Alcohol and Drug Counselor?

Question

If I would like to become an alcohol and drug counselor, would I only need my A.A Degree from my local community college. In their catalog, it says that after an A.A. is earned, there are plenty of job opportunities available. Is this true? Is it a safe career? And does it pay well?

Answer 1

It would be more typical for a couselor to have a masters degree. Pay is decent but not great.

Answer 2

I'm not sure of the minimum requirement actually getting employment as an addictions counselor but I do know that there are those associate degree programs as you'd mentioned. There is supposed to be quite an extensive amount of clinical fieldwork (on-the-job experience) in order to be eligible to take the certification(s) exam.

As far as it being 'safe' as in physically safe, I would bank on having to work with quite a few addicts and alcoholics that still have a wall up and may become defensive or even perhaps beligerant. Some addicts are ordered into treatment by the courts, as a condition from a family member (such as to try to 'save' the marriage) and perhaps others that are still withdrawaling from the drug if even out of the 'danger zone' as far as medical consequences (typically very dangerous to withdrawal from are alcohol and tranquilizers/pills). I'm sure that addictions counselors are in great demand as the mental health/social services field has a high rate of burn-out with possibly turn-over being higher than other fields.

Here is a website for more general info: http://www.bls.gov/oco and search 'drug counselor.

http://naadac.org and can click 'certification' or such.

For US colleges: http://www.utexas.edu/world/univ