About Us

The CCB is an independent, non-governmental, 501(c) 3 nonprofit organization that offers certification for addiction counselors, clinical supervisors, and prevention professionals in Connecticut. The Board has established specialty certificates in substance abuse, co-occurring disorders, and problem gambling for professionals licensed and credentialed in other behavioral healthcare domains. The Board is active in a number of important state-wide workforce development initiatives, provides training/continuing education and ensures that the trainings provided in Connecticut by approved vendors meet established standards.

Since 1980, the CCB was incorporated as the Connecticut Alcoholism Counselor Certification Board and began to offer voluntary certification to alcoholism counselors. At that time the CACCB was composed of counselors and representatives from alcohol treatment agencies, trainers, the counselor association, and other interest groups including two members of the public. Later, in 1983, the CACCB joined the Certification Reciprocity Consortium / Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse in order to support the development of public standards of competency and to provide counselors the opportunity to have reciprocity between member boards.

In 1983, the Board began offering certification to drug abuse counselors. At the same time, alcoholism counselors certified by the Board were recognized by the Connecticut Statutes. In 1993, the CCB merged its certification functions with those of the Connecticut Association of Prevention Professionals and began offering a prevention practitioner credential.

Certification is a voluntary process by which professionals with a special interest in prevention or addiction treatment may receive recognition of demonstrated competency. Its purpose is to establish professional standards, which enable behavioral health care professionals such as counselors, allied health professionals, health service providers, third party payers, employers, and the general public to recognize qualified professionals in these fields. Certification is evidence that standards of knowledge, skill competencies, and experience have been met. The CCB is a member of the International Certification and Reciprocity Consortium/Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse (ICRC).The ICRC is an organization created to promote uniform professional standards and quality for the prevention and substance abuse counseling professions. It works toward giving behavioral health care professional greater visibility, not only in the United States, but internationally. Because of our membership, Connecticut’s reciprocally certified counselors and prevention professionals may re-locate to any member boards including the U.S. Air Force, Army, and Navy, Canada, Sweden, Germany, Malaysia, Singapore, the United Kingdom, Puerto Rico, and Bermuda. Transferring certification requires a minimum of effort and expense.

The Board has partnered with agencies such as the Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services (DMHAS), the Connecticut Association of Non-profits (CAN), the Connecticut Association of Addiction Professionals (CAAP) and the Methadone Directors of Connecticut to assure quality service for those affected by substance use and mental health disorders and the social challenges that those in recovery from these disorders face as they rebuild their lives.

The CCB is working to ensure:

• The health and wellness of the people of Connecticut through the delivery of quality prevention and treatment services for those affected by substance use and mental health disorders.
• The ongoing development and expansion of a competent, professional, culturally diverse and credentialed workforce prepared to address the needs of the people of Connecticut.
• Professional prevention and treatment services are delivered by certified and credentialed professionals.
• Certified and credentialed professionals receive quality clinical supervision.
• The highest ethical and professional standards are followed by all certified and credentialed professionals in the State.
• Ethical concerns are appropriately addressed and those with ethical complaints have an opportunity to have their concerns reviewed in a prompt manner.
• Excellent training and continued education is available to meet the needs of all prevention and treatment professionals.

Benefits of certification:

• Certification identifies professionals who are specialists in their field.
• Certified professionals are recognized by professional affiliations, state, and national legislation.
• Legally defensible
• Certified professionals are provided with the opportunity for peer networking, in addition to involvement and impact through CCB sponsored education opportunities and committee work.
• Certification increases professionalism in the field.
• Certification provides a strong basis for employment hiring and professional advancement.
• Certification provides the certified professional freedom to move to another state within the International Certification and Reciprocity Consortium Member Boards and be granted that state’s credential via the process of reciprocity.

Who benefits from certification?

• The Patient / Client Certification assures competent, professional services while continuously improving the quality of service being provided to the client and family members.
• The public benefits…
  • Assures that certified providers have the knowledge, skill and experience to provide quality services.
  • Provides a mechanism to report allegations of professional misconduct.
• The Public Certification promotes standards of training and competency that will meet standards required for licensing, accreditation, and third-party payers.
• The Certified Professional Certification provides recognition of competency and a marketable credential that will enhance the role of the professional.
  • Assures the public, employers and payers that you have met established standards of professional competency.
  • Enhances confidence in ability to provide recovery support services.
    • Provides portability … the credential belongs to the individual, not the position.
  • Increases sense of professional accomplishment and credibility.
  • Supports continued professional development through annual educational requirements.
  • Demonstrates commitment to ethical and professional conduct.
• The Profession Certification provides opportunity whereby the highest professional standards can be established, maintained, and updated.

The employer benefits…

• Demonstrates agency commitment to quality service delivered by certified Peer Advocates.
• Provides increased opportunity for reimbursement of peer-led services.
• Encourages on-going professional development.
• Allows real-time verification of potential employee’s qualifications and disciplinary history.

Licensing is simply permission to practice and is issued by the state.  Certification is verification of competencies, as determined by international experts in the field, and the standards are not the same.  There is no mutual agreement that holding one guarantees the other.  Both have different standards.