ACCBC is seeking nominations  for the following positions on the Addiction Counselor Certification Board of California for one-, two- and three-year terms commencing January 2026.

Four members for the Ethics Committee

Who May Stand for Election?    

• A current/active member  of addiction treatment or mental health community, possessing a valid addiction treatment counselor certification or a licensed clinician who is no less than 18 years of age, is currently working in the profession with a willingness to serve the profession of addiction treatment counselors and ensure public safety.

What does participation in the Ethics Committee include? 

1. The Ethics Committee is responsible for reviewing and investigating complaints filed against counselors for unethical behavior.  
2. The Ethics Committee makes recommendations to ACCBC Board Members on recommended sanctions for any substantiated claims, including supporting evidence to substantiate claims, as well as making recommendations to terminate investigations.
3. Ethics Committee Members are able to vote on recommendations to present to the ACCBC Board Members.  Ethics Committee Members are not voting members of the ACCBC.

Who may NOT  stand for election? 

1. Those not working in the profession 

2. Students 

Who May Nominate for Election?    

1. A current/active member may nominate any duly qualified current/active member for election to the Board of Directors: 

2. Self-nominations are encouraged 

3. The nomination form must be signed by a nominator. 

4. Nominators may nominate one  candidate only. 

5. The candidate must sign the nomination form providing consent for the nomination. 

How are Ethics Committee Members elected? 

1. Ethics Commiting Members are elected by a majority vote of the ACCBC 

2. Voting shall be at the scheduled quarterly meetings. 

How do I submit my nomination? 

1. Send the following information via email: nominations@accbc.org 

2. Provide a letter that includes your current roles in connection to addiction treatment counselors, your interests in serving in this capacity, and your experience serving on Boards or Committees.

3. Curriculum vitae (CV) or resume 

Deadline for submission? 

1. Ongoing 

Persons interested in reading the legislation of AB 2473 can find it here and the regulations that put this bill into effect can be found here.  In short, all counselors certified on or after January 1, 2026, will be required to demonstrate education on 12 topics, referred to as “core competencies.”  All counselors registering for the first time starting July 1, 2025, will have 6 months from January 1, 2026, to complete education that includes content on 12 specific topics and to complete a minimum of 80 hours toward the requirements for certification.  Counselors seeking to become a Registered Addiction Counselor (RAC) through ACCBC will be required to show proof of enrollment or completion of two, three-unit courses specifically identified at college programs throughout the state.

Click here to find AB 2473-compliant education options for first-year Registered Addiction Counselors.  Please note that ACCBC does NOT accept the ASCEND education materials.  Please read the information below.

This law impacts different groups of counselors in different ways.

• Current Certified Addiction Treatment Counselors: This bill has no impact on you.
• Counselors registered on or before June 30, 2025, and seeking to certify on or after January 1, 2025: This bill will require that you demonstrate education that includes all 12 topics before a certification can be issued.
  • For counselors who attended a CAADE-accredited program: CAADE-accredited colleges and universities have already been identified as covering 11 of the 12 topics, if not all 12. CAADE will provide free online materials to supplement any missing content. This content will be available in January 2026 at caadeclasses.org
  • For counselors who seek to apply for certification with ACCBC through education equivalency: Determining compliance will require documentation that these topics were all covered. Although it is assumed that all of these topics would be covered in the courses needed to satisfy equivalency, the burden will be to demonstrate that these topics were covered directly. This may be particularly challenging for counselors who completed their education outside of California.  ACCBC will work with counselors to minimize the burden and impact.
• Counselors who registered for the first time on or after July 1, 2025, and those registering for the first time on or after January 1, 2026: This bill will require all newly registered counselors to complete education on the above topics, as well as at least 80 hours of education, before they can renew their registration. The legislation stipulates that this education must be completed in six months, and it is expected that counselors complete it within six months.  However, if a counselor hits the six-month mark and has not completed their education, or ACCBC informs a counselor that the education they completed is not satisfactory, the counselor will need to remedy this deficiency prior to submission of registration renewal.
  • Counselors registering with ACCBC, or any Certifying Organization in California, for the first time between July 1, 2025, and December 31, 2025: All counselors who registered with ACCBC for the first time during this period were verified as being enrolled in a qualifying addiction studies program. Counselors need to complete the courses listed for their addiction studies program (found here) in the Spring semester if not already completed.
  • Counselors registering with ACCBC for the first time on or after January 1, 2026: All counselors will need to demonstrate by way of unofficial transcripts that they are enrolled in or have passed the courses identified on CAADE’s website that have been determined to meet the minimum hours (at least six semester units) and cover the 12 topics for the college they plan to attend. By requiring enrollment in these materials before issuing a registration, ACCBC is not ensuring that it will be accepted, but attempting to ensure that the requirements are met within the required six months. Counselors are requested to provide their unofficial transcripts once grades are awarded so that ACCBC can provide a letter stating that the first-year requirements have been satisfied. Counselors who choose to withdraw from coursework after approval has been made by ACCBC are advised to reach out to office@accbc.org.

How does a counselor determine the education option best for them?

• ACCBC does not endorse or promote one education provider over another. ACCBC has a set of standards and requirements for education providers.  Colleges and universities accredited by CAADE meet these standards and are pre-approved for certification with ACCBC.  Colleges and universities that are not CAADE-accredited or pre-approved by ACCBC are still eligible for certification with ACCBC through equivalency evaluation.
• One of the requirements of AB 2473 was that the education ACCBC accepts to satisfy first-year registration requirements must count towards the education needed for certification. The primary mode of certification for counselors is by attending and completing a pre-approved college program.  As such, it is important for counselors to consider where they wish to complete their education for certification requirements, and if unable to complete registration requirements at that college or university, to ensure that the option they choose for registration is transferable to their desired college or university.  Applying for certification through equivalency is an option, but often it requires additional time, effort, and has an additional cost.  
• There are many options to consider when selecting an education program for certification. Many counselors have expressed satisfaction with their college experience, which went beyond their education and coursework.  Counselors may wish to choose a college in their local area to connect with a campus, build local networks, and access local job opportunities.  Networking may also be based on the program’s size, its history, and the number of alumni/graduates. Counselors may wish to select a program based on that college’s reputation or the counselor’s needs, which may be time constraints or financial aid opportunities. These decisions may be quite personal.

Why is ACCBC not accepting the ASCEND material? 

• There are several reasons that ACCBC is not accepting ASCEND materials. In some cases, this was because the course modules were deemed below college level, and therefore, not suitable for certification with ACCBC. The main reason ACCBC will not accept these materials is that, under regulatory requirements, if we accept them for registration purposes, we would have to count them towards certification education.  As the materials are below college level, they would not be transferable to many, if any, of the colleges pre-approved by ACCBC or those suitable for equivalency.  This creates a major compliance issue.  Overall, we found the ASCEND option to add to the length of time of a counselor’s education as well as potentially adding increased cost.

Will ACCBC accept coursework other than that listed on CAADE’s website to satisfy the requirements for first-time registrants?

• Counselors applying for certification through equivalency review may have alternate courses approved to meet these requirements. Equivalency review is strictly based on completed coursework.  ACCBC will not issue a registration based on an equivalency review unless at least 80% of the equivalency education requirements have been satisfied.

IMPORTANT!!

PLEASE NOTE changes that will affect you: Effective October 26, 2021, the ACCBC has moved to a new office location, and has a new phone number. Effective 10/26/2021, you will no longer use the 5230 Clark Ave. Lakewood mailing address nor the 800-991-2997 telephone number to contact our office, or to mail applications . Please note our new address and phone number below, which became effective on 10/26/2021:

Now you can get your law and ethics bundle from CAADEClasses.org!  On sale now at CAADEClasses.org 9 Hour Law and Ethics Bundle. The units are accepted by CCAPP, CADTP, and CAADE’s ACCBC for California Registrants. This online course is accepted if you are registering for the first time or would just like to brush up on the subject.  Watch for more courses over the next weeks. CEU’s available for CADTP. See course for details. 

SUD COUNSELORS

Get Registered/Take the Exam/Get Certified!

Make a Difference That Lasts a Lifetime
Substance Use Disorder (SUD) Counselors are an integral part of the treatment and recovery process because of their personal interactions and relationships with program participants and their families. As an SUD counselor, your compassion and empathy go farther as part of a collaborative, innovative team dedicated to addressing the SUD crisis right here in Los Angeles County.

Substance Use Disorder (SUD) Counselors register and become certified with one of the National Commission for Certifying Agencies (NCCA) accreditation organizations recognized by the California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS):
California Association for Alcohol and Drug Educators (CAADE),
California Association of DUI Treatment Programs (CADTP), and
California Consortium of Addiction Programs and Professionals (CCAPP).

Becoming a Certified SUD Counselor lays the groundwork for a rewarding career in one of the most dynamic and fastest growing healthcare fields. You will perform intakes and assessments and conduct individual and group counseling sessions. To qualify to register or become certified as an SUD counselor, individuals receive training from education programs (including local community colleges and academies) that have courses specific to addiction counseling. Are you ready to make a difference?

Get Registered/Take the Exam/Get Certified!

As you are aware, the ACCBC met its target date of be re-accredited by the National Commission for Certifying Agencies (NCCA) by August of 2018, in fact, we received notification of our five-year (5) accreditation on 07/19/2018. The second stage of the process is under way and we are working closely with the California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) to regain their approval of CAADE/ACCBC as a recognized certifying body.

We received our site visit from DHCS in early September and we were hopeful that by this time we would have our approval. Unfortunately, this process has been moving much more slowly than anticipated. However, we are working very collaboratively with DHCS and are highly confident that once this process is complete we will once again be recognized as a certifying body and begin meeting your needs and relieving the burden to the workforce.

We are acutely aware that this delay continues to create a significant amount of anxiety and confusion. We receive dozens of calls each day asking why we cannot register students or certify counselors even though we have been accredited by the NCCA. There are two (2) agencies that must approve all certifying bodies for addiction counselors in the state of California, the NCCA (which has approved us for 5 years) and DHCS, again, we await our final approval and remain hopeful for a quick approval once our process is completed.

Important reminder: If you are providing counseling services in a licensed and/or certified AOD facility, you must be registered or certified by one of the DHCS recognized certifying agencies, CADTP (https://cadtp.org/) or CCAPP.

We thank you for your patience and understanding during this very challenging process and we will continue to keep you updated and informed of any developments. The day that we receive our approval from DHCS, you will once again be able to register, renew, and become certified and you will be able to do all of this online if you choose.

We continue to be sincerely grateful to all of you who have stood by us during this challenging time and who are waiting to rejoin our ranks to continue leading the charge for higher standards for addiction treatment counselors in the state of California and beyond.

With great gratitude, respect and sincerity,

Drew Williams, MA, CATC IV

Chair, ACCBC

As you are aware, the ACCBC met its target date of be re-accredited by the National Commission for Certifying Agencies (NCCA) by August of 2018, in fact, we received notification of our five-year (5) accreditation on 07/19/2018. We were hopeful that the California Department of Health Care Services would act quickly to reinstate the recognition of CAADE/ACCBC as a certifying organization so we could move forward with the task at hand, registering and certifying the many students and counselors waiting for our return, thus providing much needed relief to the workforce.

Unfortunately, this process has been moving much more slowly than anticipated. We are still in the process of waiting for the required site visit by DHCS which is now scheduled for the first week of September. We again are hopeful that once this site visit is completed, DHCS will act quickly to reinstate our organization as a certifying body and we can proceed with meeting your needs and relieving the burden to the workforce.

We are acutely aware that this delay continues to create a significant amount of anxiety and confusion. We receive dozens of calls each day asking why we cannot register students or certify counselors even though we have been accredited by the NCCA. There are two (2) agencies that must approve all certifying bodies for addiction counselors in the state of California, the NCCA (which has approved us for 5 years) and DHCS, again, we await our site visit and remain hopeful for a quick response once completed.

If you are currently a student entering the new semester and need to become registered with one of the certifying agencies, unfortunately we cannot provide this service until we receive DHCS approval. Please register with another agency (https://cadtp.org/) for now and if you still wish to register with the ACCBC when we are approved by DHCS, you will be able to transfer your registration for free.

We thank you for your patience and understanding during this very challenging process and we will continue to keep you updated and informed of any developments. The day that we receive our approval from DHCS, you will once again be able to register, renew, and become certified and you will be able to do all of this online if you choose.

We continue to be sincerely grateful to all of you who have stood by us during this challenging time and who are waiting to rejoin our ranks to continue leading the charge for higher standards for addiction treatment counselors in the state of California and beyond.

With great gratitude, respect and sincerity,

Drew Williams, MA, CATC IV

Chair, ACCBC