1. A. Scope of Practice. The scope of practice of a licensed clinical alcohol and drug counselor includes the following activities:

   1. (1) Clinical evaluation, including screening, assessment, and diagnosis for mental health disorders;
   2. (2) Treatment planning for mental health and substance use disorders, including initial, ongoing, continuity of care, discharge, and planning for relapse prevention;
   3. (3) Referral;
   4. (4) Service coordination and case management;
   5. (5) Counseling, therapy, and trauma-informed care with individuals, couples, families, and groups;
   6. (6) Client, family, and community education;
   7. (7) Documentation;
   8. (8) Professional and ethical responsibilities; and
   9. (9) Supervisory responsibilities for all categories of licensed and certified alcohol and drug counselors or trainees.

2. B. Licensure. To qualify for licensure as a clinical alcohol and drug counselor, the applicant shall have:

   1. (1) Completed one of the following from an accredited educational institution:

      1. (a) A master’s degree in a health and human services counseling field with:

         1. (i) A minimum of 60 graduate semester credit hours; or
         2. (ii) 90 quarter credit hours;

      2. (b) A doctoral degree in a health and human services counseling field with:

         1. (i) A minimum of 90 graduate semester credit hours; or
         2. (ii) 135 graduate quarter credit hours; or
      3. (c) A master’s degree and have completed a program of studies determined by the Board to be substantially equivalent in subject matter with a minimum of 60 credit hours in counseling, including the required alcohol and drug course work for the license, as specified in §B(2) and (4) of this regulation;

   2. (2) Completed a minimum of 39 semester credit hours or 65 quarter credit hours in alcohol and drug counselor training from an accredited educational institution with at least 3 semester credit hours or 5 quarter credit hours of course work in each of the following course content areas:

      1. (a) Pharmacology;
      2. (b) Group counseling;
      3. (c) Individual counseling;
      4. (d) Addictions treatment delivery;
      5. (e) Ethics that include alcohol and drug counseling issues;
      6. (f) Human development;
      7. (g) Abnormal psychology;
      8. (h) Theories of counseling;
      9. (i) Treatment of co-occurring disorders;
      10. (j) Topics in substance-related and addictive disorders; and
      11. (k) Family counseling;

   3. (3) Completed one of the following:

      1. (a) An internship in alcohol and drug counseling that totals 6 semester credit hours or 10 quarter credit hours; or
      2. (b) A minimum of 1,000 hours of alcohol and drug counseling work completed as a licensed graduate alcohol and drug counselor, a certified associate counselor-alcohol and drug, a certified supervised counselor-alcohol and drug, or an alcohol and drug trainee under and verified by an approved alcohol and drug counselor supervisor;

   4. (4) Completed a minimum of 3 graduate semester credit hours or 5 quarter credit hours in each of the following content areas:

      1. (a) Diagnosis and psychopathology; and
      2. (b) Psychotherapy and treatment of mental and emotional disorders;

   5. (5) Completed a minimum of 2 years and 2,000 hours of supervised clinical experience in alcohol and drug counseling:

      1. (a) Obtained after the awarding of a master’s or doctoral degree;
      2. (b) As a supervisee, as defined under Regulation .02B of this chapter, under an approved alcohol and drug counselor supervisor; and

      3. (c) Of which a minimum of 1,500 hours shall be direct clinical counseling services, including 100 hours of clinical supervision, of which:

         1. (i) A minimum of 50 hours shall be individual face-to-face clinical supervision; and
         2. (ii) A maximum of 50 hours may be face-to-face group clinical supervision;

   6. (6) Achieved a passing score on:

      1. (a) A national alcohol and drug counselor examination approved by the Board; and

      2. (b) An examination of:

         1. (i) Health Occupations Article, Title 17, Annotated Code of Maryland; and
         2. (ii) COMAR 10.58;
   7. (7) Met all of the requirements set forth under Regulation .03 of this chapter; and

   8. (8) Complied with:

      1. (a) Health Occupations Article, Title 17, Annotated Code of Maryland; and
      2. (b) The code of ethics as set forth in COMAR 10.58.03.

3. C. Renewal.

   1. (1) To renew clinical alcohol and drug counselor licensure, the applicant, before the current license expiration, shall:

      1. (a) Complete a Board-approved renewal application;
      2. (b) Pay all applicable fees set forth in COMAR 10.58.02; and
      3. (c) Attest to completion of continuing education activities as specified in COMAR 10.58.05.05 and .06.
   2. (2) A licensed clinical alcohol and drug counselor shall comply with the renewal requirements as provided in Health Occupations Article, §17–504, Annotated Code of Maryland.
   3. (3) An individual who fails to renew licensure is not authorized to and may not practice clinical alcohol and drug counseling.
4. D. Reinstatement. The Board may reinstate the license of a licensed clinical alcohol and drug counselor as set forth under Regulation .04H of this chapter.
5. E. Inactive Status. A licensed clinical alcohol and drug counselor may request inactive status as set forth under Regulation .04I of this chapter.

Authority: Health Occupations Article, §§17-101, 17-102, 17-205, 17-301, 17-302, 17-305, 17-308, 17-309, 17-401(b), 17-403—17-407, and 17-501—17-509, Annotated Code of Maryland

Effective date:

Regulations .01—.06 adopted as an emergency provision effective October 1, 2001 (28:22 Md. R. 1932); adopted permanently effective January 21, 2002 (29:1 Md. R. 23)

Regulation .02B amended as an emergency provision effective October 1, 2002 (29:25 Md. R. 1979); amended permanently effective March 3, 2003 (30:4 Md. R. 317)

Regulation .02B amended effective November 23, 2006 (33:23 Md. R. 1796)

Regulations .07 and .08 adopted as an emergency provision effective October 1, 2001 (28:22 Md. R. 1932); amended as an emergency provision effective March 30, 2002 (29:7 Md. R. 617); adopted permanently effective June 24, 2002 (29:12 Md. R. 929)

Regulation .07 amended as an emergency provision effective August 15, 2002 (29:18 Md. R. 1439); amended permanently effective November 25, 2002 (29:23 Md. R. 1811)

Regulations .09—.12 adopted as an emergency provision effective October 1, 2001 (28:22 Md. R. 1932); adopted permanently effective January 21, 2002 (29:1 Md. R. 23)

Regulation .12 amended effective November 23, 2006 (33:23 Md. R. 1796)

Regulation .13 adopted as an emergency provision effective October 1, 2002 (29:25 Md. R. 1979); adopted permanently effective March 3, 2003 (30:4 Md. R. 317)

Regulation .14 adopted effective May 17, 2010 (37:10 Md. R. 723)

Regulation .15 adopted effective May 17, 2010 (37:10 Md. R. 723)

Regulation .16 adopted effective May 17, 2010 (37:10 Md. R. 723)

Regulation .17 adopted effective May 17, 2010 (37:10 Md. R. 723)

Chapter revised effective July 22, 2013 (40:14 Md. R. 1176)

Regulation .03A, D amended effective November 9, 2015 (42:22 Md. R. 1379)

Regulation .04 amended effective November 9, 2015 (42:22 Md. R. 1379)

Regulation .05 amended effective November 9, 2015 (42:22 Md. R. 1379)

Regulation .06 amended effective November 9, 2015 (42:22 Md. R. 1379)

Regulation .07 amended effective November 9, 2015 (42:22 Md. R. 1379)

Chapter revised effective December 31, 2018 (45:26 Md. R. 1247)

Chapter revised effective June 28, 2021 (48:13 Md. R. 508)