(1) An individual seeking licensure in Montana as a licensed addiction counselor (LAC) will first be granted a temporary practice permit upon submission of the following:

(a) a completed application;

(b) official transcripts, certificates of completion, or other forms of documentation to verify graduation, sent directly from the accredited college or university as proof of successful completion of an education program per 37-35-202, MCA;

(i) Qualifying education in (b) must include at least 300 contact hours of specific courses, including minimum hours in each of the following areas:

(A) substance-related/use disorders assessment and patient placement, biopsychosocial testing, diagnosis, referrals, and the American Society of Addiction Medicine Patient Placement (ASAM) criteria or any nationally recognized

equivalent 60 hours

(B) licensed addiction counseling 90 hours

(C) pharmacology (must include drug classification,

effects, detoxification, and withdrawal) 30 hours

(D) ethics (ethics for licensed addiction counselors) 15 hours

(E) alcohol and drug studies 30 hours

(F) treatment planning and documentation 30 hours

(G) multicultural competency 15 hours

(H) co-occurring disorders 30 hours

(c) specific information regarding the licensed addiction counseling treatment setting where the supervised work experience will be completed, including:

(i) name of the LAC responsible for the supervised work experience;

(ii) verification that any and all licenses held by the LAC supervisor in other jurisdictions are unrestricted with no pending discipline; and

(iii) proof that the LAC supervisor has at least three years of licensed addiction counseling experience post licensure in an approved LAC treatment setting; and

(d) required application fee payment.

(2) The new education requirements in (1)(b)(i)(A) through (H) apply to first-time students newly enrolled in an education program after September 20, 2013. The former education requirements at ARM 24.154.405 apply only to students enrolled in an education program prior to September 20, 2013.

(3) A person is eligible for only one temporary practice permit for each application and no extensions to permits are allowed.

(4) Pursuant to ARM 24.154.409, LAC temporary practice permit holders must submit proof of completed supervised work experience hours, signed by the permit holder's LAC supervisor, before becoming eligible to take the written examination. Supervised work experience forms are included in the LAC application.

(5) Individuals with a LAC temporary practice permit must provide proof of completed supervised work experience hours as detailed in (1)(c) before they are eligible to take the written examination.

(6) The written examination shall cover four content areas:

(a) pharmacology of psychoactive substances;

(b) counseling practice;

(c) theoretical based counseling; and

(d) professional issues.

(7) Applicants must receive a passing score on the Level 1 or Level 2 written examination prescribed by the National Association of Alcoholism and Drug Abuse Counselors Certification Commission (NCC), on the Northwest Certification II, or on the Southwest Certification II. Test results are sent to the applicants and the department. Applicants receive an "overall" score for the examination and separate scores for each of the content areas.