Sec.20-74s-1. Work experience or internship

(a) Work experience or internship required under section 20-74s(e)(2) of the Connecticut General Statutes shall constitute approved experience for Connecticut certification when all of the criteria specified below are satisfied:

(1) The work experience or internship shall entail: (A) working directly with persons who have been assessed or diagnosed as having an alcohol or other drug abuse dependency; and (B) providing specific counseling interventions that are directed toward the amelioration of a substance use disorder and that are identified in a treatment plan.

(2) The work experience or internship shall be specifically related to the knowledge and skills necessary to perform all of the following core counseling functions: screening, intake, orientation, assessment, treatment planning, counseling, case management, crisis intervention, client education, referral, report and record keeping, and consultation.

(3) The work experience or internship shall be no less than 6000 hours, except that a master's degree may be substituted for 2000 hours. Not less than 2000 of the required hours shall be in the core counseling functions specified in subdivision (2) of this subsection.

(4) The supervisor of the work experience or internship shall be (A) if in Connecticut, an alcohol and drug counselor licensed pursuant to section 20-74s of the Connecticut General Statutes, or certified as a clinical supervisor by the Connecticut Certification Board, or if the experience or internship occurred in Connecticut prior to October 2, 1998, an individual deemed licensed pursuant to section 20-74s(l) of the Connecticut General Statutes; (B) if outside Connecticut, an alcohol and drug counselor licensed as such or as a person entitled to perform similar services under a different designation, in the state or jurisdiction in which the training is completed; or (C) a person licensed in the state in which the training is completed to practice medicine and surgery, psychology, marital and family therapy, clinical social work, professional counseling, advanced practice registered nursing, or registered nursing when acting within the scope of such license, who has completed 50 hours of specialized alcohol and drug counseling education in the areas of pharmacology, assessment and treatment planning, and treatment techniques, and has experience working directly with persons who have been assessed or diagnosed as having an alcohol or other drug abuse dependency.

(5) The 300 hours of practical training in alcohol and drug counseling required under section 20-74s(e)(1) of the Connecticut General Statutes, may be part of the work experience or internship and shall include at least ten hours of practical training in each of the core counseling functions specified in subdivision (2) of this subsection.

(b) Work experience required under section 20-74s(n)(1) of the Connecticut General Statutes shall constitute approved experience for Connecticut certification when all of the criteria specified below are satisfied:

(1) Full time employment shall consist of a minimum of 2,000 hours per year and part time employment shall be not less than 50% of full time employment. For individuals working in facilities that define full time employment at a level less than 2,000 hours per year, the Department may consider accepting such employment as equivalent to full time employment provided such employment consists of at least 1,350 hours per year.

(2) The supervisor of the experience shall be (A) if in Connecticut, an alcohol and drug counselor licensed pursuant to section 20-74s of the Connecticut General Statutes, or certified as a clinical supervisor by the Connecticut Certification Board, or if the experience occurred in Connecticut prior to October 2, 1998, an individual deemed licensed pursuant to section 20-74s(l) of the Connecticut General Statutes; (B) if outside Connecticut, an alcohol and drug counselor licensed as such or as a person entitled to perform similar services under a different designation, in the state or jurisdiction in which the training is completed; or (C) a person licensed in the state in which the training is completed to practice medicine and surgery, psychology, marital and family therapy, clinical social work, professional counseling, advanced practice registered nursing or registered nursing when acting within the scope of such license, who has completed 50 hours of specialized alcohol and drug counseling education in the areas of pharmacology, assessment and treatment planning, and treatment techniques, and has experience working directly with persons who have been assessed or diagnosed as having alcohol or other drug abuse dependency.

(c) Individuals who are certified by a board that is a member of the International Certification and Reciprocity Consortium/Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse shall be deemed to have met the requirements of this section.

(Adopted effective February 3, 2000)