Congratulations to the Counselor Education Program, thanks to Dr. Robert Horne's efforts, for succesfully obtaining the status of a "Criteria C" Program by the North Carolina Substance Abuse Professional Practice Board.

"Criteria C" Master's degree programs serve as a prerequisite for applicants pursuing North Carolina Licensed Clinical Addiction Specialist (LCAS) licensure.  Because these programs incorporate the LCAS criteria into their curricula, students graduating with a Master's degree from a "Criteria C" program can be assured that they are receiving all of the necessary LCAS material infused into their learning program.  

Additionally, because these programs are held to the highest standards in addiction education, the NCSAPPB allows these graduates to qualify for licensure after only the equivalent of one year of properly supervised clinical practice instead of two years for others.  This means that graduates of "Criteria C" programs are eligible to enter the workforce as independent practitioners at a much faster rate than those without the substance abuse specialty curricula.

NccuCounseling students graduating from our program, provided they have completed the necessary coursework, will be able to seek LCAS licensure in half the time of other students who have not gone through a similar program. NCCU is one of only eight schools in North Carolina that are designated as "Criteria C" programs.

Many thanks to Dr. Horne for leading this effort.