Addiction Services

The purpose of addiction services is to assist with fees to train those who want to become an alcohol and drug counselor and to provide assistance to organizations who provide outpatient services, inpatient services, and medication assistance therapy. Mia’s World will contract with those who are certified to provide training courses and supervision.

How to become an alcohol and drug counselor: Georgia substance abuse counselors work under third party certification. According to state code, addiction counselors are exempt from professional licensure by the Georgia Composite Board of Professional Counselors, Social Workers & Marriage and Family Therapists if they hold certification through the Alcohol and Drug Abuse Certification Board of Georgia, Georgia Addiction Counselors Association or another similar organization and are limiting their work to activities that are within their scope of practice.

The Georgia Addiction Counselors Association is the state affiliate of the Association of Addiction Professionals (NAADAC). Georgia also has an affiliate of the International Certification and Reciprocity Consortium/ Alcohol and Other Drug (IC&RC/ AOD); it is the Alcohol & Drug Abuse Certification Board of Georgia.

Addiction counselors who are in the process of meeting certification requirements through an acceptable organization may also be exempted, for a limited period, from licensing requirements.

A person who is exempt from requirements for licensure as a professional counselor (or social worker or marriage and family therapist), however, may still seek licensure. Many Georgia professionals hold dual (or multiple) credentials. Licensure as a professional counselor requires education at the master’s level. Substance abuse counseling positions do not necessarily require education at this level — though a number of positions do.

For more information for requirements please visit www.ADACBGA.org and www.GACA.org