Substance Abuse Counseling in Oklahoma

In Oklahoma, graduates of in-person or online substance abuse counseling degree programs can pursue several different clinical and nonclinical career paths.

If you'd prefer a clinical role working directly with clients and providing counseling and education, you can become a substance abuse counselor. Bachelor's degree holders qualify for Certified Alcohol Drug Counselor (CADC) certification, while master's or doctoral degree holders can apply for Licensed Drug Alcohol Counselor (LADC) certification.

However, you may prefer a nonclinical role designed to help people in your community who struggle with substance misuse. Community service workers and health education specialists are just two examples of these types of roles, often found in nonprofit organizations and state and local government agencies.

The Oklahoma State Board of Licensed Alcohol and Drug Counselors (OSBLADC) oversees licensing for professionals who provide substance use counseling in Oklahoma. If you're planning to become a substance use counselor in this state, you can prepare for one of two levels of substance abuse counseling certification.

The lower level is the Certified Alcohol Drug Counselor (CADC). This credential requires a bachelor's degree in substance abuse counseling or behavioral science. You'll also need 4,000 hours of paid work experience, 300 hours of supervised experience, and a passing score on the ADC Exam sponsored by the International Certification and Reciprocity Consortium (IC&RC).

The higher level of certification is the Licensed Drug Alcohol Counselor (LADC), which requires a master's or doctoral degree in addiction counseling or behavioral science. You'll also need 2,000 hours of paid work experience and 300 hours of supervised experience. Additionally, you'll need to pass the IC&RC AADC Exam.

In both cases, Oklahoma requires your degree to be issued by an accredited college or university. If you'd like to earn an online master's degree, you'll find that all of the programs on our site are institutionally accredited, which means they meet state requirements. For more information, review our lists of the best online substance abuse counseling master's degrees and the most affordable online substance abuse counseling master's degrees. 

Both CADC and LADC licenses need to be renewed annually. You'll need to complete 20 hours of counseling-related continuing education to qualify for renewal. 

Yes, Oklahoma has instituted a reciprocity agreement for IC&RC-certified substance use counselors from other states. If you're a licensed counselor in good standing, who would like to offer in-person or online substance abuse counseling in Oklahoma, contact IC&RC or your local credentialing board to initiate the transfer process. Your credentials will transfer to the corresponding level of certification in Oklahoma.

Although a specific salary range for substance abuse counselors in Oklahoma is unavailable, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) provides some insight. The BLS reports that the approximately 4,700 substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors in this state earn a mean annual salary of $57,180. The number of substance abuse counseling jobs in Oklahoma should grow by 24.9% through 2030, according to ProjectionsCentral.