Become an SUD Counselor

CADTP Certifies SUD Counselors in ALL Modalities!

The CADTP Substance Use Disorder Certified Counselor (SUDCC) credential is accredited by NCCA/ICE and is recognized by DHCS, those holding this credential are authorized to work in any substance use disorder (SUD) treatment modality.

Steps to Certification

  1. Register as an SUDRC.
  2. Complete required education.
  3. Complete required work experience.
  4. Submit certification/exam application.
  5. Successfully pass certification exam.
  6. Receive your SUDCC certification.

Complete the six steps listed above to become a Substance Use Disorder Certified Counselor.

Exam and Certification Application
IC&RC Candidate Guide
Special Accommodations Form
Exam Retake
Exam No-Show

IC&RC ADC Exam Requirements:

To apply for the certification exam, you must complete the CADTP Exam Certification Application. Along with the completed application you will need to submit the following:

  • Payment of $350 ($175 for Exam and $175 for Initial SUDCC Certification)
  • 2×2 current photo of applicant
  • Official Transcripts documenting the completion of at least 315 hours of formal, in-classroom education, at an accredited college or post-secondary school in alcohol and/or other drug education (see Academic Content Areas here for required courses). Official transcripts need to be mailed in a sealed envelope or emailed to the CADTP office directly from the college.
  • Documentation of 2,080 hours SUD counseling work experience (see Work Hours Verification Form)
  • Documentation of 255 hours of SUD supervised practicum hours that cover the 12 core functions (effective for initial registrations on or after 11/1/2021) (see Practicum Verification Form)
  • Signed Code of Conduct/Ethics

PLEASE NOTE: Put the name (First and Last) on the application that matches the name on your photo ID. You must present a VALID GOVERNMENT ISSUED PHOTO ID WITH SIGNATURE in order to be admitted to the examination. Approved forms for ID are: Drivers License, Government Issued ID Card (must have photo and signature), Passport, Military ID Card. No other forms of identification will be accepted.

If the application is approved, applicants will be notified by
e-mail about how to make exam arrangements (appointment, locations, etc.)

IC&RC Exam Prep:

The IC&RC ADC exam covers the TAP 21 standards for substance abuse counselors. It is highly recommended to study for the ICRC exam. Here are a few websites that can help you prepare for the exam

www.readytotest.com

https://internationalcredentialing.org/examprep

https://www.brainscape.com/flashcards/exam-3119974/packs/4940502

https://addictionsexam.com/

Special Accommodations:

Individuals with disabilities and/or religious obligations that require modifications in test administration may request specific procedure changes, in writing PRIOR to scheduling an examination.

Refer to the IC&RC Candidate Guide for more information on special accommodations.

Exam Retake:

There is a 90-day waiting period for those who do not pass the exam and wish to re-apply to take it again. A re-exam application and a re-exam fee of $175 is required for each re-exam.

To be eligible to sit for the exam for a fifth attempt, the Certification Board will mandate a 180-day waiting period requiring the candidate to have their knowledge of TAP 21 competency requirements evaluated through 100 hours of documented and verifiable SUD counseling mentorship dated after the last exam attempt. The remedial action is designed to provide the exam takers with individualized support utilizing an experienced and knowledgeable person. The candidate will be required to provide documentation of this mentorship confirming the candidate has demonstrated sufficient knowledge of competency requirements to pass the exam.

The mentor must be, at minimum, a certified counselor. Mentorship should focus on TAP 21 and areas of specific need, as noted in the exam domain areas, thereby increasing the candidate’s knowledge in the failed area.

It will also be required to have a number of additional educational hours of study and a review of the Addiction Counseling Competencies – The Knowledge, Skills, and Attitudes of Professional Practice (Technical Assistance Publication Series #21 (TAP 21).

“No-show” Exam:

If candidates fail to show up for an examination, do not have the proper identification or Candidate Admission Letter, they will not be permitted to sit for their examination. They will be considered a “No-Show,” examination fees will be forfeited, and they will be required to re-register and pay all fees to their IC&RC Member Board prior to scheduling another examination.

You must complete the “No-Show” Exam Application and submit with a $175 payment to the CADTP certification office to set up a new exam time and date.

Dr. Jessica Rodriguez
LAADC-S, ICAADC, MAC, SUDCCIV-CS, BSP, CTRTC, CIP, CTP, CTS, FSS

Dr. Rodriguez was named the Executive Director of Gateway Corp in 2012.  Gateway Corp was developed as a non-profit, public charity and founded October 27, 2011. November 2014, she developed a clinical hub for Gateway Corp called OnSite Strategies. OnSite is also a United States Trademark.

She has held the position of CEO, Clinical Director, Lead Educator and Clinical Trainer as well as the Clinical Business Developer. She has fulfilled the roles of a clinical consultant, professional development consultant and has clinically supervised many SUD/addiction counselors, mental health professionals and addiction and family interventionists for over 12 years.

She has been active in the mental health field since 1995. She has also clinically trained throughout the US and provides clinical oversight for several organizations in California.

Dr. Rodriguez released her first book, “When the Rainbow Ends a Shadow from Heaven Appears" in 2017.” Her newest book, "The Cart, From Adversity to Collateral Beauty" is scheduled to be released in the Fall of 2022.

Dr. Rodriguez is currently a writer for Rapporteur Magazine. Her focus is about Mental Wellness also covered topics to include ACE's, trauma, anxiety, and Systemic Racism.

Adriana Popescu, Ph.D.

Dr. Adriana Popescu is a licensed clinical psychologist and empowerment coach with over 25 years of experience in the mental health field. She specializes in treating addictions and trauma, and has directed a number of treatment programs in the San Francisco Bay Area. She is the Founder and CEO of Firebird Healing, a trauma healing program, and the Clinical Director at Avery Lane, an innovative and holistic treatment program for women with co-occurring addiction and mental health disorders and trauma.

Adriana has contributed to a number of books, including TJ Woodward's Conscious Being Workbook, the Conscious Recovery for Addiction and Conscious Recovery for Mental Health Workbooks, and the Conscious Creation Workbook, all of which she co-authored with him.

She has a private practice in San Francisco and travels around the world speaking, coaching, and facilitating transformational and empowering workshops. She also hosts a fascinating podcast called Kaleidoscope of Possibilities – Alternative Perspectives on Mental Health.

Adriana loves to bring the most innovative and effective tools to her work, empowering people to overcome their imagined limitations, release their self-judgments, and discover the brilliance within – creating a life of infinite possibilities.

Her first book, “What If You’re Not as F*cked Up As You Think”, was released in October.

Aven Armstrong-Sutton, Ph.D(c), RSW

Clinical Services Manager at Kinark Child and Family Services

Aven L. Armstrong-Sutton has been a practicing licensed social worker for over a decade. With diverse experience in settings such as health promotion, foster care, youth homelessness, outpatient mental health & addictions, and student support services, Aven currently serves as a Clinical Services Manager at Kinark Child and Family Services, managing a Live-In-Treatment Program and three outpatient treatment programs. Maintaining a part-time private practice, Aven’s multidisciplinary and integrative approach focuses on trauma and resilience among under-served communities.

June Price Tangney, Ph.D

Dr. Tangney received her Ph.D. in clinical psychology from UCLA. She is currently University Professor and Professor of Psychology at George Mason. She is a Recipient of International Society for Self and Identity’s Distinguished Lifetime Career Award and Fellow of the Association of Psychological Science and of APA’s Division of Personality and Social Psychology.

Dr. Tangney is coauthor (with Ronda Dearing) of Shame and Guilt, coeditor (with Ronda Dearing) of Shame in the Therapy Hour, coeditor (with Jess Tracy and Richard Robins) of The self-conscious emotions: Theory and research, and coeditor (with Mark Leary) of the Handbook of Self and Identity. She has served as Associate Editor for Self and Identity, Consulting Editor for Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, Psychological Assessment, Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology, and Journal of Personality, and is currently Associate Editor of American Psychologist.

Her research on the development and implications of moral emotions has been funded by NIDA, NICHD, NSF, and the John Templeton Foundation. Currently, her work focuses on moral emotions among incarcerated offenders. She draws on theory and research in psychology and criminology to develop novel interventions that leverage inmates’ moral emotions and prosocial values. A recipient of GMU’s Teaching Excellence Award, Dr. Tangney strives to integrate service, teaching and clinically-relevant research in both the classroom and her lab.

Christina Veselak, MS, LMFT, CN

Founder and Director of the Academy for Addiction and Mental Health Nutrition

Christina T. Veselak, MS, LMFT, CN, is the founder and director of the Academy for Addiction and Mental Health Nutrition, which teaches practitioners around the world how to use diet, along with amino acid and nutrient therapy, to help prevent cravings and recurrent drug use. She has been a licensed psychotherapist working in the SUD treatment field since 1985 and a certified nutritionist specializing in mental health and addiction recovery since 1993.

Sean Bezdek, LMFT, MBA

Sean is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist with over 25 years of experience working in mental health and substance abuse settings, in inpatient, PHP, and private practice. He holds b a master’s degree in Marital and Family Therapy from Philips Institute and an MBA from Baker College.

Sean’s clinical practice has specialized in working with Personality Disorders, Couples, Adolescents, and individual suffering from chronic mental illness. As a clinician Sean enjoys working with clients who can be resistant to traditional treatment and believes in the philosophy of “You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make them drink. BUT you can feed them saltines to make them thirsty!”

Sean is the Program Director for Akua Mind Body’s Sacramento inpatient mental health program. His prior leadership experience includes oversight of acute inpatient, utilization management, hospice/palliative care, home health and skilled nursing. Sean’s approach to management is to ensure the work that needs to get done gets done. “Our job is patient care. This include everything from making coffee to running groups. There is not one person who is more important that the other when it comes to providing exceptional care to the clients we serve.”