California Addiction Professionals

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State approved. Nationally accredited.

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Frequently asked questions (FAQs)			FAQs

First in California: The Registered Addiction Specialist (RAS) certification was the first nationally accredited and State ADP-approved in California.

RAS Eligibility

155
hours formal education in alcohol and other drugs (AOD) training,
and

2,080
hours or 1 year experience,
which includes 160 hours of supervised experience.

400⁺
educational institutions
throughout the United States provide
qualifying education to candidates testing for the RAS Credential

	Lowest Cost, FREE Prep
	Only $49 to Register. $150 to test. No membership dues. - Exam fee includes: Comprehensive study guide, and FREE on-line tutorial.

	What to do
	1. Register on-line then 2. Request Exam and document your education and experience. - VIDEO: How to get the RAS Cert 3 minutes

	California Law
	Employers California law requires that at least 30% of your staff providing counseling services must be certified, and employers will be cited for non-compliance by the State ADP.

	-
	ADP maintains a list of disciplined California AOD counselors, which is available at this ADP link:

	-
	Counselors California law requires that you must be registered within 6 months of entering the field, and then certified by an approved certification agency within 5 years.

These credentials are registered service marks, and may only be used by professionals who have been awarded these credentials by Breining Institute.
"Registered Addiction Specialist" and "RAS" credentials: Service Mark Reg. No. 65739, Class Number 41
-
The RAS Certification is nationally accredited by the National Commission for Certifying Agencies (NCCA)

	Formal alcohol and other drugs (AOD) education should include the curriculum contained within the Addiction Counseling Competencies, Technical Assistance Publication Series 21 (TAP 21), and will include:
	Understanding Addiction - includes understanding theories of addiction, recognizing social and cultural factors within which addiction exists, behavioral and physical effects of psychoactive substances, and recognition of potential for substance abuse disorders to co-exist with other medical and psychological disorders.
	Treatment Knowledge - includes philosophies and practices of generally accepted models of treatment, recovery, relapse prevention and continuing care for addiction, the importance of family and community systems in the treatment and recovery process, recognizing the importance of ongoing study in clinical practice, and understanding of multidisciplinary, non-traditional or various approaches to addiction treatment. Communicable Diseases - includes tuberculosis, HIV disease and Hepatitis C.
	Application to Practice - includes understanding diagnostic criteria for addiction treatment and placement, providing the appropriate treatment in consideration of a client's personal and cultural background situation, and familiarity with the acceptable range of medical and pharmacological resources available for treatment. Special Populations - includes aging individuals; individuals with co-occurring disorders (e.g. alcoholism and mental illness); individuals with post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD); individuals with disabilities; diverse populations; individuals with cultural differences; individuals on probation / parole, etc.
	Professional Readiness - includes personal and professional growth; understanding supervision in the delivery of client services; professional obligations to adhere to ethical standards; understanding of and participation in prevention as well as treatment programs; an understanding of procedures for handling crises or dangerous situations; and coursework related to the prevention of sexual harassment.