Becoming a Substance Abuse Counselor in Illinois
Find Programs for Substance Abuse Counseling Degrees in Illinois
Are you considering becoming a certified addiction counselor and helping people tackle their issues with drug and alcohol? In the state of Illinois, your efforts may improve the field of healthcare and the criminal justice industry.
Substance abuse and criminal activity are closely linked in the United States, which is why more states are turning to treatment and rehabilitation for substance abuse issues. A report from Illinois prisons indicates that 90% of Illinois inmates have untreated substance abuse problems (Illinois Homepage).
As facilities work to expand their services and help prisoners turn their lives around, the demand for substance abuse counselors may grow in Illinois.
Request information from substance abuse counselor training Illinois programs to take the first step.
Substance Abuse Counselor Training in Illinois
Schools offer a variety of Illinois CADC and CRADC certification training programs. With a Bachelor’s degree in substance abuse counseling, you may be able to meet the requirements for the first level of licensure in Illinois.
An accredited counseling degree includes at least 120 credits, most of which come from courses in substance abuse, pharmacology, and counseling techniques. To prepare for the demands of this career, it’s important that you get as much clinical experience as possible prior to graduation.
Bachelor‘s-Level Substance Abuse Counseling Courses
- Introduction to Substance Abuse Treatment and Interventions
- Domestic Abuse and Substance Abuse Disorders
- Adolescent Issues in Substance Use
- Treatment of Addiction and Substance Use Disorders
- Case Management and Crisis Intervention Skills
Master’s in Substance Abuse Counseling—Illinois Requirements
If you already have a Bachelor’s degree, there are many Illinois addictions counseling degree programs that may be opened to you.
Plan on completing an additional two to three years of education to earn a Master’s degree. This type of degree requires at least 30 credits, but quite a few Illinois schools require between 40 and 50 credits.
Similarly, practical experience requirements are more demanding at this level. By the time you graduate, you may have several hundred hours of supervised clinical experience behind you.
Addiction Counselor Illinois Graduate Courses
- Introduction to Addictive Disorders
- Bio-Psycho-Social-Spiritual Aspects of Addictions
- Treatment of Addictive Disorders
- Professional Development and Ethics
- Practicum in Substance Abuse Counseling
Substance Abuse Counselor Careers in Illinois
Upon meeting substance abuse counselor requirements, Illinois students can start preparing for the certification process, which has a practical experience component in addition to its education component.
- To become a CADC, you must earn a Bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution and get 4000 hours of supervised work experience.
- The highest level of certification in Illinois is CAADC. Applicants at this level need a Master’s degree, 2000 hours of supervised work experience, and 2000 hours of experience as a clinical supervisor (Illinois Certification Board, 2016).
Substance abuse counselor careers may take you into community rehabilitation clinics, private clinics, and inpatient facilities. By 2024, job openings for substance abuse counselors may increase 19% in Illinois (O*Net, 2016). The average salary for a substance abuse counselor is $37,270 per year (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2016).
You can also consider becoming a substance abuse social worker. In this profession, the average salary is $52,290 per year (BLS, 2016). A 10% increase in job openings may occur between 2014 and 2024 (O*Net, 2016).
With addiction rates increasing all over Illinois, this is the time to become a certified substance abuse counselor and give people the help they need. As a substance abuse counselor, you can feel confident that your daily work has a direct influence on the lives of your patients, not to mention the overall quality of life in Illinois.
Use the list of counseling programs below to find a training program that fits your needs.
