Yes — accepted under our NAADAC accreditation.
Iowa | Addictions | Addiction Counselors, Prevention Specialists, Peer Support Specialists
Iowa Board of Certification
Impact CE's distance-learning courses meet the continuing education requirements of the Iowa Board of Certification, accepted under our NAADAC approval.
- Total Hours Required
- up to 40 CE credit hours every 2 years, varies by credential
- May Be Online / Home Study
- 20 CE credit hours the rest must be earned elsewhere
- Mandatory Requirements
- 2 supervision courses, co-occurring disorders courses
- Our Courses That Count
- 698 including every mandatory requirement
Mandatory Requirements
These hours count toward your 40 CE credit hours, but must cover specific content.
Supervision Courses
Iowa Certified Clinical Supervisors Consider these courses to help fulfill your renewal requirements:
Co-occurring Disorders Courses
Iowa Certified Co-Occurring Disorders Professionals Consider these courses to help fulfill your renewal requirements:
Credentials This Covers
Temporary CADC (tCADC)
Addiction Counselor
Inital - Specifically, hours must be earned as: 45 clock hours in Counseling Theories & Techniques 45 clock hours in Alcohol and Drug Specific 6 clock hours in Special Populations 6 clock hours in Counseling Ethics 3 clock hours in Racial/Ethnic The remaining hours may be earned under any of the Knowledge and Skill Competencies. NO RENEWALS Once certified, the tCADC will have two (2) years to meet the experience and supervision requirement for CADC or IADC and will need to upgrade to the CADC or IADC credential. There is no recertification for a tCADC, and the tCADC will expire on the date shown on the certificate emailed to the tCADC (no extensions allowed)
Certified Alcohol And Drug Counselor (CADC)
Addiction Counselor
Inital - High school diploma or general education diploma. Twenty-four (24) semester hours (or 33 quarter hours) of college level credit in substance abuse or its related fields (related fields are Counseling, Psychology, Sociology, Social Work, Human Services, and Criminal Justice). A minimum grade of “C” must be earned. Specifically, hours must be earned as: 45 clock hours in Counseling Theories & Techniques 45 clock hours in Alcohol and Drug Specific 6 clock hours in Special Populations 6 clock hours in Counseling Ethics 3 clock hours in Racial/Ethnic The remaining hours may be earned under any of the Knowledge and Skill Competencies.
International Alcohol And Drug Counselor (IADC)
Addiction Counselor
Initial - High school diploma or general education diploma. Completion of 300 clock hours in the Alcohol and Drug Knowledge and Skill Competencies. These 300 clock hours may be a combination of college courses, trainings, and workshops. Some special conditions apply; namely, • At least 30 hours must have been earned within the 24 months preceding the application. • Specifically, hours must be earned as: • 90 clock hours in Counseling Theories & Techniques • 90 clock hours in Alcohol and Drug Specific • 6 clock hours in Counseling Ethics • 3 clock hours in Racial/Ethnic The remaining hours may be earned under any of the Knowledge and Skill Competencies. • Applicants may utilize up to 50% of the education hours from online/distance learningor IBC approved in-service training.
International Advanced Alcohol And Drug Counselor (IAADC)
Addiction Counselor
A master’s degree in a behavioral science (i.e. Counseling, Psychology, Sociology, Social Work, Human Services, and Criminal Justice) plus completion of at least 180 clock hours of Alcohol and Drug Specific education. An additional six (6) clock hours must be obtained in counselor ethics as well as three (3) clock hours specific to Racial/Ethnic (see Glossary of Terms for definition). • Applicants may utilize up to 50% of the education hours from online/distance learning
Certified Gambling Treatment Counselors (CGTC)
Addiction Counselor
Initial - Minimum of Associate’s degree or 2 years of college in a related human service field (i.e. psychology, sociology, counseling, chemical dependency, social work, criminal justice, human resources, etc.). A minimum grade of “C” must be earned or the course will be ineligible. Documentation of the degree will be according to instructions on Form 03, "Education Resume." In addition, a minimum of 75 clock hours of education on gambling‐related issues is required. These 75 clock hours may be a combination of college courses, trainings, and workshops. Some special conditions apply; namely,
- Specifically, hours must be earned as: o 12 hours in basic pathological/problem gambling knowledge (including co‐ occurring problems) o 12 hours in intake, assessment and crisis o 12 hours in significant other treatment o 12 hours in individual and group counseling skills o 6 clock hours in problem gambling‐related case management o 6 hours in special populations areas o 6 hours in ethics o 6 hours in legal/financial aspects o 3 hours in racial/ethnic These hours may not include in‐service training. Renewal Certified Gambling Treatment Counselors must obtain forty (40) clock hours of continuing education during the two‐year certification period to qualify for recertification. Specifically: • 20 hours must be gambling treatment specific • 6 hours must be special populations • 3 hours must be in ethics No more than 20 clock hours may be earned through distance learning for each certification period.
Certified Treatment Assistant (CTA)
Addiction Counselor
Inital - 6 must be in ethics. Applicants may utilize up to 50% of the education hours from online/distance learning or IBC approved in-service training. An in-service training is the education and training which occurs within the applicant’s agency, only for agency staff and conducted only by agency staff. Renewal Three (3) of the clock hours must be in ethics.
Certified Clinical Supervisor (CCS)
Addiction Counselor
Initial - • A master’s degree or higher in substance abuse or human services field. • Thirty (30) hours of education specific to the IC&RC clinical supervision domains with a minimum of five (5) hours in each domain. In addition, 3 hours of racial/ethnic training is required. Renewal Three (3) of the clock hours must be in ethics.
Certified Criminal Justice Professional (CCJP)
Addiction Counselor
Before becoming certified as a CCJP, it is required that the applicant first become certified as an IADC or IAADC by completing an application for one of those credentials, meeting all requirements and passing the applicable IC&RC exam. Hours of education should include these domains as they relate to both adults and juveniles. You must have a minimum of 10 hours in each domain: • Dynamics of Addiction and Criminal Behavior • Criminal justice system and processes • Screening, assessment and treatment planning • Case management and counseling • Additionally, 6 hours in criminal justice ethics are required, as well as 3 hours in Racial/Ethnic training. Renewal* Three (3) of the clock hours must be in ethics. • The remaining hours must be specific to criminal justice and/or substance abuse
Certified Prevention Specialist (CPS)
Prevention Specialist
Initial - A minimum of 120 hours of prevention specific education, including: • Successful completion of the “Substance Abuse Prevention Specialist Training” (if this course is not available in the time frame necessary, contact the IBC office) • 6 clock hours in an IBC-approved prevention ethics course • 6 clock hours of training in special populations • 3 clock hours of training in racial/ethnic • 50 clock hours of training in ATOD specific training Renewal 3 must be in ethics.
Advanced Certified Prevention Specialist (ACPS)
Prevention Specialist
Initial - A minimum of 120 hours of prevention specific education as indicated for CPS. In addition, successful completion of 24 additional training/education hours as follows: • 3 clock hours in use of technology in prevention (i.e. social media, website support, etc.) Renewal 3 must be in ethics. • 3 clock hours in prevention applicable Ethics (in addition to the 6 hours in Prevention Ethics required for CPS) • 6 clock hours in the Identification and Treatment of Substance Use Disorders (including SBIRT specific training) • 3 clock hours in Stages of Change and Readiness • 3 clock hours in Trauma Informed Care and ACES • 6 clock hours in Coordination of Care (mental health/primary health issues related to substance abuse prevention)
Certified Peer Recovery Specialist (CPRS)
Peer Support Specialist
Initial - A certificate of completion must be submitted for the Iowa Peer Support Specialist Training provided by the University of Iowa, the Georgia Model training (IPSTA), Life Connections, or an equivalent model approved by IBC. Renewal Six (6) of the clock hours must be in ethics. No more than 10 can be distance learning.
Family Peer Support Specialists (FPSS)
Peer Support Specialist
A certificate of completion must be submitted for either the Family Navigator training or the Family Peer Support Specialist training provided by the University of Iowa. Renewal Six (6) of the clock hours must be in ethics. No more than 10 can be distance learning.
Mental Health Support Specialist (MHPSS)
Peer Support Specialist
2 hours of ethics No more than 12 clock hours may be earned through online/distance learning
About This Approval
Our distant learning courses are accepted for continuing education credit for addiction counselors, as set forth by the Iowa Board of Certification. For renewal certification the IBC requires a $15 fee for each distant learning course submitted to the certification board. There is no fee for those seeking their initial certifications.
Initial Certification There is no limit on distant learning courses for initial certification. *However please be aware of the following IBC content requirements when selecting CE courses from this site:
3 hours of racial/ethnic cultural competency training is required for all NEW certifications. Note: This has been reduced from the original requirement of 6 hours. “The racial/ethnic category covers training including, but not limited to, the following categories: American Indian/Alaskan Native, Asian, African American, Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander and Hispanic/Latino.”
CADCs: A minimum of 150 clock hours of training in the Core Functions is required.Some special conditions apply; namely, clock hours must be earned as: • 45 clock hours in Counseling Theories & Techniques • 45 clock hours in Alcohol and Drug specific education • 6 clock hours in Special Populations • 6 clock hours in Counseling Ethics • The remaining hours may be earned under any of the Core Functions.
IADCs 300 clock hours of education and training in the Core Functions. Some special conditions apply; namely: 90 clock hours in Counseling Theories & Techniques • 90 clock hours in Alcohol and Drug specific education • 6 clock hours in Counseling Ethics • The remaining hours may be earned under any of the Knowledge and Skill Competencies.
Recertification Please be aware of the following IBC content requirements when selecting courses from this site:
No hours of racial/ethnic cultural competency training are required for recertifications. Note: This is a change from the original June, 2009 requirement of 3 hours.
Certified co-occurring disorders professionals(CCDP): must obtain forty (40) clock hours of continuing education during the two-year certification period to qualify for recertification. Three (3) of the clock hours must be in ethics. The remainder of the hours must be education specific to Co-occurring Disorders No more than 20 clock hours may be earned through distance learning for each two-year certification period.
Certified Clinical Supervisors: Certified Clinical Supervisors must obtain forty (40) clock hours of continuing education during the two-year certification period to qualify for recertification. • Six (6) of the clock hours must be in ethics. • The remaining hours must be relevant to the certified professional’s field. No more than Twenty (20) clock hours may be earned through distance learning for each certification period.
CADCs and IADCs: of the required 40 hours for recertification, three (3) hours must be in ethics. The remaining recertification hours must be applicable to a substance abuse counselor.
No more than 20 clock hours may be earned through online/distance learning for each two-year
certification period.
Prevention Specialists: of the required 40 hours for recertification, three (3) hours must be in ethics. The remaining recertification hours must be applicable to a prevention specialist.
Here is a link to the IBC CADC Handbook.
Impact CE is a service of CE Learning Systems LLC. CE Learning Systems is approved to offer continuing educations courses by NAADAC and many ICRC certification boards. CE Learning Systems LLC maintains responsibility for the courses.
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Supporting the Return Home: Clinical Practice With Justice-Impacted Individuals After Incarceration
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Kathryn Krase, PhD, JD, MSW
Making the Decision to Report Suspected Child Maltreatment: Updated NYS Mandated Reporter Training 2026
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Kathryn Krase, PhD, JD, MSW
Making the Decision to Report Suspected Child Maltreatment: Updated NYS Mandated Reporter Training 2026
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Laurie Blackman, PhD, LMSW, ASW-G
Navigating Cognitive Decline: Helping Families Engage in Difficult Conversations
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Board Contact
- Board
- Iowa Board of Certification
- Official Page
- iowabc.org
Phone: (515) 965-5509
Fax: (515) 965-5540
https://iowabc.org/
A Note on Accuracy
We keep this current, but board rules change without notice — interpreting your state's rules and confirming course relevance is ultimately your responsibility.
Tell us about a change698 Courses Count Toward Your Renewal.
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