Find your certification
PCB certifications are organized on color-coded lines, from recovery and peer support to addiction counseling, prevention, clinical supervision, community roles, and specialty endorsements. Each certification page lists its full requirements, fees and the steps to apply.
Looking for "CPS"? 2 different credentials share that abbreviation: Certified Peer Specialist or Certified Prevention Specialist.
Before you apply
- Send applications as PDF files, by mail or email. Photos or images of an application are not accepted.
- Want your education checked before you apply? Use the Education Review Form.
- Questions after reading the application? Email info@pacertboard.org.
- Renewing a certification? See the recertification FAQs.
- Checking someone's credential? Use Credential Verification.
Recovery & Peer Support
Support people and families in recovery, often drawing on your own lived experience.
A certification for people with personal, lived experience of their own mental health recovery and wellness.
- 75 hours, approved vendor
- Mental health recovery
- PCB CPS exam
A certification for people with personal, lived experience of recovery from a substance use disorder.
- HS diploma / GED
- 78 hours
- 18+ months continuous
- PCB CRS exam
A certification for adults who have been directly impacted by a family member's or loved one's substance use disorder.
- HS diploma / GED
- 78 hours
- Family member's substance use
- No exam
A certification for people who supervise recovery specialists and family recovery specialists.
- 2 years + 1 supervising
- 25 hours
- 30 hours (or 78+12)
- CRS exam if not CRS/CFRS
Addiction Counseling
From entry level to advanced counselor. Each step builds on your education and supervised experience, so you can work while you move up.
- CAAP Certified Allied Addiction Practitioner
- AAC Associate Addiction Counselor
- CAAC Certified Associate Addiction Counselor IC&RC
- CADC Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor IC&RC
- CAADC Certified Advanced Alcohol and Drug Counselor IC&RC
Credentials marked IC&RC are internationally reciprocal, so you can transfer them if you move.
A certification for people who work directly with individuals affected by substance use or co-occurring disorders, in roles other than primary counseling.
- HS diploma / GED
- 2 years or 4,000 hours
- 75 hours, 6 in ethics
- PCB CAAP exam
An entry-level credential for newer drug and alcohol counselors with a high school diploma, GED or higher.
- HS diploma / GED
- 1 year or 2,000 hours
- 100 hours, 6 in ethics
- No exam
A counseling certification for drug and alcohol counselors with a high school diploma, GED or associate degree.
- HS diploma, GED or associate
- 3 years or 6,000 hours
- 300 hours
- IC&RC ADC exam
The core counseling certification for drug and alcohol counselors with a bachelor's degree.
- Bachelor's degree
- 2–3 years, by degree
- 300 hours
- IC&RC ADC exam
The advanced counseling certification for master's-level substance use disorder counselors.
- Master's degree
- 1 year or 2,000 hours
- 180 hours
- IC&RC AADC exam
Prevention
Plan and run programs that prevent substance use problems before they start, in schools, workplaces and communities.
The certification for professionals who plan, deliver and evaluate programs that prevent or reduce problems caused by alcohol, tobacco and other drug use.
- Bachelor's degree
- 2 years or 4,000 hours
- 120 hours
- IC&RC PS exam
Clinical Supervision
For experienced professionals who supervise counselors and clinical programs.
The full certification for experienced professionals who provide clinical supervision to substance use disorder and co-occurring disorder counselors.
- Counseling credential or master's
- 5 years, including 2 supervising
- 30 hours clinical supervision
- IC&RC CS exam
An endorsement added to your existing PCB counseling credential that recognizes your education and experience in clinical supervision.
- Current PCB counseling credential
- 1 year as clinical supervisor
- 30 hours clinical supervision
- No exam
Specialty & Endorsements
Focused credentials and endorsements for specific practice areas. Endorsements are added to a PCB credential you already hold.
A credential for professionals whose primary role is facilitating and taking part in substance use disorder interventions.
- HS diploma / GED
- 2 years / 4,000 hours
- 150 hours
- CIP exam
An endorsement that adds a specialization to a PCB credential you already hold.
- Current PCB credential
- 30 hours, gambling-specific
- No exam
An endorsement that adds a specialization to a PCB credential you already hold.
- Current PCB credential
- 30 hours, criminal justice-specific
- No exam
Community / Non-medical
Non-medical roles that support people and families in their communities, from community health workers to doulas.
A certification for community health workers: trusted people who help improve health in the communities they live in or share ethnicity, language, socioeconomic status or life experiences with.
- 75 hours, approved program
- 1 year or 2,000 hours
- 60 hours
- No exam
A certification for doulas who support families through pregnancy, birth, loss and the postpartum period.
- 24 hours
- Adult and infant
- 3 from the last year
- No exam
Renewal only
Credentials PCB no longer issues to new applicants. Current holders can keep renewing them.
A PCB credential for case managers working in the addiction field.
- 3 hours each renewal
A credential for professionals who provide addiction-related services to people involved in the criminal or juvenile justice system.
- 3 hours each renewal
- IC&RC
A credential for professionals with a bachelor's degree who provide integrated services to people with co-occurring substance use and mental health disorders.
- 3 hours each renewal
- IC&RC
A credential for master's-level professionals who provide integrated services to people with co-occurring substance use and mental health disorders.
- 3 hours each renewal
- IC&RC
A PCB credential for supervisors of case managers in the addiction field.
- 3 hours each renewal
No certifications match your search.