1. A. Unless exempt pursuant to Section 3 of this act, on and after January 1, 2005, any person wishing to practice alcohol and drug counseling in this state shall obtain a certificate or license to practice pursuant to the provisions of the Licensed Alcohol and Drug Counselors Act.
2. B. An application for a certificate or license to practice as a certified or licensed alcohol and drug counselor shall be made to the Oklahoma Board of Licensed Alcohol and Drug Counselors in writing. Such application shall be on a form and in a manner prescribed by the Board. The application shall be accompanied by the fee required by this act, which shall be retained by the Board and not returned to the applicant.

3. C. Each applicant for a certificate or license to practice as a certified or licensed alcohol and drug counselor shall:

   1. 1. Be possessed of good moral character;
   2. 2. Pass an oral and a written examination based on standards established by the International Counselor and Reciprocity Consortium;
   3. 3. Be at least twenty-one (21) years of age;
   4. 4. Not have engaged in, nor be engaged in, any practice or conduct which would be grounds for denying, revoking or suspending a license pursuant to the provisions of this act; and
   5. 5. Otherwise comply with the rules promulgated by the Board pursuant to the provisions of this act.

4. D. Except as otherwise provided by subsections E and G of this section, on and after January 1, 2005, in addition to the qualifications specified by the provisions of subsection C of this section, an applicant for a license to practice as a licensed alcohol and drug counselor shall have:

   1. 1. At a minimum, a master’s degree in a behavioral science field that is recognized by the Oklahoma Board of Licensed Alcohol and Drug Counselors as appropriate to practice as a licensed alcohol and drug counselor;
   2. 2. Successfully completed at least one (1) year of full-time supervised work experience. For the purpose of this act, "one (1) year of full-time work experience" shall be defined as two thousand (2,000) hours of work experience, of which at least one thousand (1,000) hours shall consist of providing alcohol and drug counseling services to an individual and/or the individual’s family;
   3. 3. Successfully completed at least one hundred eighty (180) clock hours of education related to alcohol and drug counseling subjects, theory, practice or research; and
   4. 4. Successfully completed at least three hundred (300) hours of supervised practicum experience in the field of drug and alcohol counseling.

5. E. Effective January 1, 2010, an applicant for a license to practice as a licensed alcohol and drug counselor shall have:

   1. 1. At least a master’s degree in alcohol and substance abuse counseling from a college or university accredited by an agency recognized by the United States Department of Education; or

   2. 2.

      1. a. Possess at least a master’s degree in a behavioral science or counseling-related field from a college or university accredited by an agency recognized by the United States Department of Education which is the content-equivalent of a graduate degree in alcohol and substance abuse counseling. In order to qualify as a "content-equivalent" degree, a graduate transcript shall reflect, at a minimum, the following knowledge areas and graduate hours:

         1. (1) three courses in foundational knowledge, including one course in alcohol and drug addiction, one course in drug and alcohol counseling theory, and one course in the pharmacology of drugs of abuse,
         2. (2) three courses in assessment and treatment of alcohol and drug problems, which may include group dynamics, individual and family counseling skills, specific counseling approaches, assessment methods, community resources and referral, or other courses primarily related to the assessment and treatment of alcohol and drug problems,
         3. (3) one course in human development,
         4. (4) one course in psychopathology,
         5. (5) one course in multicultural and cultural competency issues,
         6. (6) one course in family systems theory,
         7. (7) one course in ethics, which includes established ethical conduct for alcohol and drug counselors,
         8. (8) one course in research methods, and
         9. (9) one three-hour practicum/internship in the field of drug and alcohol counseling of at least three hundred (300) clock hours.
      2. b. All courses shall be graduate level courses and shall be three (3) semester hours or four (4) quarter credit hours which shall include a minimum of forty-five (45) class hours for each course.

6. F. Effective January 1, 2005, except as provided in subsection G of this section, each applicant for a certificate to practice as a certified alcohol and drug counselor shall have:

   1. 1. At a minimum, a bachelor’s degree in a behavioral science field that is recognized by the Oklahoma Board of Licensed Alcohol and Drug Counselors as appropriate to practice as a certified drug and alcohol counselor in this state;
   2. 2. Successfully completed at least two (2) years of full-time supervised work experience. For the purpose of this act, "two years of full-time work experience" shall be defined as four thousand (4,000) hours of work experience of which at least two thousand (2,000) hours shall consist of providing alcohol and drug counseling services to an individual and/or the individual’s family;
   3. 3. Successfully completed at least two hundred seventy (270) clock hours of education related to alcohol and drug counseling subjects, theory, practice or research;
   4. 4. Successfully completed, as part of or in addition to the education requirements established in paragraph 3 of this subsection, a minimum of forty-five (45) clock hours of specialized training approved by the Board in identifying co-occurring disorders and making appropriate referrals for treatment of co-occurring disorders; and
   5. 5. Successfully completed at least three hundred (300) hours of supervised practicum experience in the field of drug and alcohol counseling.

7. G.

   1. 1. Subject to application to the Board, prior to January 1, 2005, any person practicing in the State of Oklahoma at the time of application and holding a certificate in alcohol and drug counseling from any state or nationally recognized certifying body or agency recognized by the Board and issued on or before December 31, 2004, shall be granted a certificate under this act.
   2. 2. Subject to application to the Board, prior to January 1, 2005, any person practicing in the State of Oklahoma at the time of application and holding a certificate in alcohol and drug counseling from any state or nationally recognized certifying body or agency recognized by the Board and issued on or before December 31, 2004, and a master’s degree, as provided in paragraph 1 of subsection D of this section, shall be granted a license under this act.

Laws 2004, HB 2464, c. 313, § 7, emerg. eff. May 19, 2004.