At Northeast Community College, our Drug and Alcohol Counseling Certificate program prepares students to make a meaningful impact in the lives of individuals facing substance use and addiction. Whether you're starting a new career or enhancing your current one, this program provides the knowledge and hands-on skills needed to support others on the path to recovery.
Students gain essential competencies in counseling theory, helping skills, ethical practices, documentation, treatment planning, group facilitation, multicultural awareness, and understanding the effects of drugs and medications.
The program is offered online and includes the 270 clock hours of education required for initial licensure in Nebraska. A 300-hour practicum is also required to meet full licensure requirements.
Why Students Choose This Program
The coursework for the Drug and Alcohol Counseling Certificate is offered entirely online, with some course sections available in person as well, to provide students with the flexibility to complete the program where they are, when it works best for them. With the online program option, many students are able to juggle work, family and other obligations while pursuing their credential. For student wanting for further advance their education, program credit courses may also be applied to an Associate of Arts Degree with a concentration in Human Services at Northeast.
Students benefit from small class sizes that foster relationships with instructors and peers. Students receive one-on-one mentorship, practical insights, and constructive feedback to help them grow professionally.
The curriculum in the Drug and Alcohol Counseling program has been approved by the State of Nebraska Division of Public Health. The program provides the 270 clock hours of education required for initial licensure of alcohol and drug counselors.
Hands-On Learning Opportunities and Courses
Real-world experience is central to the Drug and Alcohol Counseling program. Northeast offers the coursework to meet the 270 clock hours of education required for initial licensure of alcohol and drug counselors in Nebraska. In addition to the coursework, licensure requires a 300-hour practicum. To learn more about the practicum requirements, please visit Statutes Relating to Alcohol and Drug Counseling on the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services website.
The program includes a diverse range of courses designed to provide students with both foundational knowledge and specialized skills, including:
- Multicultural Counseling
- Case Management and Professional Ethics
- Treatment Issues in Chemical Dependency
Program Details
16 weeks (19 credits)
Online and in-person courses available.
The application for admission at Northeast is free. Apply for admission, and learn more about your next steps.
Receive financial support through the PLADC Student Support Grant
The Nebraska Legislature allocated more than $25 million in American Rescue Plan Act funding to the Behavioral Health Education Center in 2022 to address the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and the shortage of behavioral health professionals. The funds cover projects in four award categories: behavioral health training opportunities, telebehavioral health support in rural areas, behavioral health workforce projects to address the COVID-19 pandemic, and funding for supervision of provisionally licensed behavioral health providers currently employed in Nebraska.
Northeast Community College was awarded grant funding in the Behavioral Health Training Opportunities category. The NECC funded project, the PLADC Student Support Grant, is designed to provide stipend support to students pursuing PLADC licensure. These stipend funds help to offset the financial cost of completing both the educational and practicum requirements to become eligible for the PLADC in Nebraska.
- Eligibility
- Anyone accepted into the Drug Alcohol Counseling Certificate program is eligible to apply for stipend funds as part of the grant which includes up to $3,000 living stipend, up to $1,300 computer/ course materials stipend (eligibility requirements apply for computer)/ $3,200 practicum stipend.
- Application and Deadline
- Submit Your Application
- Application Deadline: For Summer 2025 start: March 1, 2025 (A Fall 2025 cohort will be chosen from all applicants who did not receive prior funding as funds are available)
- Awardees will be notified prior to the start of classes for the appropriate term. An orientation, advising, and program completion plan will be required prior to the release of funds.
Additional Assistance: Our Financial Aid staff works with students, parents, and counselors to help meet the cost of a college education. Visit Financial Aid for more information.
