Development sequence
Credential navigation is only the beginning.
- 01
Verify the current Board route
Confirm eligibility, approved education bundle, application process, credential period, fees and current authority.
- 02
Complete approved education
Use an approved bundle/provider and retain source evidence.
- 03
Build role competence
Study SUD and recovery, counseling strategies, group process, screening, treatment planning, ethics, medication awareness and referral.
- 04
Enter supervised work
Practice only within CDCA scope under an appropriately qualified supervisor with documented access and review.
- 05
Advance deliberately
Build toward renewable CDCA and later LCDC/LICDC pathways only after current Board requirements are verified.
Practice labs
Learning becomes safer when it is rehearsed.
SUD and recovery knowledge
Addiction, co-occurring conditions, recovery pathways, relapse processes, withdrawal awareness, medications and recovery capital.
Screening and engagement
Role-appropriate screening, motivational engagement, crisis recognition, referral and consultation.
Group process
Structure, facilitation, participation, boundaries, conflict, safety, documentation and supervision.
Treatment-planning awareness
Problems, goals, objectives, interventions, client voice, level of care, discharge and the Golden Thread.
Ethics and scope
Credential limits, supervision, confidentiality, dual relationships, exploitation, impairment and documentation integrity.
Supervised documentation
Role-specific notes, service truth, client response, next steps, signatures, corrections and audit readiness.
What tuition does—and does not—include
External fees stay visible.
| Cost category | Website standard |
|---|---|
| Institute advising / residency | Posted with the specific cohort before registration. |
| Board-approved education bundle | Identified separately; paid to the approved provider unless expressly included. |
| Application, background or Board fees | External and disclosed separately. |
| Supervised employment | Compensation and supervision terms stated in a separate employment or placement agreement. |