24 Del. Admin. Code § 3000-4.0

Current through Register Vol. 28, No. 5, November 1, 2024

Section 3000-4.0 - Licensure for Chemical Dependency Professionals (LCDP)

4.1 Licensure by Certification Requirements

4.1.1 Education. The applicant's master's degree shall be documented by an official transcript submitted directly to the Board by the degree-granting institution.

4.1.2 Experience. Counseling experience shall be defined as the accumulation of 3,200 hours in no less than two years, providing chemical dependency services in a professional clinical setting, including face-to-face interaction with clients and other matters directly related to the treatment of clients. Supervision shall be verified by the "Supervision Reference Form," which shall be submitted directly to the Board by the approved clinical supervisor.

4.1.2.1 At least 1500 of the 1600 hours required to be supervised must be in the actual provision of face to face direct chemical dependency counseling services.

4.1.2.1.1 At least 750 of these 1500 hours must be individual face to face client sessions and must include the actual provision of direct chemical dependency counseling services.

4.1.2.1.2 The remaining 750 hours may be individual, group, couple, family counseling services, or some combination thereof.

4.1.2.1.3 At least 100 of these 1600 hours must be face to face professional direct supervision with the applicant's supervisor. Face to face supervision includes both in person and live video conferencing so long as supervision by live video conferencing does not exceed fifty percent (50%) of the total 100 hours of supervision.

4.1.2.1.3.1 Individual Direct Supervision. Individual supervision shall consist of one to one, face to face meetings between supervisor and supervisee. The entire 100 hour requirement may be fulfilled by individual supervision.

4.1.2.1.3.2 Group Supervision. Group supervision shall consist of face to face meetings between supervisor and no more than eight supervisees. No more than 40 hours of group supervision shall be acceptable towards fulfillment of the 100 hour direct supervision requirement.

4.1.2.2 If a proposed supervisor is not a professional licensed by the Delaware Board of Professional Counselors of Mental Health and Chemical Dependency Counselors, the proposed supervisor must attest, on a form provided by the Board for this purpose:

4.1.2.2.1 That s/he has read and is familiar with the requirements for licensure as a Chemical Dependency Professional in Delaware, including the applicable statute and these regulations;

4.1.2.2.2 That s/he has read and is familiar with either the DCB or NADAAC Code of Ethics;

4.1.2.2.3 That s/he has been a licensed professional in good standing for at least five years; and

4.1.2.2.4 That s/he has been appropriately trained to provide clinical supervision.

4.1.3 Certification. To be licensed by certification an applicant must be certified by the National Association for Addictions Professionals (NAADAC) as a National Certified Addictions Counselor (NCAC) or Master Addictions Counselor (MAC), by the Delaware Certification Board (DCB Inc.) as a Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor (CADC), or by another certifying organization acceptable to the Board.

4.1.3.1 Another certifying organization must meet all of the following criteria to be acceptable to the Board:

4.1.3.1.1 The organization shall be a national professional chemical dependency organization recognized as setting national standards of clinical competency;

4.1.3.1.2 The organization shall require the applicant to take and pass a standardized examination designed to test his understanding of the principles involved in the chemical dependency specialty for which he is being certified; and

4.1.3.1.3 The organization shall prescribe a code of ethics substantially equivalent to NAADAC's.

4.1.3.2 At the time of initial licensure, licensees must provide evidence of active certification in good standing by an organization acceptable to the Board. If a licensee is certified by an organization that thereafter is deemed not acceptable by the Board, the licensee must obtain certification from an acceptable organization to qualify for licensure renewal.

4.2 Licensure by Reciprocity Requirements

4.2.1 Licensure Status. Verification of an applicant's possession of a current LCDP in good standing from another state, the District of Columbia, or U.S. territory must be submitted directly to the Board by that state, the District of Columbia, or U.S. territory.

4.2.2 Prior Licensing Jurisdictions. The applicant must submit a notarized statement listing all licensing jurisdictions in which he previously practiced and must submit a signed "Release of Information" granting the Board permission to contact those jurisdictions for verification of disciplinary history and current status.

4.2.3 Substantial Similarity of Licensing Standards. Applicants must submit the statute, rules, and regulations governing chemical dependency licensure requirements for the state in which they are currently licensed and through which they are seeking reciprocity. The burden of proof is on the applicant to demonstrate that the licensing standards of that state are substantially similar to Delaware's standards. The Board will make a determination of substantially similarity based on the information presented. If applicants are actively licensed in multiple states, only one state's licensure requirements need to be substantially similar for the applicant to obtain Delaware licensure by reciprocity.

4.2.4 No Substantial Similarity of Licensing Standards. Applicants from states whose licensing standards are not substantially similar to Delaware's standards may receive reciprocal licensure if they have held their license in good standing for at least five (5) years and are certified pursuant to regulation 4.1.3.

4.3 Ethics. The Board hereby adopts the current version of the National Association for Addictions Professionals (NAADAC) Code of Ethics (Code). The practice of all persons possessing an LCDP license shall conform to the principles of the Code. Violation of the Code shall constitute grounds for discipline.

24 Del. Admin. Code § 3000-4.0

11 DE Reg. 1066 (02/01/08)
17 DE Reg. 755 (1/1/2014)
18 DE Reg. 900 (5/1/2015)
18 DE Reg. 902 (5/1/2015)
20 DE Reg. 376 (11/1/2016)
22 DE Reg. 78 (7/1/2018) (Final)