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GACA History/Mission
The Georgia Addiction Counselors Association (GACA) is a non-profit association dedicated to high standards for professionals who provide addiction counseling. Established in 1980 to provide a statewide association of addiction counselors and other persons interested in addiction, GACA is comprised of a volunteer Board of Directors elected by its membership and a volunteer Certification Board appointed by the Directors with the sole purpose of carrying out the mission of the Association. Our express concern was, and remains, the welfare of persons who are chemically dependent or abusing mood-altering chemicals in the state of Georgia.
Welcome to the Georgia Addiction Counselors Association Web Site. We hope you find this site useful and informative. Many of your basic questions can be answered here. If you need additional assistance, please feel free to contact us.
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Competencies for Substance Abuse Treatment Clinical Supervisors
Date: February 27, 28, 29, 2012 Location: River Edge Behavioral Health Center 175 Emery Highway, Macon, GA 31217
Cost: $225.00/NAADAC/GACA member $300.00/NonMember
Trainer: KAREN GARRETT, MA, CPLP, CAP, CAPP, CMHP - Karen Garrett has over 25 years of diverse experience in behavioral health, management, consultation and training. She is currently employed by River Region Human Services as Senior Director of Training/Corporate Compliance/Quality Improvement and serves as Corporate Compliance and Privacy Officer. TARGET AUDIENCE: Clinical Supervisors This course focuses on the teaching and mentoring aspects of clinical supervision in addiction treatment settings. Participants will be provided an opportunity to increase their ability to assess the clinical skills of counselors and to build learning plans that will assure their continued professional growth. The course includes didactic presentations, demonstrations and hands on learning activities. We understand that not all adults learn in the same manner or at the same rate. This course takes that educational aspect into consideration and was designed to accommodate all adult learning styles. Basis: SAMHSA Tap 21-a.
CLICK HERE FOR REGISTRATION FORM
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CHANGE TO CERTIFICATION PROCESS ELIMINATION OF THE WRITTEN CASE HISTORY
On December 3, 2011, the GACA Board of Directors and Certification Board, with the support of NAADAC – the Association for Addiction Professionals, announced the elimination of the Written Case History as a prerequisite to new certification as a Certified Addiction Counselor, Levels I and II. This brings GACA in line with the current application process utilized by many other Georgia professional agencies and non-Georgia agencies which do not require the written case history or oral examination.
Hereafter, the CAC Certification Process will consist of submission of a fully completed Certification Application for Addiction Counseling Professionals and a successful score on the National Certification Examination for Addiction Counselors (NCE), Level I or Level II. We believe that these two screening instruments will provide the board sufficient information to evaluate candidates and that, in turn, will provide the clients and consumers we serve with increased confidence in high standard of services.
A competent counselor must possess a wide array of knowledge and skills. Therefore, it is imperative that applicants demonstrate knowledge and proficiency in each of the eight (8) counselor skill groups. Applications must accurately reflect the candidate’s work experience, clinical supervision, and training/education as defined by the Certification Board criteria. Applications that do not meet all requirements including documentation and a passing score on the NCE written examination will be ineligible for certification until such time as these requirements are met.
The Certification Board has begun the process of reviewing all active applications to evaluate these candidates for completion of the certification process and will be awarded CAC certification based upon approved qualifications and a passing score on the NCE for Addiction Counselors.
We appreciate the time, effort, and perseverance expended to become a certified addiction counselor. Thank you for choosing GACA as your credentialing agency.
Janet Retterbush-Guerke, MS, MAC, CACII, CCS Wayne Bland, LCSW, CACII Chair, Certification Board President, GACA
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