Chapter 8

Licensed Addictions Therapist

 

Section 1.  The Practice of a Licensed Addictions Therapist.  The practice of a Licensed Addictions Therapist consists of providing services based on theory and methods of counseling, psychotherapy, and addictionology to persons who are experiencing cognitive, affective or behavioral psychosocial dysfunction as a direct or indirect result of addiction, chemical dependency, abuse of chemical substances or related disorders.  The practice of addictions therapy includes, but is not limited to, performing mental health procedures, addiction prevention, crisis intervention, assessment, diagnosis, referral, direct treatment, and follow-up treatment which is rendered to individuals, families, groups, organizations, schools, and communities who are adversely affected by addictions or related disorders within the range of the professional's preparation.

 

(a)                The practice of addictions therapy may be either face-to-face that involves the synchronous interaction between an individual or groups of individuals using what is seen and heard in person to communicate, or

 

(b)               Via methods of electronic delivery that involves the use of electronic or other means (e.g. telephone, computers, etc.) to provide the service.

 

(i)           When using electronic delivery means, all use must be in compliance with all professional ethical standards and all other requirements in these rules;

 

(ii)        Special care should be taken to ensure the confidentiality and security of the provision of services; and

 

(iii)      The Licensed Addictions Therapist shall provide only those services that are legal within the state that the recipient of services lives.

 

Section 2.  General Requirements for Licensure. It is the sole responsibility of the applicant to ensure that the Board receives all documentation necessary to prove to the Board's satisfaction that the applicant meets all the requirements for licensure herein. The applicant shall provide satisfactory evidence to the Board that they:

 

(a)are of majority age;

 

(b)have no felony convictions, and no misdemeanor convictions that relate adversely to the practice of addictions therapy or to the ability to practice addictions therapy, although exceptions to this requirement may be granted by the Board if consistent with the public interest;

 

(c)are legal inhabitants of the United States and

 

(d)satisfy the requirements established in these rules.

 

Section 3.  Education Requirement for Licensure.

 

(a)All educational requirements for licensure shall be met through the completion of a graduate degree program with a concentration in addictionology, chemical dependency, or substance abuse, healing arts or related field from an educational institution accredited by one of the regional or national institutional accrediting bodies recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA).  Applicants with graduate degrees in other mental health disciplines from a regionally accredited college or university shall generally be accepted with the listed twenty-two (22) semester hours of coursework (either graduate or undergraduate) as follows:

 

(i) Each of the following four (4) courses shall be completed:

 

(A)Counseling Theories- Three (3) semester credits. Theories and principles of counseling and psychotherapy;

 

(B)Counseling Skills- Three (3) semester credits. Methods and techniques of individual and group counseling;

 

(C)Practicum in Addictions/Chemical Dependency Counseling- Three (3) semester credits; and

 

(D)Counseling Ethics- Three (3) semester credits.

 

(ii)Course work shall be completed in each of the following five (5) subject areas for a minimum of ten (10) semester credits: 

 

(A)Alcoholism: To include biochemical, socio-cultural, and psychological factors;

 

(B)Drugs and Behavior: A survey of drugs with abuse potential other than alcohol that affect behavior including psychopharmacological information;

 

(C)Addictions and Special Populations: (i.e., adolescents, women, ethnic groups, elderly, adult children of alcoholics, the impaired family, impaired professional, etc.);

 

(D)Addictive Behaviors: Gambling, eating disorders, sexual addictions, cults, compulsive behaviors of non-ingestive nature, etc.; and

 

(E)Addictions Assessment: Appraisal, assessment, testing, diagnosis/dual diagnosis.  This category may also be satisfied by completing specialty training.

 

(iii)Six (6) contact hours of specialty training shall be completed in communicable diseases.  This category may be satisfied by completing college course work or workshops.

 

(iv)Three (3) semester credits is equivalent to four (4) quarter credits.

 

Section 4.  Supervised Training/Work Experience Requirement for Licensure.

 

(a)A minimum of three thousand (3,000) hours of supervised clinical training/work experience in addictions therapy under the direct supervision of a DQCS is required for all applicants.  This experience shall meet the requirements set forth in these rules.  The hours must be completed over a period of not less than eighteen (18) months or more than thirty-six (36) months unless granted an extension by the Board.

 

(i)          All three thousand (3,000) hours of supervised clinical training/work experience required shall be completed after the award of the graduate degree; 

 

(ii)        Of the three thousand (3,000) hours required, at least one thousand two hundred (1,200) hours shall be direct client contact hours; and 

 

(iii)      The balance of the remaining indirect hours shall consist of work experience that supports the direct client contact hours, e.g. charting, preparation, meetings, trainings, or the other duties of addictions therapy.

 

(b)An applicant shall have a minimum of one hundred (100) post graduate hours of clinical supervision with a DQCS as described in Chapter 18.

 

Section 5.  Examination Requirement for Licensure.

 

(a)                The Board shall accept a passing score as established by the examination provider on one of the following examinations:

 

(i)The Association for Addictions Professionals (NAADAC), NCAC Master Addiction Counselor (MAC) exam;

 

(ii)National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC) Master Addiction Counselor (MAC) exam;

 

(iii)International Certification & Reciprocity Consortium (IC&RC) Advanced Alcohol and Drug Counselor (AADC) exam; or

 

(iv)Other examination as may be approved by the Board.

 

(b)The examination shall have been passed within the immediate five (5) years prior to submission of the application.  This requirement does not apply to:

 

(i) those applying under Section 7 of these Rules; or

 

(ii) those applying for licensure by completing provisional.

 

Section 6.  LAT as a Second License.  Professionals who currently hold a license as an LPC, LMFT or LCSW in good standing in the State of Wyoming may obtain a license as an Addictions Therapist as follows:

 

(a)Education.  The applicant shall satisfy the educational criteria in the following manner.

 

(i)Complete one hundred and fifty (150) contact hours of diverse addictions specific training within five (5) years of applying for the LAT, including Addictions Assessment, from four (4) of the five (5) following areas:

 

(A)Alcoholism:  To include biochemical, socio-cultural, and psychological factors;

 

(B)Drugs and Behavior:  A survey of drugs with abuse potential other than alcohol that affect behavior including psychopharmacological information;

 

(C)Addictions and Special Populations (i.e., adolescents, women, ethnic groups, elderly, adult children of alcoholics, the impaired family, impaired professional, etc.);

 

(D)Addictive Behaviors:  Gambling, eating disorders, sexual addictions, cults, compulsive behaviors of non-ingestive nature, etc; or

 

(E)Addictions Assessment: Appraisal, assessment, testing, diagnosis/dual diagnosis.  This category may also be satisfied by completing specialty training.

 

(ii)These contact hours may also be reported as continuing education for license renewal.

 

(b)Practicum.

 

(i)The applicant shall satisfy the practicum criteria by completing a practicum, to include addictions specific clients, in a master's program, or by

 

(ii)Completing one hundred and fifty (150) face-to-face clinical contact hours with addictions specific clients within five (5) years of applying for licensure, which is supervised by an LAT.  These hours shall be completed after the award of the initial license as an LPC, LCSW, or an LMFT, or by

 

(iii)Providing written proof, in a manner approved by the Board, of a minimum of five (5) years of full-time experience in the addictions field, gained within the ten (10) years immediately preceding the date of application, and after completion of the master's degree by which they received their LPC, LCSW, or LMFT.

 

(c)Examination.  The examination requirements are the same as defined in Section 5.

 

Section 7.  License by Reciprocity.  An individual who holds a master's degree or higher in a human behavioral discipline, has passed the examination as required in Section 5 of this Chapter and holds a license that is free from discipline and in good standing to engage in the practice of addictions therapy under the laws of another state may, upon approval of the Board, be issued a license as an Addictions Therapist in this state. If the individual has held a license to addictions therapy in more than one state, the individual shall be required to provide verification that all licenses held within the last five (5) years have not had any discipline against the license.

Section 8. Standards of Conduct.

 

(a)The terms "Licensed Addictions Therapist" or "Addictions Therapist" shall be used only after the applicant is granted licensure by the Board.

 

(b)The Licensed Addictions Therapist shall comply with the Association for Addictions Professionals (NAADAC) "Code of Ethics" incorporated into these rules in Chapter 15.