Skip to main content

Obtaining Certification



Be sure to check your scope of practice, granted by your license, against the rules and regulations of the State Department of Health in particular the Substance Abuse division. In Wyoming, private practices as well as agencies need a Substance Abuse certification issued by the state in order to actively treatment substance abuse disorders. In some states, if your practice has a national accreditation such as CARF or JCAHO, state certification is not also required. Professional licenses that may require additional agency certification in the private sector are

  • Licensed Addiction Therapist (LAT)
  • Certified Addiction Practitioner (CAP)
  • Certified Addiction Practitioner Assistant (CAPA)

Substance abuse certification is a process that often includes an application that focuses on your  understanding of the following areas of practice

  • Adherence to state standards of care
  • Documentation
  • Treatment plan requirements
  • HIPAA compliance
  • Levels of care
  • Assessment
  • Programming requirements including frequency
  • Client rights and handbook
Certifications expire so be sure to plan accordingly for their renewal. 


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Continuing Education Credits (CEUs)

Continuing education credits are required to maintain your mental health license (LCSW, LPC, and LMFT). Consider using your mandated CEUs to specialize in the populations you want to serve. This approach will speed you along your path of specialization and allows you to complete your renewal requirements. In Wyoming, clinicians currently need 45 continuing education hours for every two years this typically renews on their birthday. There are many ways to earn the credits you need without breaking the bank.


Local trainings offered by companies such as PESIOnline training many offer unlimited CEUs for a fixed priceWebinarsNational conferences Travel to trainings offered in other cities (tax deduction for private practices)
Post a Comment
Read more

Offering Telehealth Services

Many private practitioners offer telehealth services to their clients.  There are many benefits to offering this service including flexibility of scheduling, availability of therapist and client and portability. There are few things to remember when offering telehealth services:

Be sure that the insurance policy will pay for telehealth sessions (as needed)Be sure that the carrier you chose for telehealth is encrypted and will offer a BAA (good options include VSee, and Zoom)Speak in a private area to assist with confidentialtyHave clients sign a specific telehealth release
Post a Comment
Read more

Networking with Other Professionals

Networking with professionals in your community helps you to stay connected to potential referral sources as well as become an active member of the professional community. Getting out and talking to others as you become the face of your business will assist in confidence building for referral sources. Remember when networking to be social, friendly and approachable as you are constantly representing your company. There are several ways to begin networking with others immediately while others take time to develop. Allow community partners to begin associating the name of your business with trust, positivity and advocacy.  Various opportunities to network include
Volunteering for Causes- Special Olympics, Homeless ShelterJoining Kiwanis, Rotary or the Red Carpet Committee via the Chamber of CommerceSponsor a youth T-ball team or bowling teamAttend lunch workshops offered by other community membersHost an Open House at your business and invite other professionals in the areaOffer lunch m…
Post a Comment
Read more