Frequently Asked Questions
Our program takes about 18 months to complete. This includes education and practicum hours. You are required to take 2 courses per quarter.
From application to job placement, here are details of what to expect at every stage:
1. Apply online
- Submit an online application (when open).
- Complete a short eligibility survey.
- If eligible, attend an info session to learn more.
- Next Step: If selected, proceed to onboarding and enrollment
2. Education and registration
- Enroll in training at UC San Diego Division of Extended Studies, Palomar College or San Diego City College.
- Programs last 9–12 months and cover addiction counseling; ethics & professional boundaries; case management & intervention techniques; trauma-informed care
- Get registered as a Substance Use Counselor with CADTP (California Association of DUI Treatment Programs).
3. Hands-on experience
- Complete 255 hours of paid hands-on internship.
- Work at approved behavioral health facilities, rehab centers or community clinics.
- Get real-world experience helping individuals on their recovery journey.
4. Certification and job placement support
- Take the Substance Use Disorder Counselor certification exam (cost covered).
- Receive 1:1 career coaching to prepare for job applications and interviews.
- Get connected to partner employers looking to hire certified counselors.
No. The San Diego Workforce Partnership will cover ALL expenses including registration, certification, tuition, fees, and textbooks. If you are requested to pay for anything, please contact us immediately.
Yes. It is encouraged that you apply for financial aid at your assigned school. This will not change our commitment to cover all required expenses.
Yes. It is encouraged that you seek employment in the SUD field. If you need immediate assistance finding a job, please connect with one of your program specialist or a career navigators at your closest Career Center. Use the following link to locate the Career Center nearest you. https://workforce.org/careers/.
You can start counting the required 255 hours of supervised SUD training when you enroll into your school’s practicum course. These are separate from the 2,080 hours of SUD counseling work experience and can not be combined. The 2,080 of SUD Counseling work experience are collected at a SUD related work environment. Both set of hours must be signed off by an accredited supervisor. You can find a break down of the hours here. New SUD Counselors • CADTP Counselors
Yes. You will need your supervisor to sign off on your hours using the Work Verification Form. You can find the form on this website New SUD Counselors • CADTP Counselors and scroll down to “Work Verification Form.”
You may also contact CADTP directly at (800) 464-3597 info@CADTP.org. They are very responsive!
We encourage you to wait until you have taken your schools required Ethics course to begin the registration process. We can register you before that, but this decision is made on a case-by-case basis. Please contact us if you would like to complete your registration so we can guide you through the process.
Yes. We have many connections throughout San Diego County. We encourage you to let us know if you’ve applied to an agency so we can reach out to them as well. We will also send you a link to our job portal. Contact SUDSupport@workforce.org
We suggest the following breakdown. 3 hours per week reading the content online + 4-5 hours doing the related readings, papers, etc. + Total: 8 hours per course per week or a little more than 1 hour per day per course.
Palomar College- Being on parole or probation is not a problem for enrolling and taking courses at Palomar College, in fact, Palomar has an entire program we have an entire program dedicated to helping people transition from incarceration to college. It is called Transitions .
Getting an internship and certification is a little trickier. In general, if the conviction is related to a substance charge, we can usually find students an internship without too much difficulty. It narrows their options if they are still on probation or parole but possible.
If the conviction is a harm or threat to someone else, this is a problem. Arson, assault, burglary, things like this would probably exclude someone from becoming certified.There are no restrictions for students on probation at UCSD Extended Studies.We suggest the following breakdown. 3 hours per week reading the content online + 4-5 hours doing the related readings, papers, etc. + Total: 8 hours per course per week or a little more than 1 hour per day per course.
Palomar College and City College Alcohol and Other Drugs Program encourage all students to apply.
UCSD School of Extended Studies Alcohol and Drug Abuse Counseling Program requires that you have 1 year of sobriety.
For academic based questions, reach out to your academic advisor or program coordinator at your respective school.
Our staff can try their best to connect you with the appropriate resource for EDD questions, but keep in mind that they are not EDD staff. Please contact your local EDD office.
It’s normal to feel overwhelmed! Please reach out to your program specialist should you feel the need to drop a course. Since some courses are a pre-requisite for others, dropping courses can throw off the trajectory of your classes.