Substance Abuse Counselor Requirements in Alaska: Credentials, Hours and Exams
Alaska's substance-use counselor credentials in the sources read are private certifications from the Alaska Commission for Behavioral Health Certification (ACBHC): Counselor Technician, Chemical Dependency Counselor I and II, a Clinical Supervisor tier, and an Administrator.
No state licence appears.
ACBHC is not an IC&RC member board; it uses NAADAC exams and the NAADAC Code of Ethics.
On the non-degreed track, experience runs 4,000 to 10,000 hours by tier, and a relevant degree may substitute one of CDC I's two years.
CDC I needs no exam.
Whether state program rules (7 AAC) mandate the credential was not verified.
Verify before you rely on this
At a glance
Five certifications: Counselor Technician (CT), Chemical Dependency Counselor I (CDC I), Chemical Dependency Counselor II (CDC II), Chemical Dependency Clinical Supervisor (CDCS), and an Administrator credential.
Private certification by the Alaska Commission for Behavioral Health Certification (ACBHC).
The sources read record no state SUD licence or credential, and whether state program rules (7 AAC) mandate the certification was not verified.
A non-degreed track exists at every level.
A Master's, Bachelor's, or Associate's degree in a relevant field may be submitted for consideration as a substitute for one (1) year of the CDC I experience requirement, decided case by case.
Non-degreed matrix (rev. 03/15/20): CT none; CDC I 2 years (4000 hours) plus a 100-hour supervised practicum; CDC II 3 years (6000 hours) plus 200 cumulative practicum hours; CDCS 5 years (10,000 hours) plus 300 cumulative.
The 2016 degreed scan shows CDC I at '1 years (2000 hours)'.
None for Counselor Technician, CDC I, or Administrator.
CDC II and CDCS require 'NCAC level I, II, or MAC' — NAADAC's national certifications.
Not stated in the sources read.
Not stated in the sources read.
IC&RC member: N — credentials do not reciprocate into ACBHC.
One-way exception: NAADAC accepts a passed IC&RC ADC/AADC exam toward the NCAC I/II/MAC credentials CDC II and CDCS require, subject to NAADAC's own criteria.
Two-year cycle at every tier (matrix FEES row: 'every 2 years').
CE is documented only for CDC I: at least 40 hours in the Behavioral Health field, including 3 hours each of Ethics and Confidentiality, every two years (CDC I application, rev. 7-23-26); other tiers' CE terms are not stated in the documents read.
The Alaska credential ladder
- Counselor Technician(CT)Other
The entry-level ACBHC certification — the matrix calls it 'Entry level certification - No experience required': 84 contact hours, no practicum, no exam.
A private certification, not a licence.
- Chemical Dependency Counselor I(CDC I)Other
The working counselor certification issued by ACBHC: 148 contact hours, 2 years (4000 hours) of chemical dependency treatment experience on the non-degreed track (a relevant degree may substitute one year, case by case) plus a 100-hour supervised practicum, and no exam.
- Chemical Dependency Counselor II(CDC II)Other
The advanced counselor certification: 176 contact hours, 3 years (6000 hours) of experience, 200 cumulative practicum hours, and NCAC level I, II, or MAC.
- Chemical Dependency Clinical Supervisor(CDCS)Supervisor
ACBHC's supervisor-tier certification: 206 contact hours, 5 years (10,000 hours) of experience, 300 cumulative practicum hours, and NCAC level I, II, or MAC.
- AdministratorOther
A certification for program administrators: 73 contact hours, 3 years of experience as administrator or manager (2 in a licensed program), a 300-hour documented supervised practicum, and no exam.
A private certification ladder, and the state's silence
Every rung on Alaska's ladder is a certification issued by the Alaska Commission for Behavioral Health Certification, a private certifying body.
None is a state licence, and the documents read state no statute or regulation that requires the certification to practise.
That makes the credential's force different from a licence's: it binds you through ACBHC's own process and, possibly, through employer, funder or program rules the sources read do not cover.
ACBHC is also not an IC&RC member board — it uses NAADAC exams and the NAADAC Code of Ethics — which shapes any reciprocity question before it starts.
The same letters mean different tiers in different states; see CADC vs LADC vs LCDC vs CAC.
“These are certifications. No state statute or regulation requiring them was read.”
Contact hours by tier, and where a degree shortens the list
The non-degreed matrix sets contact hours at each level: 84 for Counselor Technician, 148 for CDC I, 176 for CDC II, 206 for CDCS, and 73 for Administrator.
CDC I, CDC II and CDCS each carry all the coursework of the levels below them — the matrix prints 'AND:' before each level's added courses — while the Administrator credential has its own stand-alone 73-hour list (Ethics for Supervisors, Ethics for Business /Health Care, Leadership in Community Development, among others).
The CDC I application itemises the CDC I courses: Ethics (3 hours, within the last two years), Confidentiality (3), Infectious Diseases & HIV/AIDS (6), DSM Practice (12), ASAM Practice (12), Co-Occurring Disorders (12), among the rest.
A degree does not waive the track outright: in a relevant field it may substitute for one year of experience and, case by case, reduce the course list.
There is no stated degree floor for entry, because the non-degreed track exists at every level.
For which entry tiers take no degree at all, see can you be an addiction counselor without a degree?
“The degree may also allow the applicant to take fewer required courses.”
Experience hours: 4,000 to 10,000 on the non-degreed track
As written in the non-degreed matrix: CDC I takes 2 years (4000 hours) plus a 100-hour supervised practicum; CDC II takes 3 years (6000 hours) plus 200 cumulative practicum hours; CDCS takes 5 years (10,000 hours) plus 300 cumulative; Counselor Technician takes none.
The 2026 CDC I application states the experience rule and the degree substitution: a relevant degree may be submitted as a substitute for one of CDC I's two years, decided case by case.
The 2016 degreed-track matrix shows CDC I at '1 years (2000 hours)', but that document is a low-quality OCR scan and the research records that CDC II and CDCS degreed-track hours cannot be established from it.
The documents read also do not say when the experience hours start counting, so confirm timing with ACBHC before you rely on a placement.
For the whole path from coursework to credential, see how to become a substance abuse counselor.
“Two (2) years full time work experience in chemical dependency treatment. A Master's, Bachelor's, or Associate's degree from an accredited educational facility, in a relevant field (Social Services, Social Work, Addiction, Human Services, Psychiatric nursing, Psychology) may be submitted for consideration as a substitute for one (1) year of the two (2) years of required experience.”
No exam until CDC II, then NAADAC's
The matrix's EXAM row reads none for Counselor Technician and CDC I, and 'NCAC level I, II, or MAC' for both CDC II and CDCS; the Administrator credential needs no exam.
NCAC and MAC are NAADAC's national certifications, whose eligibility rules NAADAC sets, so the exam gate at CDC II is really a requirement to hold a NAADAC credential.
For a CDC I candidate this means Alaska's working-level certification tests nothing beyond coursework, references and documented experience — plan the exam step only when you aim at CDC II.
“Alaska is not an IC&RC state. CDC I needs no exam; the NAADAC exam starts at CDC II.”
The practicum signer: one level above your current certification
The only supervision arrangement the documents read state attaches to the practicum, and the application states the signer rule twice.
Procedure step 3 requires the Counselor Competency Practicum form to be completed by a person certified at least one level above the applicant's current certification — the level the applicant holds now, not the one being applied for — and that person mails the form to ACBHC directly.
The application checklist repeats it ('at least one level above applicant's current certification level').
The practicum paragraph's own wording is looser ('one level higher than that of applicant'), so rely on the current-certification phrasing: a Counselor Technician applying for CDC I can have a CDC I sign, because that is one level above the certification they currently hold.
Ask any prospective supervisor which ACBHC certification they hold before you count on a placement.
The work-experience hours themselves carry no stated supervision ratio or supervisor credential in the documents read.
“The Counselor Competency Practicum form must be completed by a person certified at least one level above the applicant's current certification.”
What the certification lets you do: not stated
The sources read locate no statement on whether an ACBHC-certified counselor may diagnose, practise independently, or supervise beyond the practicum rule above.
The closest they come to a scope statement is the CDC I role description on the application, borrowed from SAMHSA's TAP 21.
That description speaks to applied counseling skill under supervision, not to legal authority, and nothing in the documents read either grants or bars diagnosis.
If a role turns on diagnosis or independent practice, the answer has to come from a document the sources read do not include — ask ACBHC and the employer.
For what an addiction credential does and does not let you diagnose or bill, see can a certified addiction counselor diagnose or bill insurance?
“They practice in a professional manner and utilize the clinical supervision they receive to enhance their skills in the field of addictions.”
Moving to Alaska: no IC&RC route in the sources read, one one-way exam path
The section's entire reciprocity entry is two characters long: IC&RC member: N.
IC&RC reciprocity runs only between member boards, so a CADC or similar credential earned at an IC&RC board elsewhere has no reciprocal transfer into ACBHC, and no endorsement or waiver process for out-of-state counselors appears in the documents read.
There is one partial, one-way path, and it runs through the exam line: NAADAC's certifying body accepts a passed IC&RC ADC exam toward NCAC I and a passed IC&RC AADC exam toward NCAC II and MAC — exactly the credentials CDC II and CDCS require.
The reverse is not offered, and NAADAC's own eligibility rules still apply: a current credential issued by a state or credentialing authority, 6,000 hours (three years full-time) of supervised experience, and 270 contact hours for NCAC I, 450 for NCAC II, 500 for MAC, with NAADAC's degree floors.
Whether an ACBHC certification satisfies NAADAC's credential criterion is not stated in the sources read.
For what IC&RC reciprocity transfers, and why NAADAC credentials do not, see IC&RC vs NAADAC.
“Reciprocity / endorsement. IC&RC member: N.”
Two-year renewal at every tier; the CE floor is documented for CDC I
Certification runs on a two-year cycle at every tier: the matrix's FEES row prints 'every 2 years' against each level, with per-tier initial/recertification fees of $180/$165 (Counselor Technician), $195/$180 (CDC I), $210/$195 (CDC II), $230/$215 (CDCS) and $245/$230 (Administrator).
The continuing-education floor comes only from the CDC I application: at least 40 hours in the Behavioral Health field, including 3 hours each of Ethics and Confidentiality, every two years, applied for before expiration.
No document read sets a CE figure for Counselor Technician, CDC II, CDCS or Administrator, so confirm those tiers' terms with ACBHC.
The CDC I application adds that course-completion certificates need not be submitted with the application, but should be kept in case they are requested, and that its fees are non-refundable.
“Certification is for a period of two years. Application for re-certification must be made prior to expiration and may be done online at akcertification.org. The applicant should complete at least 40 hours of continuing education in the Behavioral Health field, to include 3 hours each of Ethics and Confidentiality, every two years.”
A new portal and revised applications, no substantive rule change
The ACBHC site was running a banner announcing a new website and user portal launching at the end of September 2026, after which applications move fully online with real-time email tracking; until then, applications go in by mail.
The CDC I application carries a July 23, 2026 revision date, so the experience, practicum and recertification terms above reflect the current form.
The research records no substantive rule change behind these updates.
“A new and improved ACBHC website and user portal is coming soon! The launch will be at the end of September. Please continue applying for certifications by mailing your forms to our office.”
What the sources read leave open
Everything on this page rests on ACBHC's own documents: the certification page, the 2026 CDC I application, and two matrices that are scans — the degreed-track matrix a low-quality 2016 OCR.
No Alaska statute or 7 AAC program rule requiring ACBHC certification to practise was among the documents read, and the research marks whether state program rules mandate the credential as not verified.
That is the gap that matters most in practice: in settings where a funder or licensor sets staffing rules, the certification could be required by a rule this page has not seen.
CDC II and CDCS degreed-track hours also cannot be established from the scan.
Confirm requirements with ACBHC and with any employer before you plan around them.
“PRIMARY for the board documents only. Whether state program rules (7 AAC) mandate the credential was not verified.”
What This Page Does — and Doesn’t — Cover
This page summarizes the Alaska statute, rules, board pages and other documents cited above, as read for this state-by-state substance abuse counselor requirements series, current as of September 2026.
It does not list application forms, fees beyond those cited above, or processing times, and it is not a substitute for the instructions the Alaska Commission for Behavioral Health Certification (ACBHC) — a private certifying body, not a state agency publishes.
Nor does it cover peer specialist certification in Alaska.
Hour totals, exams and supervision rules change by statute and by board rule; for why the same letters mean different tiers from state to state, see CADC vs LADC vs LCDC vs CAC.
Confirm every requirement with the Alaska Commission for Behavioral Health Certification (ACBHC) — a private certifying body, not a state agency before you count hours, register for an exam or apply — and before you take one of the substance abuse counselor jobs in Alaska that asks for it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you need a license to be a substance abuse counselor in Alaska?
The sources read record no Alaska statute or regulation licensing substance use counselors; the credential ladder is private certification from the Alaska Commission for Behavioral Health Certification (ACBHC).
That does not settle the practical question: whether state program rules (7 AAC) require ACBHC certification in funded or licensed settings was not verified.
Ask ACBHC and any prospective employer what they require before assuming the certification is optional.
Can you become a Chemical Dependency Counselor I without a degree?
Yes.
The non-degreed track takes 148 contact hours of coursework, 2 years (4000 hours) of full-time chemical dependency treatment experience and a 100-hour supervised practicum, with no exam.
A Master's, Bachelor's, or Associate's degree in a listed relevant field may be submitted for consideration as a substitute for one (1) year of the experience and may reduce the coursework — the Commission decides case by case (CDC I application, rev. 7-23-26).
Does Alaska honor IC&RC reciprocity for addiction counselors?
No reciprocal transfer appears in the sources read: ACBHC is not on the IC&RC directory (IC&RC member: N), and IC&RC reciprocity runs only between member boards.
One one-way path exists through exams: NAADAC accepts a passed IC&RC ADC exam toward NCAC I and an IC&RC AADC pass toward NCAC II and MAC — the credentials CDC II and CDCS require — subject to NAADAC's own criteria (a current state or credentialing-authority credential, 6,000 supervised hours, 270–500 contact hours by credential).
The documents read describe no endorsement process; contact ACBHC about your prior credential.
What exam is required for the CDC II certification?
Per the certification matrix, CDC II and CDCS applicants must show NCAC level I, II, or MAC; Counselor Technician, CDC I, and the Administrator credential require no exam.
NCAC and MAC are NAADAC's national certifications, and NAADAC sets their own eligibility rules, including their own experience and coursework criteria.
Confirm NAADAC's current requirements before you count on a credential to satisfy the CDC II exam line.
How long does ACBHC certification last, and what CE does it require?
The cycle is two years at every tier — the matrix's FEES row prints 'every 2 years' for each.
The CE requirement is documented only for CDC I: at least 40 hours of continuing education in the Behavioral Health field, including 3 hours each of Ethics and Confidentiality, applied for before expiration (CDC I application, rev. 7-23-26); the other tiers' CE terms are not stated in the documents read.
Keep your course-completion certificates ready even though they are not submitted.
Per-tier initial/recertification fees: CT $180/$165, CDC I $195/$180, CDC II $210/$195, CDCS $230/$215, Administrator $245/$230.
More Alaska & Substance Abuse Counselor Resources
Sources
- Alaska Commission for Behavioral Health Certification — Certification / Recertification page (retrieved 2026-09-24)
- ACBHC Chemical Dependency Certification Matrix — Non-Degreed Track (rev. 03/15/20), Degreed Track (rev. 7-20-16), and Application for CDC I Certification (rev. 7-23-26), ACBHC forms page (retrieved 2026-09-24)
- NAADAC / NCC AP — National Certified Addiction Counselor, Level I (NCAC I) (retrieved 2026-09-24)
- NAADAC / NCC AP — National Certified Addiction Counselor, Level II (NCAC II) (retrieved 2026-09-24)
- NAADAC / NCC AP — Master Addiction Counselor (MAC) (retrieved 2026-09-24)
- IC&RC — Reciprocity & International Certificates (incl. the NAADAC reciprocity FAQ) (retrieved 2026-09-24)
Sourced from the statute, rules, board pages and other documents cited above.
Verified September 2026.
This is career information, not legal or clinical advice — confirm current rules with the Alaska Commission for Behavioral Health Certification (ACBHC) — a private certifying body, not a state agency.