Senate Bill
1203
 

Senate Bill 1203, amended on August 20, would have utilized the efficient and cost effective infrastructure developed over the past two decades by continuing to use the State's current private counselor preparation and testing organizations (CPTOs), and by giving the ADP the statutory authority to issue certifications and licenses to counselors, as well as to strengthen it's authority in the regulation of the CPTOs.

Passage of SB 1203 would have provided clients, family members and employers with improved consumer protection, standardized complaint and enforcement standards, and increased alcohol and other drug (AOD) counselor professionalism.

Senator DeSaulnier’s amendment of SB 1203 included the results of an industry-wide collaborative effort that included treatment providers, AOD counselors, ADP representatives, licensed professionals and educators, all working together to protect the consumer, increase standards, and keep certification options available and the costs down for California AOD counselors.

This collaborative effort was started by California Association of Addiction Recovery Resources (CAARR), Breining Institute and California Association of Alcoholism and Drug Abuse Counselors (CAADAC)  – collectively known as the "CBC" – in order to make more workable a recent State proposal to comprehensively overhaul the existing AOD counselor certification laws. CAARR, Breining and CAADAC has each invested over twenty years and significant monies in the development and operation of their respective comprehensive training and certification systems.

After getting news of the last-minute stall of SB 1203, Susan Blacksher, Executive Director of CAARR, was still upbeat, and commented on the industry-wide collaboration that brought SB 1203 as far as it did: "This was an awesome experience to work side by side with the best minds in the counselor field, and I look forward to keeping the momentum going."

Added Kathy Christopher, Dean of Academic Affairs for Breining Institute, "As educators, we are very much in favor of increasing the educational and professional standards for AOD counselor certification and licensure. At the same time, we need to make certain that there are sufficient safeguards to maintain the availability of qualified counselors to provide those necessary services to clients, and we believe that Senator DeSaulnier’s SB 1203 amendments would have addressed both concerns."
 

The current status of this particular bill has not dampened the resolve of AOD professionals to increase counselor standards and safeguards for consumers. The CBC group and the many supporters of SB 1203 will continue to work together and explore options that will build upon the progress that was made in the development of this proposal.

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ADP-approved and nationally-accredited certification agencies
 
Association of Christian Alcohol & Drug Counselors (www.acadc.org)
Breining Institute (www.breining.edu)
California Association for Alcohol / Drug Educators (www.caade.org)
California Association of Addiction Recovery Resources (www.caarr.org)
California Association of Alcoholism and Drug Abuse Counselors (www.caadac.org)
California Association of Drinking Driver Treatment Programs (www.caddtp.org)
California Certification Board of Chemical Dependency Counselors (www.californiacertificationboard.org)
Forensic Addictions Corrections Treatment (www.factcertification.org)
Indian Alcoholism Commission of California (www.iaccinc.net)