Board of Alcohol and Drug Abuse Counselors

Applying for Licensure

When completing the application process below, you will be required to submit an official transcript from the institution where you completed your education. The transcript must be mailed directly from the educational institution to the board office located at 665 Mainstream Drive, Nashville, TN 37243 or emailed directly to our office at Unit1HRB.Health@tn.gov.

Effective immediately, anyone coming in person to complete their application, speak to an administrator, or paying a fee will be required to have an appointment. This will ensure excellent customer service. To schedule an appointment please email Unit1HRB.Health@tn.gov. An administrator will contact you with a date and time. 

Applying for initial licensure from your professional licensing board has become a bit easier. The Department of Health has been working on an online application process that will allow all health care professionals to apply online for an initial license and complete (and update as necessary) a practitioner profile mandatory for certain professions. The process is user friendly and convenient and even allows you to pay for your initial application utilizing a credit card, debit card or e-check. You will also be able to upload many of the documents required to complete your initial application!  Please go to the initial application link below to begin the online process.

For mailing documents please sent to: Board of Alcohol and Drug Abuse Counselors; 665 Mainstream Dr.; Nashville TN 37243.

• Alcohol and Drug Abuse Counselor Online Application    (Paper Application: PH 3554)
• Declaration of Citizenship    (PH-4183)
• Out of State Verification Form
• Declaration of Eligibility for Expedited Licensure Process for a Military Member (PH-4279)
• Declaration of Eligibility for Expedited Licensure Process for a Spouse of Military Member (PH-4280)
• Supervisor Evaluation Form
• Request to Become QCS
• Verification of 270 Hours of Training Worksheet
• Professional Reference Form
• Jurisprudence Exam
• Reinstatement Application   (PH-4049)
• Name and Address Change Request   (PH-3619)
• Mandatory Practitioner Profile Questionnaire for Licensed Health Care Providers   (PH-3585)
• Affidavit of Retirement From Practice in Tennessee   (PH-3460)
• Alcohol and Drug Abuse Counselors Educational Event Endorsement  Request Form
• Criminal Background Check Instructions

Meetings, Members, & Minutes

Meeting Schedule

Public Notices will remain online until the minutes are ratified and posted on the Meeting Minutes page.

Unless otherwise noted, all events take place at 665 Mainstream Drive, MetroCenter.

Members

Meeting Minutes

Copies of all minutes are maintained in the official record section of the administrative office. Please contact the board administrator to make arrangements to review minutes of meetings held prior to 2004.

Continuing Education

Failure to comply with continuing education requirements may result in disciplinary action against the licensee or registrant. The disciplinary action will be reported on the Department of Health license verification web site. 

Requirements

Licensed Alcohol and Drug Abuse Counselors are required to fulfill fifteen (15) contact hours of continuing education each calendar year (January 1 to December 31).  Nine (9) hours must be face to face and six (6) hours may be multi-media with at least three (3) of the fifteen (15) hours relating to ethics.

Acceptable contact hours shall consist of master or doctoral level course work, or undergraduate credits, from a nationally or regionally accredited institution of higher education related to the practice of alcohol and drug abuse counseling professionals; attendance at educational events sponsored by national, state, regional, or local professional associations in the field; national or regional events related to the practice of the profession for which a nationally or regionally accredited institution of higher education grants continuing education units, Tennessee Department of Health sponsored training, and regional training or events approved by the Board.

According to the Tennessee Board of Alcohol and Drug Abuse Counselors, Rule 1200-30-1-.12, acceptable continuing education is not:

Regular work activities, administrative staff meetings, case staffing/reporting, etc.
Membership in, holding office in, or participation on boards or committees, business meetings of professional organizations, or banquet speeches.
Independent, unstructured or self-structured learning.
Training specifically related to policies and procedures of an agency.

Providers of continuing education programs may obtain approval through the Board. Applications can be obtained through the administrative office by calling the local number (615) 741-5735 or toll free 1-800-778-4123 or by writing to:

Board of Alcohol and Drug Abuse Counselors
665 Mainstream Drive, 2nd Floor
Nashville, TN 37243

The A & D Board conducts a random audit for verification of continuing education compliance. BEING AUDITED DURING A PARTICULAR YEAR DOES NOT PREVENT YOU FROM BEING AUDITED THE FOLLOWING YEAR.

Proof of continuing education cannot be in the form of a personal summary. When requested, we always need a copy of the certificate you were awarded showing the topic, hours awarded, instructor’s name and credentials, date, the name of the person that approved the continuing education, the time the continuing education started, and the time the continuing education ended.

Requests for waivers of continuing education should comply with the Rules and Regulations of the Tennessee Board of Alcohol and Drug Abuse Counselors (refer to Rule 1200-30-1-.12(7)). A request for waiver must be in writing and addressed to the Board’s Administrative Office. As the rule states, the Board will consider only waiver requests based on conditions that were beyond the physical capabilities for that individual, e.g., disability, residence abroad, military service or other good cause. The Board requests that you have doctor’s statements sent directly to the Board’s office stating the conditions and that it is the opinion of the doctor(s) that you should be allowed a continuing education waiver based on those conditions.

Whenever you have a question regarding continuing education, refer to Rule 1200-30-1-.12, Continuing Education or call the Board’s Administrative Office and speak to the administrator of the Board.

CE Broker

Educational Programs

Prior to submitting an application for licensure, Level 1 A & D Counselors must have completed 6,000. clinically-supervised, counseling experience contact hours and 270 hours of formal classroom training.

Supervised hours can be obtained by working in an alcohol and drug treatment or rehab facility under the supervision of a licensed A & D counselor who holds a Certificate of Qualified Supervision (CQS) issued by the Tennessee Board of Alcohol and Drug Abuse Counselors. 

The 270 hours can be obtained by attending formal workshops furnished by employers, A & D training classes, or by attending a community college or any other Board approved school providing A & D related subjects that fulfill the requirement of the eight (8) domains.  A Level 1 A&D counselor may not have a private and must practice in a facility or institution under supervision.

Prior to submitting an application for licensure as a Level 2 counselor, an applicant must have a bachelor's degree in a behavioral health related field or higher  level degree in a non-behavioral health related field from an accredited institution of higher learning.

An applicant must submit an official transcript, have completed two (2) years of full-time or 4000 hours of experience while providing alcohol and drug abuse counseling services under the direct supervision of a Qualified Clinical Supervisor who meets the requirements of the rules of the Board  and  have alcohol and drug abuse counseling education and training within the eight domains, as listed in TCA § 68-24-606.

Or, hold a master's or higher level degree in a behavioral health related field from an accredited institution of higher learning, and have submitted an official transcript, and completed one (1) year of full time experience or 2000 hours of experience while providing alcohol and drug abuse counseling services under the direct supervision of a Qualified Clinical Supervisor who meets the requirements of the rules  of the Board and have  alcohol and drug abuse counseling education and training within the eight domains, as listed in TCA § 68-24-606. 

Level 2 Alcohol and Drug Abuse Counselors may practice independently.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What are the hours of operation for the board administrators?

8am-4:30 pm central standard time.

2. How should I contact the board administrators?

The administrators can be reached at 615-741-5735 or by email Unit1HRB.Health@tn.gov.

3. What do I do if I’ve forgotten my user id and/or password?

If you have previously created an account in this licensure system, but cannot recall your Username and/or password, please click the appropriate Forgot Password or Forgot User ID link to recover your account credentials.

If you have forgotten or do know the email address used to create your account, you can contact the board administrators at 615-741-5735 local or 800-778-4123 nationwide, or email Unit1HRB.Health@tn.gov to update or retrieve your email address.

4. If I am from another state, can I treat clients in Tennessee?

A provider must be licensed in the state of Tennessee to provide treatment to a client in Tennessee or operated in a free clinic environment.

5. If I am from another state, can I provide Telehealth services to a client in Tennessee.

Unless in a free clinic environment, the provider must be licensed in Tennessee, and the client must be in Tennessee.

6. Do my college course hours count toward the 270 hours?

Yes

7. Can a Level 1 LADAC work independently?

No

8. What are the qualifications to become a QCS?

Must be licensed for 5 years.

9. Do I have to register for the Jurisprudence Exam and where can I find the study material for the exam?

Click here for Rules and Regulations pertaining to the Board of Alcohol and Drug Abuse Counselors.

Policies, Rules, & Statutes

Policies

• ICRC Grandfathering Policy
• Criminal Background Checks
• Lapsed License Policy
• Failure to Obtain Continuing Education
• Renewal for Licensees Called to Active Military Duty
• Policy Statement, June 1998

Rules

Click here for Rules and Regulations pertaining to the Board of Alcohol and Drug Abuse Counselors.

Statutes

Statutes are proposed and made law by the Tennessee State General Assembly (Legislature). The Board, following specific notice requirements and hearings, adopts rules. Both have the force of law and may be used in the regulation of a profession. The statutes pertaining to this Board are found at T. C. A. 63-1 (Division of Health Related Boards) and T.C.A. 68-24-601 through 68-24-609 (Alcohol and Drug Treatment).

Click Here to review the Tennessee Code Annotated. (This link will take you to a website that is not maintained by the Tennessee Department of Health).