Section 17-302 - Qualifications - Clinical alcohol and drug counselors. - Maryland Statutes

§ 17-302. Qualifications - Clinical alcohol and drug counselors.
 

(a)  In general.- To qualify for a license to practice clinical alcohol and drug counseling, an applicant shall be an individual who meets the requirements of this section. 

(b)  Good moral character.- The applicant shall be of good moral character. 

(c)  Minimum age.- The applicant shall be at least 18 years old. 

(d)  Educational requirements.-  

(1) Except as provided in § 17-305 of this subtitle, the applicant shall: 

(i) Hold a master's or doctoral degree in a health and human services counseling field from an accredited educational institution that is approved by the Board; or 

(ii) Have completed a program of studies judged by the Board to be substantially equivalent in subject matter and extent of training as required under this section. 

(2) (i) In the case of an applicant holding a doctoral degree, the applicant shall have completed a minimum of 90 graduate credit hours approved by the Board. 

(ii) In the case of an applicant holding only a master's degree, the applicant shall have completed a minimum of 60 graduate credit hours approved by the Board. 

(3) The applicant shall have completed a minimum of 26 credit hours in alcohol and drug counselor training, including: 

(i) Medical aspects of chemical dependency; 

(ii) Group counseling; 

(iii) Individual counseling; 

(iv) Family counseling; 

(v) Assessment and treatment planning; 

(vi) Ethics for alcohol and drug counselors; 

(vii) Human development; 

(viii) Abnormal psychology; and 

(ix) Courses pertaining to counselor core functions of screening, intake, orientation, case management, crisis intervention, education and prevention, referral, consultation, reports and record keeping, and special alcohol and drug dependency topics. 

(e)  Supervised clinical experience.- The applicant shall have completed not less than 3 years with a minimum of 2,000 hours of supervised experience in alcohol and drug counseling approved by the Board, 2 years of which shall have been completed after the award of the master's or doctoral degree or its substantial equivalent. 

(f)  Documentation of graduate work.- The applicant shall provide documentation to the Board evidencing the completion of 60 hours of graduate course work, completed at an accredited college or university approved by the Board that included training in: 

(1) Personality development; 

(2) Diagnosis and treatment of mental and emotional disorders; 

(3) Psychopathology; and 

(4) Psychotherapy in alcohol and drug disorders. 

(g)  Documentation of supervised clinical experience.- The applicant shall provide documentation evidencing the completion of 2 years of postgraduate supervised clinical experience as required by the Board. 

(h)  Examination.- Except as otherwise provided in this title, the applicant shall pass an examination approved by the Board. 
 

[2008, ch. 505, §§ 1, 2.]