International Credentialing & Reciprocity Consortium (IC&RC)
LASACT is a proud member of IC&RC, which protects the public by establishing standards and facilitating reciprocity for the credentialing of addiction-related professionals. The largest organization of its kind, IC&RC represents more than 40,000 professionals worldwide.
The Addictive Disorder Regulatory Authority (ADRA)
The state agency authorized by law to credential Addiction Professionals in Louisiana. Since ADRA’s major priority is public protection, it works in partnership with LASACT to ensure that applicants for credentialing meet the highest levels of competency.
Submit your forms and payments via online, mail, or fax.
Applicants must meet both educational and work-related requirements as established in the law—LA 803. Once these requirements have been met, applicants must pass an examination provided by the International Certification and Reciprocity Consortium (IC&RC) and administered by LASACT. The credential is granted after the examination is passed and is good for two years. Forty-eight hours of continuing education are required during each two-year period.
The entry levels for all credentials are the Counselor in Training (CIT) for addiction counselors and the Prevention Specialist in Training (PSIT) for prevention professionals. These statuses may be held for a maximum of 72 months while the CIT or PSIT works toward meeting the credentialing requirements. An applicant must have completed 180 hours of substance abuse specific education before applying to be a CIT.
The International Certification and Reciprocity Consortium (IC&RC) is the world leader in addiction-related credentialing.
IC&RC promotes public protection by offering internationally recognized credentials and examinations for prevention, substance use treatment, and recovery professionals.
Professionals that hold eligible certifications or licenses are able to transfer their credentials between jurisdictions that use IC&RC products. The IC&RC provides free Candidate Guides for candidates for testing. Access the guides through the links below.
Please note that the ADC Guide applies to the Louisiana CAC and RAC credentials. The AADC Guide applies to the Louisiana LAC credential.
Practice Exams are available for the following IC&RC examinations:
When the educational and work requirements are met, the CIT/PSIT who wishes to become credentialed as an Addiction Counselor or Prevention Specialist must submit an application to the ADRA) to verify that they have met both
the educational and experiential requirements for credentialing as specified in LA 803.
An application fee is paid with submission of the documents, and a criminal background check is required.The ADRA reviews all applications for approval, emails those who are approved, and attaches the Test Payment Form. This form is submitted to LASACT along with the appropriate testing fee. The testing fees are as follows:
CCS – $200
LAC, CAC, RAC, LPP, CPP, RPP – $285
Acceptable methods of payment are checks, all major credit cards, money orders, and PayPal. A convenience fee of $10 is added to all credit card and PayPal charges.
LASACT will enter the candidate’s information and email address as shown on the Test Payment Form into ISO Quality Testing Company’s database.
Candidates will receive further instructions on how to proceed to schedule the test via their specified email address.The testing company allows tests to be scheduled five (5) days out from whenever one registers, at the convenience of the candidate.
The LASACT Office in Baton Rouge is a testing site, and we invite candidates to test with us. All testing is computer-based, using legally defensible tests provided by the International Certification and Reciprocity Consortium (IC&RC). Results are received immediately upon completion of the test.
There is a 90-day waiting period and a re-test fee after a failed attempt. There is no waiting period when taking a different test. After four failed attempts, remedial action is necessary.
Certification Examining Board (CEB) of LASACT facilitates credentialing and certification issues and functions under authority granted to it by LASACT. CEB carries out its duties independent of the political structure of LASACT. President and President-Elect of LASACT serve on the CEB, but it has a Chairperson and conducts Board meetings independent of LASACT’s Board.
CEB members are elected by the eight Substance Abuse Counselors Organizations (SACO’s) in the state, with one representative from each district. CEB is affiliated with the International Certification and Reciprocity Consortium (IC&RC), which offers reciprocity to over 70 member Boards.
Currently, a major responsibility of the CEB is to handle credential testing for the Addictive Disorders Regulatory Authority (ADRA). CEB’s Responsibilities for LASACT issues currently include the following functions:
*Please note: CEB issues the ADC (Alcohol & Drug Counselor), CCS (Certified Clinical Supervisor), and PS (Prevention Specialist) certifications offered by IC&RC for reciprocity purposes only. The practice credentials are issued by ADRA.
All applications for LASACT certificates are reviewed by the Certification Examining Board (CEB) for approval. Those who pass the LAC (AADC) test within the past five years do not have to re-test to obtain the AADC certificate.
An ADRA credential is not required to test for CCJP or PRSS. The CCJP is a sub specialty of addiction counseling and requires the ADC (& CJ Supplement) exams. If one will do this, we encourage an ADRA credential. PRSS testing fee is $125. All other LASACT testing fees are $285 unless otherwise noted. (Refer to the Test Payment below for details.)
For ADRA and LASACT CEB testing, the candidate must submit their Test Payment form to LASACT. If this testing is for an ADRA credential, candidate MUST also attach a copy of ADRA’s approval email verifying their testing expiration date.
Special Accommodations- Those who need special accommodations for testing are required to submit a medical form issued by LASACT. This form must be submitted 45 days prior to testing date.
Contact Susan Marino at LASACT for testing information.
For testing preparation and resources, please refer to the “Written Exam Preparation” Tab underneath the Credentialing drop down.
Fee Schedule for persons with AADC certification (A small convenience fee will be added for charges made through PayPal or Credit Card). The fees consider you are a LAC or have another practice right (ex: LCSW, LPC, etc.).Testing
(Renewals Only—Testing not Available for this Credential)
Fee Schedule for persons with CCDP certification (A small convenience fee will be added for charges made through PayPal or Credit Card).
AADC – ADVANCED ALCOHOL & DRUG CREDENTIAL
CCDP – CERTIFIED CO-OCCURRING DISORDER PROFESSIONAL
CCDP-D - CERTIFIED CO-OCCURRING DISORDER PROFESSIONAL - DIPLOMAT
CCJP- CERTIFIED CRIMINAL JUSTICE PROFESSIONAL
PRSS- PEER RECOVERY SUPPORT SPECIALIST CREDENTIAL
The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) Substance Abuse Professional (SAP) Guidelines cover over 7 million transportation safety-sensitive positions such as airline pilots, school bus drivers, shipping boat captains, and tractor-trailer drivers, to name just a few. The regulations require that any safety-sensitive individual who refuses a drug test, tests positive for drugs, or has a breath alcohol concentration of 0.04 or greater must be immediately removed from duty and referred to a SAP.
Click here to learn more about SAPThe definition of a Substance Abuse Professional (SAP) is as follows: an SAP is a licensed physician (Medical Doctor or Doctor of Osteopathy); or a licensed or certified psychologist, social worker, or employee assistance professional; or an addiction counselor credentialed by one of the following organizations:
Currently, all LAC’s, CAC’s, and RAC’s who are members of LASACT meet the definition of SAP because of LASACT’s membership in the International Certification & Reciprocity Consortium (IC&RC).
All SAP’s must be knowledgeable and remain current with the DOT Substance Abuse Professional Guidelines. A counselor who wishes to become an SAP must complete an SAP training course and satisfactorily complete an examination. Every three years, all SAP’s must complete a refresher course to be able to continue to act as a Substance Abuse Professional.
The SAP exam must be administered by a nationally recognized professional or training organization whose examination must be validated by a test evaluation organization. The examination must comprehensively cover all the elements of qualification training.
LASACT has access to the IC&RC exam that meets these requirements. The SAP exam, which LASACT administers, will be given at times and locations agreed upon with the applicant. This exam can be taken only by paper and pencil at this time.
LASACT is offering this exam to all LAC’s, CAC’s, RAC’s, and other qualified professionals in Louisiana who are interested in pursuing DOT work. Anyone who wishes to qualify to be an SAP must hold an LAC, CAC, or RAC credential from the Addictive Disorder Regulatory Authority (ADRA) and must be a LASACT member. A membership application form can be downloaded from this website. Membership in LASACT is required for the entire period that an LAC, CAC, or RAC holds a valid SAP certificate.
Other types of professionals, i.e. LCSW’s, LPC’s, LMFT’s, etc., who wish to become an SAP must verify that they meet the DOT’s qualifications for this designation before applying to LASACT for testing.
Upon receipt of notification of SAP test score, LASACT notifies the applicant, provides a certificate showing that the applicant is qualified to do SAP work, and lists the applicant on this web page. Those who do not pass the SAP test may schedule to re-take it.
SAP training is offered on an ongoing basis. According to DOT, no counselor can be considered a SAP until completing the required training and taking the exam. SAP tests can be taken at the IC&RC quarterly testing period (March, June, September, and December) or in the LASACT office with a two-week advance notification to give time to receive the test from IC&RC.
Re-testing is not required. After taking a renewal course, send a copy of the certificate of course completion to LASACT for your records here. If we do not receive this certificate, we will remove your name from our website. Keep a copy of the certificate for the renewal course in your records so that it will be available in the event of an audit.
It is the responsibility of the individual SAP to keep track of renewal dates. Since the SAP is not a LASACT certification, we do not send out renewal reminders.
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P.O. Box 80235
Baton Rouge, LA 70898-0235
