Colorado Addiction Counselor CPC
All Certified Addiction Technicians (ACA), Certified Addiction Specialists (ACC), Licensed Addiction Counselors (ACD) and Addiction Counselor Candidates (ADDC) with an Active Colorado license/certification must regularly complete Continuing Professional Competency (CPC) requirements to practice addiction counseling with that license/certification.
- For Certified Addiction Technicians, Certified Addiction Specialists and Licensed Addiction Counselors, CPC requirements start immediately upon initial licensure/certification.
- For Addiction Counselor Candidates, CPC requirements start after the first registration renewal.
- CPC requirements must also be completed to reactivate or reinstate an inactive or expired license/certification.
Audits of compliance are conducted after each license/certification period.
CPC is defined as “the ongoing ability of a certified or licensed addiction counselor to learn, integrate, and apply the knowledge, skill and judgment to practice as an addiction counselor according to generally accepted industry standards and professional ethical standards in a designated role and setting.”
There are three ways to comply with the Board’s CPC requirements:
- The State Board of Addiction Counselor Examiners’ Continuing Professional Development (CPD) Program.
- Deem Status.
- Active Duty Military Exemption.
Addiction Counselor CPC Information
Continuing Professional Development (CPD)
If you cannot claim Deem Status or do not qualify for a Military Exemption, you must participate in the State Board’s CPD Program. The program consists of the following steps:
- Complete the Professional Practice Survey and Self-Assessment to establish learning goals.
- Create a Learning Plan.
- Execute the Learning Plan by completing at least 40 Professional Development Hours (PDH) through a minimum of 2 Professional Development Activities (PDA) every 2-year license/certification period.
- After their first registration renewal, Addiction Counselor Candidates must complete at least 60 PDH during each 3-year registration period.
- Document the completed PDH on your Learning Plan.
PDH must be directly relevant to your competence in addiction counseling, the behavioral health field and your learning goals. After creating a Learning Plan, complete the activities that were planned to meet your established learning goals. Activities must be completed during the two-year license/certification period that immediately precedes the renewal of a license/certificate. Time spent commuting, traveling, scheduling or planning your activities does not count towards the PDH required for each license/certificate period.
Deem Status
Deem Status is one way for licensees/certificate holders to comply with CPC requirements. You may qualify for Deem Status if you meet the formalized professional development requirements of a Colorado state department, and those requirements meet the state’s definition of continuing professional competency.
Deem Status commonly occurs through employment with a Colorado state department or through employment with an agency that holds a contract with a Colorado state department. You likely qualify for Deem Status if you can answer “yes” to the following questions:
- Did you participate in a Colorado state agency’s formalized professional development program for the purpose of maintaining or enhancing your practice as an Addiction Counselor?
- Did you participate in the program during the two-year license/certification period that immediately precedes the renewal of your DORA license/certification?
It is the licensee’s/certificate holder’s responsibility to determine if they qualify for Deem Status. All licensees claiming Deem Status are subject to an audit of compliance.
A licensee/certificate holder claiming Deem Status may have their employer sign the Deem Status Verification Letter. This letter template is a helpful tool designed to aid Addiction Counselors and their employers in documenting a specific counselor’s Deem Status. Completion of this letter is NOT REQUIRED for an Addiction Counselor to claim Deem Status.
Military Exemption
A Military Exemption is one way to comply with continuing professional competency requirements. A Military Exemption must be pre-approved by the Division of Professions and Occupations (DPO).
Pursuant to Colorado statute, a licensee/certificate holder who has been called to federally funded active duty for at least 120 days for the purpose of serving in a war, emergency or contingency may be eligible to receive an exemption from the continuing professional competency requirements for the renewal of a license/certification.
A licensee/certificate holder seeking a Military Exemption from licensing fees and continuing professional competency requirements must submit a written request. Visit DPO’s Military License Renewal Information webpage for more information.
Additional Information
Professional Development Hours (PDH)
Professional Development Hours (PDH) are the units of measurement of active learning used to accrue credit in the Board’s CPD Program. Document in your Learning Plan the number of completed PDH and in which Professional Development Activity (PDA) category each PDH was completed.
PDH Requirements for License/Certificate Renewal:
- For Certified Addiction Technicians, Certified Addiction Specialists and Licensed Addiction Counselors, at least 40 PDH must be completed during each two-year license/certification period.
- For Addiction Counselor Candidates, at least 60 PDH must be completed during each 3-year registration period.
- No more than 20 PDH may be completed in a single PDA category during a 2-year license/certification period.
- A maximum of 5 PDH can be carried from the last license/certification period to the next if the hours were earned within 6 months of the license/certification expiration date and are more than the required 40 hours.
Prorated PDH for Initial Licensees/Certificate Holders:
For Certified Addiction Technicians, Certified Addiction Specialists and Licensed Addiction Counselors who received their initial credential during a license/certification period, completion of the full 40 PDH is not required. Instead, a prorated amount of 1.66 hours per licensed/certified month will be required. This amount includes the month you receive your initial license/certificate (even if there were only a few days left in the month) and goes all the way through the license/certification period’s expiration date.
Example:
- Current license period: September 1, 2025 – August 31, 2027
- Initial License received January 15, 2026
- Prorated PDH required for renewal in August of 2027 - 33 PDH (1.66 hours X 20 months)
Additional PDH Information:
- PDH are equivalent to clock hours. 1 PDH is equal to 1 clock hour (60 minutes).
- PDH must develop your professional skill and be directly relevant to your competence in addiction counseling, the behavioral health field and your learning goals.
- Unless otherwise noted, PDH cannot be completed for activities that fulfill duties for your primary role or job description.
- The Board DOES NOT pre-approve or accredit specific educational providers or programs.
- Continuing Competency requirements apply to all licensees/certificate holders in Active status, regardless of current employment status or number of hours worked.
- The Board does not accept serving on a federal, state or municipal board or commission as a CPD activity.
Professional Development Activities (PDA)
Professional Development Activities (PDA) are defined as Board-approved learning activities undertaken for the purpose of continuing professional development, pursuant to Board Rule.
- Documentation of completed activities must be retained for at least 5 years.
For more complete information about PDA, please review the CPC Program Manual.
Volunteer Services
Service provided at no charge that relies on professional knowledge and skill. Volunteer service must enhance, improve, or maintain your competence as an Addiction Counselor.
Documentation Required:
- A verifiable document issued and signed by the organization/agency that includes the name of the licensee/certificate holder, the number of volunteer hours, dates and a description of the service provided. The document must be signed by someone other than the licensee/certificate holder.
Mentoring
An ongoing professional, educational, and voluntary relationship between a mentor and protégé that provides guidance, feedback, evaluation, and ongoing review to improve professional knowledge and practice. PDH may be accrued for participation in a mentorship as the mentor or the protégé. No pecuniary relationship may exist between the parties.
Documentation Required:
- A verifiable letter including the mentor and protégé names, signatures of both parties, dates, and the total number of contact hours. The letter must outline the goals and objectives of the mentor and protégé and the progress made toward the goals and objectives.
Presenting
Preparation and delivery of material related to one's professional skill or experience. Credit will be given for the first delivery only. Two PDH are earned for every clock hour spent presenting when the licensee/certificate holder both prepares and delivers the presentation. PDH may be earned as either the primary or co-presenter.
Documentation Required:
- A verifiable document from the sponsoring organization/agency or a copy of the program listing the presenter’s name, date, duration of the presentation, and title.
Supervision
PDH may be accrued for providing clinical supervision in accordance with Board Rule, so long as it is not part of your primary role or job description.
Documentation Required:
- A document including the supervisor's and supervisee's names, signatures of both parties, dates, and the total number of contact hours.
Coursework
Activities undertaken in traditional learning environments, such as academic courses, continuing education, seminars, conferences, in-service training and workshops. Coursework may be completed in-person or online.
Documentation Required:
- Verifiable evidence issued by the organization/agency indicating the completion of a course, e.g., certificate of completion, transcript or a letter from the provider. The documentation must include the participant’s name, name of the course, date, content speaker/instructor, number of hours, etc.
Independent Learning
A structured, self-curated learning experience undertaken by an individual that takes place outside of traditional learning environments.
- Online, self-paced, or self-guided continuing education courses are not considered Independent Learning.
Documentation Required:
- Complete and retain the Independent and Group Learning Form. Complete a separate form for each topic or activity.
Group Learning
CEH's may be awarded for successful completion of a continuing education course, seminar, or presentation in ethics for land surveyors.
- A maximum of 2 CEH per license period can be awarded.
Documentation Required:
- A provider-generated certificate of completion or academic transcript verifying completion of the course. Documentation must include the land surveyor’s name, the title of the course, the date of completion, the name and contact information of the course provider, and the number of CEH's.
Structured Self-Study
A small study group of professionals that regularly meets to discuss shared areas or fields of learning that advance professional skill and experience.
Documentation Required:
- Complete and retain the Independent and Group Learning Form. Complete a separate form for each topic or activity. A copy of an attendance log is also required for each Group Learning activity.
Multi-Licensed Professionals
Licensees/certificate holders holding two DORA mental health credentials are granted a CPC exemption of 40 hours. This means if you are dually licensed/certified, you only need to complete a total of 40 PDH each two-year license/certification period. Licensees/certificate holders holding three credentials are granted an exemption of 80 hours. This means if you are triply licensed/certified, you only need to complete a total of 40 PDH. You do not need to complete 40 hours per license/certification.
Example:
- A licensee has an active ACD license and is also licensed as an LPC and MFT. They only need to complete 40 PDH to renew their ACD, LPC and MFT licenses. They must still participate in the respective Professional Practice Surveys and maintain Learning Plans for each license. The separate Learning Plans may log the same activities and hours.
Do not submit a formal request for a dual or triple license exemption. Board Rule extends the exemption to all licensees/certificate holders who have more than one active DORA credential and participate in the CPD program.
CPC Documents and Forms
Select the link to view the form. To use the form’s fillable fields, download and open it from your computer.
- Continuing Professional Competency Program Manual: The Program Manual provides detailed explanations of CPC requirements and the Board’s CPD program.
- Professional Practice Survey and Self-Assessment: Use this form at the beginning of each license/certification period to reflect on your practice and create learning goals to complete during the period. Save your completed form with your license/renewal records. Do not send Practice Surveys to the Board.
- Learning Plan: Use this form to record the completion of your Professional Development Hours (PDH), Professional Development Activities (PDA) and the learning goals that you created. Save your completed form with your license/renewal records.
- Independent and Group Learning Form: Use this form to document any PDH completed in the Independent and Group Learning categories. If undertaking more than one Independent or Group Learning activity, complete a separate form for each topic or activity. Save your completed form(s) with your license/renewal records.
- Deem Status Verification Letter: This letter may be completed by the employer of any licensee/certificate holder claiming Deem Status. Save your completed form with your license/renewal records. Completion of this letter is not required to claim Deem Status.