Wyo. Code R. 078-0001-3
Effective Date: 09/29/2010 to 06/03/2015
Rule Type: Superceded Rules & Regulations
Reference Number: 078.0001.3.09292010
Section 1. The Practice of a Certified Addictions Practitioner. The practice of a Certified Addictions Practitioner consists of addictions treatment, prevention, intervention, diagnosis, referral, and follow-up under the supervision of a designated qualified clinical supervisor licensed in the state of Wyoming.
Section 2. General Requirements for Certification. Applicants shall have six (6) months from the date of employment to become certified. This grace period applies only to individuals who have submitted an application to the Board. Providing the services regulated by this Act prior to submitting an application to the Board may result in the denial of the application. The Board may, for good cause shown, grant an extension of this grace period. It is the sole responsibility of the applicant to ensure that the Board receives all documentation necessary to prove to the Board's satisfaction that the applicant meets all the requirements for certification herein. The applicant shall provide satisfactory evidence to the Board that they:
Section 3. Education Requirement for Certification. The educational requirement for certification as an addictions practitioner may be met by holding a current National Certified Addictions Counselor Level II (NCAC II) certification in good standing.
(a) Other applicants may meet the educational criteria by the completion of a baccalaureate degree program in a mental health discipline with concentration in addictionology, chemical dependency, or substance abuse from an educational institution accredited by one of the regional or national institutional accrediting bodies recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA), with the listed twenty-one (21) semester hours of course work (either graduate or undergraduate) completed in each of the core areas defined herein:
(i) Course work shall be completed in each of the following four (4) subject areas for a minimum of eleven (11) combined semester hours:
(A) Counseling Theories- Three (3) Semester Credits. Theories and principles of counseling and psychotherapy.
(B) Counseling Skills- Three (3) Semester Credits. Methods and techniques of individual and group counseling.
(C) Practicum in Addictions/Chemical Dependency Counseling- Three (3) Semester Credits.
(D) Counseling Ethics- Two (2) Semester Credits.
(ii) Course work shall be completed in any combination of the following five (5) subject areas for a minimum of ten (10) combined semester hours. This shall include education in Addictions Assessment.
(A) Alcoholism: To include biochemical, socio-cultural, and psychological factors.
(B) Drugs and Behavior: A survey of drugs with abuse potential in addition to alcohol that affect behavior including psychopharmacological information.
(C) Addictions and Special Populations: (i.e., adolescents, women, ethnic groups, elderly, adult children of alcoholics, the impaired family, impaired professional, athletes, criminals, etc.).
(D) Addictive Behaviors: Gambling, eating disorders, sexual addictions, cults, compulsive behaviors of non-ingestive nature, etc.
(E) Addictions Assessment: Appraisal, assessment, testing, diagnosis/dual diagnosis. This category may also be satisfied by completing specialty training.
(iii) Six (6) contact hours of specialty training shall be completed in communicable diseases. This category may be satisfied by completing college course work or workshops.
(b) The official transcripts, course prefixes, and course descriptions clearly identify the course work as preparing persons to be addictions practitioners.
(c) Course work shall be completed in a baccalaureate program or subsequent college level course work.
(d) Instructors shall be experts in the discipline and of at least master's degree level in education.
Section 4. Supervision Requirement for Certification. Clinical practice shall not be permitted, until documentation of a designated qualified clinical supervisor has been provided to, and approved by, the Board and only under the clinical supervision of an approved designated qualified clinical supervisor.
(a) Certified Addictions Practitioners may only provide services under the administrative supervision by their employer.
(b) Individual and/or triadic face-to-face clinical supervision by a designated qualified clinical supervisor shall be provided monthly at a ratio of at least one (1) hour for every twenty (20) hours of direct clinical provision of services defined in this act. Group supervision is acceptable for additional hours of clinical supervision.
(c) In the event of a change of the designated qualified clinical supervisor, the Certified Addictions Practitioner shall notify the Board within ten (10) days in writing. The Certified Addictions Practitioner shall not provide services until documentation of a designated qualified clinical supervisor has been provided to, and approved by, the Board. A revised disclosure statement shall accompany any change in supervision.
Section 5. Designated Qualified Clinical Supervisor. The designated qualified clinical supervisor assumes professional and ethical responsibility and may be sanctioned by the Board for all acts and omissions of the Certified Addictions Practitioner within the scope of the supervision.
(a) The designated qualified clinical supervisor shall allow the Certified Addictions Practitioner to perform independently only those functions for which the Certified Addictions Practitioner has training and experience.
(b) The designated qualified clinical supervisor shall be identified on all reports and correspondence of a professional nature, excluding disciplinary correspondence with the Board.
Section 6. Professional Recommendation Requirement for Certification. Applicants shall demonstrate their integrity, professionalism and character in addictions therapy through three (3) professional recommendations which attest to the applicants' abilities and professional performance.
(a) Examinations shall be scheduled by the examination provider.
(b) Applicants are allowed three (3) attempts to pass the exam. The Board may allow an applicant to make one (1) more attempt to pass the examination upon approval of a remediation plan submitted by the applicant.
(c) The Board shall accept the passing score as established by the examination provider approved by the Board.
(d) The Board shall accept a passing score on the following examinations:
(i) The Association for Addictions Professionals (NAADAC), NCAC Level II exam.
(ii) International Certification and Reciprocity Consortium (IC&RC) Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse Counselor (AODA) exam.
(iii) Other examinations as may be approved by the Board.
Section 8. Certification by Reciprocity. An individual holding a certification in good standing to engage in the practice of addictions therapy under the laws of another state having certification requirements substantially similar to those required by the Act and these rules may, upon approval of the board, be issued a certification as an Addictions Practitioner in this state.
(a) The term “Certified Addictions Practitioner” shall be used only after the applicant is granted certification by the Board, and only in conjunction with activities and services that are part of the supervised employment.
(b) In the required professional disclosure statement, the Certified Addictions Practitioner shall also provide full disclosure to every client of the supervised nature of their work, which shall include the name, address and telephone number of their designated qualified clinical supervisor.
(c) The supervisory relationship shall be indicated, and the designated qualified clinical supervisor’s name, address and telephone number shall appear on all documents relating to advertisement by the Certified Addictions Practitioner.
(d) The Certified Addictions Practitioner shall adhere to the Association for Addictions Professionals (NAADAC) “Code of Ethics” incorporated as Appendix A.