Clinical Supervision

Service Description

Pursuing a career as an Alcohol and Drug Abuse Counselor in Tennessee is a meaningful and impactful journey that prepares individuals to support clients struggling with addiction, mental health challenges, and recovery barriers. The State of Tennessee regulates this profession through the Tennessee Board of Alcohol and Drug Abuse Counselors, offering two licensure levels: LADAC I and LADAC II. Each level provides a pathway for aspiring counselors to develop the knowledge, skills, and experience needed to serve individuals, families, and communities with excellence and professionalism. Tennessee requires all candidates to complete specific education and training designed to build a strong foundation in addiction counseling. This includes a minimum of 270 clock hours of formal instruction covering core areas such as assessment, counseling skills, treatment planning, pharmacology, ethics, crisis intervention, and co-occurring disorders. Applicants must also complete specialized training in HIV/AIDS, suicide prevention, and professional ethics, ensuring they are fully prepared to provide competent and ethical care. Supervised clinical experience plays a central role in the development of effective counselors. Candidates pursuing the LADAC I credential must complete 4,000 hours of supervised work under an approved clinical supervisor, while LADAC II candidates—who hold a master’s degree in a behavioral health field—must complete 2,000 hours of supervised practice. These hours ensure that future counselors gain hands-on experience in assessment, documentation, treatment planning, and direct client care. All applicants must demonstrate competency by passing a national examination such as the NCAC I, NCAC II, or MAC exam administered by NAADAC. This national credentialing process confirms that counselors possess the clinical and ethical knowledge required to practice safely and effectively. Additional requirements include a criminal background check, submission of official transcripts, proof of supervised hours, training certificates, and a completed application to the Tennessee Department of Health. Once licensed, counselors must complete continuing education each year, including ethics training, to maintain their credential and remain current with best practices. The pathway to becoming an Alcohol and Drug Abuse Counselor in Tennessee is both rigorous and rewarding.