Information Meetings

Come join us to learn more about the program, a career as an Alcohol and Other Drug Counselor, as well as to how obtaining a certificate as an Alcohol and Drug Counselor can help you fulfill your desire to be of service to your community. This meeting is of value to all people interested in becoming an Alcohol and Drug Counselor, to those already within the mental health professions, the teaching community, as well as to many medical professionals.  The length of the meetings normally run approximately one and a half to two hours.   

The next free Information Meetings for new students will be held:

Thursday, 4-18-13 at 4:00 pm on the LMU campus, University Hall, room 1878

Wednesday, 4-24-13 at 4:00 pm onlineby WebEx Webinar

Wednesday, 5-15-13 at 4:00 pm on the LMU campus, University Hall, room 1878

Tuesday, 5-21-13 at 1:30 pm online by WebEx Webinar

To participate at a WebEx Webinar Information meeting please send an email to ACC@lmu.edu.  Include in the email that you wish to participate in the webinar, your full name, and your email address.  Your email must be received at least two days before the scheduled event.  On the day before the webinar (or earlier) you will be sent an email with a link to the webinar. 

To participate in an on campus meeting, no reservation is needed.  It is okay to just show up.  Here are instructions to find the campus meeting: From Lincoln Blvd, turn onto LMU Drive. Please stop at the security booth and obtain instructions to the University Hall parking lot. Parking is underground; enter at level P2/P3 (Student Parking). Once in the underground parking lot, find elevator lobby in parking section 2C (or 3C). Parking fee meters are located on the east side of the elevators. (The meter will request you to input your car's license plate number. If there are no parking places, please use the valet service for no additional charge. Valet service is available from 9 am to 6 pm.  Information about parking can be found at http://admin.lmu.edu/parking/visitingcampus/ )  Take the elevator up to the ground (G) level. When you exit the elevator, immediately turn right (do not go straight ahead) into a silver door marked “1762-1859.” Turn right and right again to walk down the corridor. Room 1878 is near the end of the long corridor.

The Alcohol and Drug Counseling professional certificate program is designed to provide a quality education to individuals wishing to become certified by the State of California as an Acohol and Other Drug (AOD) Counselor. This program is approved by the California Foundation for the Advancement of Addiction Professionals (CFAAP), the California Association of Alcoholism and Drug Abuse Counselors (CAADAC) and its certification board, the California Certification Board for Alcohol and Drug Counselors (CCBADC).  Those who successfully complete the certificate program will fulfill the requirements to submit a portfolio to take the IC&RC Examination facilitated by the CCBADC. Once our students become alcohol and drug counselors, they are on the front line at recovery centers, turning around lives and saving families. The work they do transforms lives and builds careers.

What are the admission requirements?

To be admitted into the certificate program you must submit a completed and signed application and a signed informed consent form.  Admission into the program requires completion of high school degree or GED.   You must have English language reading, writing and speaking proficiency.  If the program applicant has a history of substance abuse, six months of sobriety is expected.  Attendance at an Information Meeting is strongly recommended.  An application may be obtained by sending an email to ACC@lmu.edu.    

What is the tuition? 

Single-course tuition is paid at the time of enrollment into each course. Tuition varies according to the number of hours per course. Based on the Summer 2013 tuition rate, the total for all the currently required CAADAC courses is estimated to be $4,985.00. Tuition rates are subject to change.

New students may reduce their total tuition cost by participating in the optional full payment plan which allows students to reduce the cost of tuition for the currently required CAADAC courses to $4500 if paid in full before enrolling into first of the courses.

What is the Alcohol and Drug Counseling Certificate program at LMU Extension?

An 18-month program (spanning four terms: two Fall semesters, one Spring semester and on Summer semester) designed to provide a quality education to individuals wishing to become certified as an Alcohol and Other Drug (AOD) counselor. The classes provide a total of 325 classroom hours or 32.5 continuing education units.

This program is approved by CFAAP/CAADAC and it is consistent with the requirements for certification by CAADAC's certification organization the CCBADC. It may also meet the requirements for certification by other organizations recognized by the California Department of Alcohol and Drug Programs to certify Alcohol and Drug Counselors. 

Is becoming a Certified Alcohol and Other Drug Counselor for you? 

The answer is YES, if you wish to counsel or provide emotional support to people who are struggling with an alcohol or drug abuse challenge or are in treatment or recovery.  Individuals working in the field find great satisfaction in the work he or she is performing. 

If you are providing counseling in alcohol and other drug recovery and treatment programs, and you are not a state of California licensed mental health practitioner, you are required by law to be registered to obtain certification and to be certified within five years of becoming registered.  (California Code of Regulations (CCR), Title 9, Division 4, Chapter 8)

Is becoming a Certified Alcohol and Other Drug Counselor for you? 

The answer is YES, if you wish to counsel or provide emotional support to people who are struggling with an alcohol or drug abuse challenge or are in treatment or recovery.  Individuals working in the field find great satisfaction in the work he or she is performing. 

If you are providing counseling in alcohol and other drug recovery and treatment programs, and you are not a state of California licensed mental health practitioner, you are required by law to be registered to obtain certification and to be certified within five years of becoming registered.  (California Code of Regulations (CCR), Title 9, Division 4, Chapter 8)

In addition to those who wish to become Certified Alcohol and Drug (AOD) Counselors, people who find the courses of value are:

• Licensed mental health professionals wishing to deepen their skills to establish substance abuse treatment as a specialty - Certification as an AOD Counselor will add to your ability to obtain employment at facilities providing treatment. 
• Staff members of community-based organizations or of government agencies working with individuals in substance abuse intervention, treatment and recovery. 
• Medical physicians, nurses and other health care specialists. 
• Teachers
• Anyone who coaches, counsels or mentors people who may abuse or is in treatment or recovery for abuse of alcohol or another substance.

The types of employment settings include:  

• Substance abuse treatment centers  
• Sober living settings   
• Drug courts  
• Hospitals  
• Mental health agencies   
• Community-based organizations 
• Schools  Government agencies   
• Any social service setting  

When providing service to someone who is either abusing or recovering from abuse of alcohol or other drugs the knowledge learned and the skills developed in the LMU Extension Alcohol and Drug Counseling Certificate courses will benefit you. 

Why is the Alcohol and Drug Counseling Certificate offered by LMU Extension one of the premier training opportunities in California?

We want our students to thrive while in our courses and continue to thrive as Alcohol and Drug Counselors after you receive your certificate. This is true throughout our program.  Our highly respected instructors for our courses want you to be successful. Students completing the program at LMU Extension can hang their LMU certificates with pride.  

In order to thrive, it is important you have the time to learn the course material and to integrate the knowledge into your perceptions and understanding of the world in which you live.  The courses are paced so you can absorb the material while you are holding a job. While attending LMU Extension you will challenge your thinking and expand your knowledge.  Students consistently report how the learning experience at LMU Extension is superior. 

You will gain a firm understanding of the knowledge needed to be an effective Alcohol and Drug Counselor.  But knowledge alone is not enough; to be an outstanding counselor you must develop an understanding of the application of the learned knowledge. The courses at LMU Extension are designed to prepare you to apply what you have learned. During the practicum portion of the course you will deepen your knowledge through direct hands-on experience. In this program you will learn to have the voice reflecting an integrated understanding of what it means to be an Alcohol and Drug Counselor. 

The quality of the education received in the LMU Extension program will serve you well in your employment settings.  Employers seek counselors with the type of training you receive in this program.  Feedback from treatment centers report the LMU Extension students demonstrate a solid knowledge base and exhibit the skills they are seeking. 

The long history of quality training Alcohol and Drug Counselors at LMU Extension is demonstrated in the skills of our alumni.  For example (before the IC&RC exams were computerized) in the last written IC&RC exams our students had a 100% pass rate.  We do not have the statistics for the computerized exams.  The written exams with 100% pass rate for LMU students were for June and December 2009 and the March 2010.  Students taking the computerized exams have reported that the material presented in the LMU Extension courses covered the exam content and prepared them to succeed in the field. 

Summer 2013 Courses:

Enrollment for the courses can be done online by clicking on the summer course name and following the link.  Registration can also be done by using an enrollment form and either emailing, faxing, normal mail or by dropping it off at the LMU Extension office.  Please contact ACC@lmu.edu for an enrollment form.

Required Courses To Obtain LMU Certificate in Alcohol and Drug Counseling:

Classes offered during a specific semester are indicated by an "x" in the column under either Fall, Spring or Summer. 
To complete the program within 18 months, each class designated for the indicated semester must be taken.

Spring semester start example: Under the column designated “Spring Start”, there are three classes shown as “Spring 1” (Introduction to Alcohol and Drug Counseling, Case Management in the Treatment of Addictions, and Professional and Personal Growth). A student starting the program during the spring semester wishing to complete the program within 18 months must take all three classes during the first semester in which the student is enrolled.

Fall semester start example: Under the column designated “Fall Start”. There are four classes shown as “Spring 2” (Case Management in the Treatment of Addictions, Professional and Personal Growth, Basic Counseling, Group Counseling). A student starting the program during the prior fall semester wishing to complete the program within 18 months must take all four classes during the second semester in which the student is enrolled.
Details of courses can be viewed by looking it up in the "courses" section within the LMU Extension section of the website.

The program offered by LMU Extension is approved by CFAAP/CAADAC and it is consistent with the requirements for certification by CAADAC's certification organization the CCBADC.  Changes made in the requirements and/or processes of the CFAAP/CAADAC may result in changes to the program.

General Information

Application for Admission.  Admission into the certificate program requires (1) a completed application, (2) completion of high school degree or GED, and (3) English language composition ability to a level capable of completing homework assignments. Students with a history of alcohol and other drug abuse should have at least 6 months sobriety before starting their first course. 

Required Coursework and Schedule.  Classes meet in the evenings during the Fall, Spring and Summer semesters. Students must complete a total of 32.5 semester hours in coursework and 255 hours of supervised practicum with a letter grade of 'C' or higher in each course to recieve a certificate of completion. Click here for course descriptions and scheduling. Click here to see what classes are currently being offered in the course catalog.

Course and program requirements, schedules and tuition are subject to change; and additional fees may be incurred for books and materials. Please check the Web site or contact LMU Extension for updated information. Click here to review all policies prior to enrollment.