Certification Renewal

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Breining Institute certified professionals are located in 14 countries and over 40 US States.

Accredited

The Registered Addiction Specialist (RAS) Certification, after an independent and comprehensive review, has been nationally accredited by the National Commission for Certifying Agencies (NCCA).
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There are only 3 nationally-issued addiction counselor certifications that have been awarded accreditation through this independent review by NCCA, and the RAS Certification is one of them.*

Breining Institute is a member of the Institute for Credentialing Excellence, a non-profit organization dedicated to developing standards of excellence for certification programs

Breining Institute was the
first certification agency accredited and approved by the State of California Department of Alcohol and
Drug Programs

	Renewal
	Every two years - Continuing Education (CE) requirements: RAS, RAS II and M-RAS 40 hours in specific subjects (see list to the right) - CSC Six (6) hours of CE in Clinical Supervision topics must be included in the 40 hours of CE - MCA Ten (10) hours of CE in Ethics topics must be included in the 40 hours of CE - RAS Interns (RASi) 40 hours in any related subjects, including courses taken toward qualifying for RAS exam - MATC, FAC, CWTS or CCDS Must maintain underlying professional certification or license, and must complete 6 hours of CE within the Specialty subject - Counselors who previously held the CWIS will be upgraded to the CWTS upon renewal

	CE Subjects
	Understanding Addiction (at least 6 hours) - Treatment Knowledge (at least 6 hours) including 3 hours in Communicable Diseases - Application to Practice (at least 6 hours) including 3 hours in Special Populations - Professional Readiness (at least 6 hours) - Ethics (at least 10 hours) - Prevention of Sexual Harassment (at least 3 hours) - Any other related subject (which will bring your total to 40 hours) - A fuller description of the CE Subjects can also be found below - Need CE courses?

	Fees
	On-time Renewal $75 for on-time renewal (on-time renewal is up to one year before your renewal date) - Late Renewal $150 up to 1 year late $225 between 1 & 2 yrs late After 2 yrs late, must retake qualifying exam - Renewal fees are the same for RAS, RAS II, M-RAS, CSC, MCA, FAC, MATC, CCDS and CWTS, as well as RAS Interns - You pay only one renewal fee, regardless of how many of the credentials that you hold. For example, if you hold the RAS, MCA and CSC, your total on-time renewal fee is still only $75.

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
"Clinical Supervisor Credential" and "CSC" credentials: Service Mark Reg. No. 66826, Class Number 41
"Master Counselor in Addictions" and "MCA" credentials: Service Mark Reg. No. 66746, Class Number 41
"Medication-Assisted Treatment Counselor" and "MATC" credentials: Service Mark Reg. No. 66622, Class Number 41
"Forensic Addictions Counselor" and "FAC" credentials: Service Mark Reg. No. 66627, Class Number 41
"Certified Co-occurring Disorders Specialist" and "CCDS" credentials: Protected service marks, pending official registration number
"Certified Women's Treatment Specialist" and "CWTS" credentials: Protected service marks, pending official registration number

	Additional explanation of CE Categories
	Understanding Addiction (6 hours required) - 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 (6 hours required, including 3 hours in Communicable Diseases) - 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 (6 hours required, including 3 hours in Special Populations) - 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 (6 hours required) - 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; and understanding of procedures for handling crises or dangerous situations.

*The only three nationally-issued addiction counselor certifications that have been awarded accreditation through an independent review by the NCCA are:
Registered Addiction Specialist (RAS) issued by Breining Institute
Certified Addiction Specialist (CAS) issued by American Academy of Health Care Providers in the Addictive Disorders
Master Addictions Counselor (MAC) issued by National Board for Certified Counselors