1. A. Scope of Practice. The scope of practice for a certified supervised counselor-alcohol and drug consists of the following activities, performed in accordance with §B of this regulation:

   1. (1) Participating in the development of diagnostic impressions for SUDs and CODs, as:

      1. (a) Confirmed by an approved alcohol and drug counselor supervisor; and
      2. (b) Documented by signature and credentials;
   2. (2) Biopsychosocial evaluation, as permitted by the Board-approved supervisor;
   3. (3) Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT);

   4. (4) Treatment planning for SUDs and CODs, including initial, ongoing, continuity of care, discharge, and planning for relapse prevention, as confirmed by:

      1. (a) An approved alcohol and drug counselor supervisor; and
      2. (b) Documentation by signature and credentials;
   5. (5) Referral;
   6. (6) Participating in service coordination, case coordination, and case management for SUDs and CODs;
   7. (7) Counseling of individuals and groups for SUDs;
   8. (8) Client, family, and community education for SUDs;
   9. (9) Documentation; and
   10. (10) Complying with the professional and ethical responsibilities set forth in COMAR 10.58.03.

2. B. A certified supervised counselor-alcohol and drug:

   1. (1) Shall practice under the close supervision of an approved alcohol and drug counselor supervisor;
   2. (2) Shall provide alcohol and drug counseling as an employee of an agency or facility that is certified or licensed by the State; and

   3. (3) May not:

      1. (a) Provide supervision; or
      2. (b) Practice independently.

3. C. To qualify for certification as a supervised counselor-alcohol and drug, an applicant shall have:

   1. (1) At a minimum:

      1. (a) An associate’s degree from an accredited educational institution in a health and human services counseling field; or
      2. (b) An associate’s degree and have completed a program of studies determined by the Board to be substantially equivalent in subject matter with a minimum of 30 credit hours in counseling, including the required alcohol and drug course work for the level of certification sought, as specified in §C of this regulation;

   2. (2) Completed a minimum of 24 semester credit hours or 37 quarter credit hours in alcohol and drug counselor training from an accredited educational institution including:

      1. (a) 3 semester credit hours or 5 quarter credit hours of course work in each of the following course content areas:

         1. (i) Pharmacology;
         2. (ii) Addictions treatment delivery; and
         3. (iii) Ethics that includes alcohol and drug counseling issues; and

      2. (b) Any three of the following 3 semester credit hours or 5 quarter credit hours of course work in each of the following course content areas:

         1. (i) Human development;
         2. (ii) Theories of counseling;
         3. (iii) Treatment of co-occurring disorders;
         4. (iv) Family counseling;
         5. (v) Individual counseling;
         6. (vi) Group counseling;
         7. (vii) Abnormal psychology; and
         8. (viii) Topics in substance-related and addictive disorders;

   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 an alcohol and drug trainee under and verified by an approved alcohol and drug counselor supervisor;

   4. (4) Achieved a passing score on:

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

      2. (b) An examination of:

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

   6. (6) 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.

4. D. Certified supervised counselors-alcohol and drug shall have available for inspection a professional disclosure statement, as described in Health Occupations Article, §17-507, Annotated Code of Maryland, that:

   1. (1) Clearly states that the counseling services are provided under supervision; and
   2. (2) Provides the name, title, and credentials of the supervisor of record, including the supervisor’s address and contact information.

5. E. Reexamination. An applicant who fails an examination for certification:

   1. (1) May retake the exam if:

      1. (a) It is within the time frame set by the applicable testing authority; or
      2. (b) A waiver is approved by the Board to extend the testing deadline upon proof of exceptional circumstances; or

   2. (2) Shall be required to:

      1. (a) Submit a new application; and
      2. (b) Pay the nonrefundable fee set forth in COMAR 10.58.02.
6. F. The Board shall act upon applications as set forth under Regulation .03B of this chapter.
7. G. Renewal. The Board may renew the certificate of a certified supervised counselor-alcohol and drug as set forth under Regulation .07G in this chapter.
8. H. Reinstatement. The Board may reinstate the certificate of a certified supervised counselor-alcohol and drug as set forth under Regulation .07H in this chapter.
9. I. Inactive Status. A certified supervised counselor-alcohol and drug may request inactive status as set forth under Regulation .07I 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)