Here's an overview of the NYS OASAS Requirements for completing your Credentialed Alcohol & Substance Abuse Counselor (CASAC) training and certification:
The Resource Training Center provides the new required 350 Hour Standardized Curriculum.You will also need:
Internship hours count as experience and there is no state requirement as to how long an internship should last. Up to 2000 internship/volunteer hours can be counted towards the work experience, except if you have a Master's degree.
Additional RequirementsIn addition, you must satisfy the following requirements:
Evaluation of Competency and Ethical ConductYou must sign an affidavit agreeing to abide by the Canon of Ethical Principles .
You must arrange to have three individuals complete an Evaluation of Competency and Ethical Conduct on your behalf to be submitted as part of your application. All evaluators must: (1) have direct knowledge of your work experience observed for a minimum of six months (may not be family members or subordinates), and (2) meet the following qualifications:
Evaluators must have held QHP status for the entire six-month evaluation period. Additionally, evaluations must be based on your employment in a job title in an Addiction Counseling field (primary counseling duties). Evaluations will not be accept from a work setting #3, non-certified setting.
Work ExperienceYou must document a minimum of 6,000 hours (approximately three years) of supervised, full-time equivalent experience in an approved work setting as a provider or supervisor of direct patient services. An approved work setting means it:
Work experience claimed must:
OASAS strongly encourages that the majority of your work experience be devoted to the practice of alcoholism and/or substance abuse counseling.
The following academic degree substitutions may be claimed toward satisfying a portion of the 6,000 hour work experience requirement:
A formal internship or formal field placement may be claimed as work experience OR education and training, but not both. You should calculate the need to claim a formal internship OR formal field placement as either work experience or education and training.
Work experience claimed may not include any experience gained as part of, or required under, participation as a patient in a formal alcoholism and/or substance abuse or problem gambling treatment/aftercare program and/or plan.
Education and TrainingYou must document completion of education and training consisting of a minimum of 350 clock hours which address the full range of knowledge, skills and professional techniques related to chemical dependence counseling.
In order to best prepare for the examination, OASAS strongly encourages that you have completed education and training which has provided you with:
Minimum requirements are as follows:
Courses taken to prepare for the examination will not be accepted to satisfy any part of the education and training requirements.
OASAS will consider education and training obtained through accredited colleges or universities; governmental agencies; or other entities as approved by OASAS. A maximum of 30 clock hours may be accepted for documented participation in conferences by professional organizations.
There is no limit on the number of clock hours completed through distance learning. However, OASAS will only consider distance learning course work completed through the following entities:
A formal internship or formal field placement may be claimed as education and training based on the academic credit associated with completion, not the number of hours served in the field.
A formal internship or formal field placement may be claimed as work experience OR education and training, but not both. You should calculate the need to claim a formal internship OR formal field placement as either work experience or education and training.
All education and training must be claimed in clock hours, determined as follows:
ATTENTION Applicants:
If you hold an Associate's, Bachelor's or Master's Degree, or you are a student pursuing any of these degrees, some of the course work associated with your degree may be claimed toward satisfying some or all of the CASAC education and training requirements. In order to determine what coursework may be applicable, your college transcript(s) should be submitted with your application.