Breining Institute credentials are held by healthcare professionals located in 49 U.S. States, 20 countries, and are held by U.S. Armed Forces personnel located throughout the world.
Breining Institute offers these nationally administered credentials so that health care professionals may demonstrate their specialized and advanced training in certain areas of practice. Please note that these credentials do not independently authorize an individual to practice without underlying professional certification or licensure, and you should check and comply with the laws and regulations applicable to you within your region.
Eligibility
- Current healthcare professional license or certification,
- 3 years general AOD/SUD experience,
- 3 years engaged as a counselor in a program that provides addiction treatment exclusively for women (may be included in general AOD/SUD experience), and
- Complete any two of the specified online Women’s Treatment Counselor Continuing Education Course Bundles (for a total of 30 hours) from Breining Institute.
$75 application fee.
No membership dues.
Renewal is every 2 years.
Links
Women’s Treatment Counselor Continuing Education Courses
Online CWTS Application
Clinical Experience Verification Form
CWTS Application Fee: $75
Qualifications for the Certified Women’s Treatment Specialist (CWTS)
The Certified Women’s Treatment Specialist (CWTS) Credential is available to individuals with an underlying healthcare professional license or certification from a State-approved or recognized, or nationally-recognized, licensing or certification agency, when they meet the CWTS standards and document their eligibility.
Submit your application using the Online CWTS Application Form. Before the application is considered complete, we will need to receive all of the applicable documents requested. If you are unable to upload the documents using the Online Application Form, send the documents to us by email.
Eligibility Checklist
You will need to document the following:
- CURRENT CERTIFICATION OR LICENSE
- Must hold current healthcare professional license or certification from a State-approved or recognized, or nationally-recognized, licensing or certification agency
- EDUCATION: 30-HOURS of ONLINE WOMEN’S TREATMENT COUNSELOR CONTINUING EDUCATION COURSES
- Complete any two of the online Women’s Treatment Counselor Continuing Education Course Bundles (for a total of 30 hours) from Breining Institute
- Based upon the Women in Treatment: Substance Abuse Counselor Specialty Training Manual, the acclaimed training handbook written by some of the foremost authorities from throughout the United States, the Women’s Treatment Counselor Continuing Education Courses may be completed entirely on-line
- Complete any two of the online Women’s Treatment Counselor Continuing Education Course Bundles (for a total of 30 hours) from Breining Institute
- EXPERIENCE
- Three years full time (or 6,000 hours) clinical experience in general alcohol and other drug / substance use disorders (AOD/SUD) counseling; and,
- Three years full time (or 6,000 hours) engaged as a counselor in a program that provides addiction treatment exclusively for women.
- PLEASE NOTE: Your hours as a counselor in a program that provides addiction treatment exclusively for women may be included in your general AOD/SUD experience.
- Have a qualified employer representative complete and submit the online Clinical Experience Verification Form in order to submit the information directly to Breining Institute
Acceptable Substitutes for General AOD/SUD Clinical Experience Requirement
The minimum general AOD/SUD clinical experience required is 2,000 hours (or 1 year)
Acceptable substitutes for up to 4,000 hours of general AOD/SUD experience may include a degree. A degree in addiction studies or the healing arts may substitute as follows:
- AA or AS degree may substitute for 2,000 hours of clinical experience
- BA or BS, MA or MS, or Doctorate degree may substitute for 4,000 hours of clinical experience
Renewal Requirement
- Every two years
- Continuing Education (CE) requirement every two years is 30 hours
Verify Credential
To verify whether someone has been awarded the CWTS Credential from Breining Institute, select the following link to the International Certified / Credentialed Counselors (CCCo) database: International CCCo Verification
Registered Service Marks
These credentials are registered service marks of Breining Institute, and may only be used by professionals who have been awarded these credentials by Breining Institute:
“Certified Women’s Treatment Specialist” and “CWTS” credentials: Service Mark Reg. No. 67863, Class Number 41