{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-json\/54.1-3507.1.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-text\/54.1-3507.1.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-xml\/54.1-3507.1.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-html\/54.1-3507.1.html"}],"law_id":70897,"edition_id":1,"section_id":70897,"structure_id":15928,"section_number":"54.1-3507.1","catch_line":"Scope of practice, supervision, and qualifications of certified substance abuse counselors","history":"2001, c. 460.","full_text":"A\n\nA certified substance abuse counselor shall be (i) qualified to perform, under appropriate supervision or direction, the substance abuse treatment functions of screening, intake, orientation, the administration of substance abuse assessment instruments, recovery and relapse prevention planning, substance abuse treatment, case management, substance abuse or dependence crisis intervention, client education, referral activities, record keeping, and consultation with other professionals; (ii) qualified to be responsible for client care of persons with a primary diagnosis of substance abuse or dependence; and (iii) qualified to supervise, direct and instruct certified substance abuse counseling assistants. Certified substance abuse counselors shall not engage in independent or autonomous practice.B\n\nSuch counselor shall also be clinically supervised or directed by a licensed substance abuse treatment practitioner, or any other mental health professional licensed by the Department, or, in an exempt setting as described in § 54.1-3501, another person with substantially equivalent education, training, and experience, or such counselor shall be in compliance with the supervision requirements of a licensed facility.C\n\nPursuant to regulations adopted by the Board, an applicant for certification as a substance abuse counselor shall submit evidence satisfactory to the Board that the applicant has (i) completed a specified number of hours of didactic substance abuse education courses in a program or programs recognized or approved by the Board and received a bachelor’s degree from an institution of higher education accredited by an accrediting agency recognized by the Board; and (ii) accumulated a specified number of hours of experience involving the practice of substance abuse treatment while supervised by a licensed substance abuse treatment practitioner, or by any other mental health professional licensed by the Department, or by a certified substance abuse counselor who shall submit evidence satisfactory to the Board of clinical supervision qualifications pursuant to regulations adopted by the Board, such number of hours being greater than the number of hours required of a certified substance abuse counseling assistant. The applicant shall also pass an examination as required by the Board.","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":255653,"text":"A certified substance abuse counselor shall be (i) qualified to perform, under appropriate supervision or direction, the substance abuse treatment functions of screening, intake, orientation, the administration of substance abuse assessment instruments, recovery and relapse prevention planning, substance abuse treatment, case management, substance abuse or dependence crisis intervention, client education, referral activities, record keeping, and consultation with other professionals; (ii) qualified to be responsible for client care of persons with a primary diagnosis of substance abuse or dependence; and (iii) qualified to supervise, direct and instruct certified substance abuse counseling assistants. Certified substance abuse counselors shall not engage in independent or autonomous practice.","type":"section","prefixes":["A"],"prefix":"A","entire_prefix":"A","prefix_anchor":"A","level":1,"next_prefix":"B"},"1":{"id":255654,"text":"Such counselor shall also be clinically supervised or directed by a licensed substance abuse treatment practitioner, or any other mental health professional licensed by the Department, or, in an exempt setting as described in § 54.1-3501, another person with substantially equivalent education, training, and experience, or such counselor shall be in compliance with the supervision requirements of a licensed facility.","type":"section","prefixes":["B"],"prefix":"B","entire_prefix":"B","prefix_anchor":"B","level":1,"prior_prefix":"A","next_prefix":"C"},"2":{"id":255655,"text":"Pursuant to regulations adopted by the Board, an applicant for certification as a substance abuse counselor shall submit evidence satisfactory to the Board that the applicant has (i) completed a specified number of hours of didactic substance abuse education courses in a program or programs recognized or approved by the Board and received a bachelor’s degree from an institution of higher education accredited by an accrediting agency recognized by the Board; and (ii) accumulated a specified number of hours of experience involving the practice of substance abuse treatment while supervised by a licensed substance abuse treatment practitioner, or by any other mental health professional licensed by the Department, or by a certified substance abuse counselor who shall submit evidence satisfactory to the Board of clinical supervision qualifications pursuant to regulations adopted by the Board, such number of hours being greater than the number of hours required of a certified substance abuse counseling assistant. The applicant shall also pass an examination as required by the Board.","type":"section","prefixes":["C"],"prefix":"C","entire_prefix":"C","prefix_anchor":"C","level":1,"prior_prefix":"B"}},"ancestry":[{"id":15928,"edition_id":1,"name":"Licensed Substance Abuse Treatment Practitioners","identifier":"1.1","label":"article","depth":4,"order_by":1,"parent_id":13599,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 04:02:12","date_modified":"2026-06-26 04:02:12","permalink":{"id":243911,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":15928,"identifier":"1.1","token":"54.1\/III\/35\/1.1","url":"\/54.1\/III\/35\/1.1\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":13599,"edition_id":1,"name":"Professional Counseling","identifier":"35","label":"chapter","depth":3,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12758,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:45:21","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:45:21","permalink":{"id":243863,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":13599,"identifier":"35","token":"54.1\/III\/35","url":"\/54.1\/III\/35\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":12758,"edition_id":1,"name":"Professions and Occupations Regulated by Boards Within the Department of Health Professions","identifier":"III","label":"subtitle","depth":2,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12754,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:43:51","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:43:51","permalink":{"id":241105,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":12758,"identifier":"III","token":"54.1\/III","url":"\/54.1\/III\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":12754,"edition_id":1,"name":"Professions and Occupations","identifier":"54.1","label":"title","depth":1,"order_by":1,"parent_id":null,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:43:51","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:43:51","permalink":{"id":239313,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":12754,"identifier":"54.1","token":"54.1","url":"\/54.1\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}}],"structure_contents":[{"id":61913,"structure_id":15928,"section_number":"54.1-3507","catch_line":"Scope of practice of and qualifications for licensed substance abuse treatment practitioners","url":"\/54.1-3507\/","token":"54.1\/III\/35\/1.1\/54.1-3507","metadata":false},{"id":70897,"structure_id":15928,"section_number":"54.1-3507.1","catch_line":"Scope of practice, supervision, and qualifications of certified substance abuse counselors","url":"\/54.1-3507.1\/","token":"54.1\/III\/35\/1.1\/54.1-3507.1","metadata":false},{"id":83400,"structure_id":15928,"section_number":"54.1-3507.2","catch_line":"Scope of practice, supervision, and qualifications of certified substance abuse counseling assistants","url":"\/54.1-3507.2\/","token":"54.1\/III\/35\/1.1\/54.1-3507.2","metadata":false},{"id":74051,"structure_id":15928,"section_number":"54.1-3507.3","catch_line":"Use of titles","url":"\/54.1-3507.3\/","token":"54.1\/III\/35\/1.1\/54.1-3507.3","metadata":false},{"id":74249,"structure_id":15928,"section_number":"54.1-3508","catch_line":"Licensure of certain persons possessing substantially equivalent qualifications, education or experience","url":"\/54.1-3508\/","token":"54.1\/III\/35\/1.1\/54.1-3508","metadata":false},{"id":69776,"structure_id":15928,"section_number":"54.1-3509","catch_line":"Continued certification of certain certified substance abuse counselors","url":"\/54.1-3509\/","token":"54.1\/III\/35\/1.1\/54.1-3509","metadata":false}],"previous_section":{"id":61913,"structure_id":15928,"section_number":"54.1-3507","catch_line":"Scope of practice of and qualifications for licensed substance abuse treatment practitioners","url":"\/54.1-3507\/","token":"54.1\/III\/35\/1.1\/54.1-3507","metadata":false},"next_section":{"id":83400,"structure_id":15928,"section_number":"54.1-3507.2","catch_line":"Scope of practice, supervision, and qualifications of certified substance abuse counseling assistants","url":"\/54.1-3507.2\/","token":"54.1\/III\/35\/1.1\/54.1-3507.2","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/54.1-3507.1\/","history_text":"

This law was first created in 2001. The record of its establishment is cataloged in chapter 460<\/a> of that year\u2019s edition of \u201cActs of Assembly,\u201d the annual state publication listing all changes made to the Code of Virginia in that year.<\/p>","references":[{"id":84153,"section_number":"38.2-3412.1","catch_line":"Coverage for mental health and substance use disorders","order_by":null,"url":"\/38.2-3412.1\/"},{"id":54880,"section_number":"54.1-3500","catch_line":"Definitions","order_by":null,"url":"\/54.1-3500\/"},{"id":74051,"section_number":"54.1-3507.3","catch_line":"Use of titles","order_by":null,"url":"\/54.1-3507.3\/"},{"id":69776,"section_number":"54.1-3509","catch_line":"Continued certification of certain certified substance abuse counselors","order_by":null,"url":"\/54.1-3509\/"}],"refers_to":[{"id":85227,"section_number":"54.1-3501","catch_line":"Exemption from requirements of licensure","order_by":null,"url":"\/54.1-3501\/"}],"permalink":{"id":243917,"object_type":"law","relational_id":70897,"identifier":"54.1-3507.1","token":"54.1\/III\/35\/1.1\/54.1-3507.1","url":"\/54.1-3507.1\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/54.1-3507.1\/","token":"54.1\/III\/35\/1.1\/54.1-3507.1","dublin_core":{"Title":"Scope of practice, supervision, and qualifications of certified substance abuse counselors","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 54.1-3507.1","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

A.<\/span> A certified substance abuse counselor<\/span> shall be (i) qualified to perform, under appropriate supervision<\/span> or direction, the substance abuse treatment<\/span> functions of screening, intake, orientation, the administration of substance abuse assessment instruments, recovery and relapse prevention planning, substance abuse treatment<\/span>, case management, substance abuse or dependence crisis intervention, client education, referral activities<\/span>, record keeping, and consultation with other professionals; (ii) qualified to be responsible for client care of persons with a primary diagnosis of substance abuse or dependence; and (iii) qualified to supervise, direct and instruct certified substance abuse counseling assistants<\/span>. Certified substance abuse counselors<\/span> shall not engage in independent or autonomous practice. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

B.<\/span> Such counselor shall also be clinically supervised or directed by a licensed substance abuse treatment<\/span> practitioner<\/span>, or any other mental health professional licensed by the Department, or, in an exempt setting as described in § 54.1-3501<\/a>, another person with substantially equivalent education, training, and experience, or such counselor shall be in compliance with the supervision<\/span> requirements of a licensed facility. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

C.<\/span> Pursuant to regulations adopted by the Board<\/span>, an applicant for certification as a substance abuse counselor shall submit evidence<\/span> satisfactory to the Board<\/span> that the applicant has (i) completed a specified number of hours of didactic substance abuse education courses in a program or programs recognized or approved by the Board<\/span> and received a bachelor’s degree from an institution of higher education accredited by an accrediting agency recognized by the Board<\/span>; and (ii) accumulated a specified number of hours of experience involving the practice of substance abuse treatment<\/span><\/span> while supervised by a licensed substance abuse treatment<\/span> practitioner<\/span>, or by any other mental health professional licensed by the Department, or by a certified substance abuse counselor<\/span> who shall submit evidence<\/span> satisfactory to the Board<\/span> of clinical supervision<\/span> qualifications pursuant to regulations adopted by the Board<\/span>, such number of hours being greater than the number of hours required of a certified substance abuse counseling assistant<\/span>. The applicant shall also pass an examination as required by the Board<\/span>. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nSCOPE OF PRACTICE, SUPERVISION, AND QUALIFICATIONS OF CERTIFIED SUBSTANCE ABUSE\nCOUNSELORS (\u00a7 54.1-3507.1)\n\nA. A certified substance abuse counselor shall be (i) qualified to perform,\nunder appropriate supervision or direction, the substance abuse treatment\nfunctions of screening, intake, orientation, the administration of substance\nabuse assessment instruments, recovery and relapse prevention planning,\nsubstance abuse treatment, case management, substance abuse or dependence crisis\nintervention, client education, referral activities, record keeping, and\nconsultation with other professionals; (ii) qualified to be responsible for\nclient care of persons with a primary diagnosis of substance abuse or\ndependence; and (iii) qualified to supervise, direct and instruct certified\nsubstance abuse counseling assistants. Certified substance abuse counselors\nshall not engage in independent or autonomous practice.\n\nB. Such counselor shall also be clinically supervised or directed by a licensed\nsubstance abuse treatment practitioner, or any other mental health professional\nlicensed by the Department, or, in an exempt setting as described in §\n54.1-3501, another person with substantially equivalent education, training, and\nexperience, or such counselor shall be in compliance with the supervision\nrequirements of a licensed facility.\n\nC. Pursuant to regulations adopted by the Board, an applicant for certification\nas a substance abuse counselor shall submit evidence satisfactory to the Board\nthat the applicant has (i) completed a specified number of hours of didactic\nsubstance abuse education courses in a program or programs recognized or\napproved by the Board and received a bachelor’s degree from an institution\nof higher education accredited by an accrediting agency recognized by the Board;\nand (ii) accumulated a specified number of hours of experience involving the\npractice of substance abuse treatment while supervised by a licensed substance\nabuse treatment practitioner, or by any other mental health professional\nlicensed by the Department, or by a certified substance abuse counselor who\nshall submit evidence satisfactory to the Board of clinical supervision\nqualifications pursuant to regulations adopted by the Board, such number of\nhours being greater than the number of hours required of a certified substance\nabuse counseling assistant. The applicant shall also pass an examination as\nrequired by the Board.\n\nHISTORY: 2001, c. 460.","edition":{"id":1,"name":"2025","slug":"2025","date_created":"2026-06-21 22:39:22","date_modified":"2026-06-21 22:39:22","current":1,"order_by":1,"last_import":null}}