Alcohol and Drug Abuse Counselors

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.

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.