing counseling to family members when appropriate, and
				utilizing the core functions and KSA's of addictive disorder counseling. The
				LAC shall have an independent scope of practice.