Virginia Code 54.1-3507.1: Scope of practice, supervision, and qualifications of certified substance abuse counselors.
A. A certified substance abuse counselor shall be (i) qualified to perform, under appropriate supervision or direction, the substance abuse treatment functions of screening, intake, orientation, the administration of substance abuse assessment instruments, recovery and relapse prevention planning, substance abuse treatment, case management, substance abuse or dependence crisis intervention, client education, referral activities, record keeping, and consultation with other professionals; (ii) qualified to be responsible for client care of persons with a primary diagnosis of substance abuse or dependence; and (iii) qualified to supervise, direct and instruct certified substance abuse counseling assistants. Certified substance abuse counselors shall not engage in independent or autonomous practice.
Terms Used In Virginia Code 54.1-3507.1
- Board: means the Board of Counseling. See Virginia Code 54.1-3500
- Certified substance abuse counseling assistant: means a person certified by the Board to practice in accordance with the provisions of § Virginia Code 54.1-3500
- Certified substance abuse counselor: means a person certified by the Board to practice in accordance with the provisions of § Virginia Code 54.1-3500
- Counseling: means the application of principles, standards, and methods of the counseling profession in (i) conducting assessments and diagnoses for the purpose of establishing treatment goals and objectives and (ii) planning, implementing, and evaluating treatment plans using treatment interventions to facilitate human development and to identify and remediate mental, emotional, or behavioral disorders and associated distresses that interfere with mental health. See Virginia Code 54.1-3500
- Evidence: Information presented in testimony or in documents that is used to persuade the fact finder (judge or jury) to decide the case for one side or the other.
- Licensed substance abuse treatment practitioner: means a person who: (i) is trained in and engages in the practice of substance abuse treatment with individuals or groups of individuals suffering from the effects of substance abuse or dependence, and in the prevention of substance abuse or dependence; and (ii) is licensed to provide advanced substance abuse treatment and independent, direct, and unsupervised treatment to such individuals or groups of individuals, and to plan, evaluate, supervise, and direct substance abuse treatment provided by others. See Virginia Code 54.1-3500
- Person: includes any individual, corporation, partnership, association, cooperative, limited liability company, trust, joint venture, government, political subdivision, or any other legal or commercial entity and any successor, representative, agent, agency, or instrumentality thereof. See Virginia Code 1-230
- Practice of substance abuse treatment: means rendering or offering to render substance abuse treatment to individuals, groups, organizations, or the general public. See Virginia Code 54.1-3500
- Referral activities: means the evaluation of data to identify problems and to determine advisability of referral to other specialists. See Virginia Code 54.1-3500
- Substance abuse treatment: means (i) the application of specific knowledge, skills, substance abuse treatment theory, and substance abuse treatment techniques to define goals and develop a treatment plan of action regarding substance abuse or dependence prevention, education, or treatment in the substance abuse or dependence recovery process and (ii) referrals to medical, social services, psychological, psychiatric, or legal resources when such referrals are indicated. See Virginia Code 54.1-3500
- Supervision: means the ongoing process, performed by a supervisor, of monitoring the performance of the person supervised and providing regular, documented individual or group consultation, guidance, and instruction with respect to the clinical skills and competencies of the person supervised. See Virginia Code 54.1-3500
B. Such counselor shall also be clinically supervised or directed by a licensed substance abuse treatment practitioner, or any other mental health professional licensed by the Department, or, in an exempt setting as described in § 54.1-3501, another person with substantially equivalent education, training, and experience, or such counselor shall be in compliance with the supervision requirements of a licensed facility.
C. Pursuant to regulations adopted by the Board, an applicant for certification as a substance abuse counselor shall submit evidence satisfactory to the Board that the applicant has (i) completed a specified number of hours of didactic substance abuse education courses in a program or programs recognized or approved by the Board and received a bachelor’s degree from an institution of higher education accredited by an accrediting agency recognized by the Board; and (ii) accumulated a specified number of hours of experience involving the practice of substance abuse treatment while supervised by a licensed substance abuse treatment practitioner, or by any other mental health professional licensed by the Department, or by a certified substance abuse counselor who shall submit evidence satisfactory to the Board of clinical supervision qualifications pursuant to regulations adopted by the Board, such number of hours being greater than the number of hours required of a certified substance abuse counseling assistant. The applicant shall also pass an examination as required by the Board.
2001, c. 460.