Master Addictions Counselor

Master Addictions Counselors (MAC) have earned their national certification and offer the highest standards of practice in addictions counseling because they have met stringent education, examination, supervision, experience, and ethical requirements.

The Master Addictions Counselor (MAC) certification was created jointly by the American Counseling Association (ACA), specifically the International Association of Addiction and Offenders Counselors (IAAOC), and the National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC). The MAC certification attests to the educational background, knowledge, skills, and competencies of the specialist in addictions counseling. NCCs who hold the MAC credential are eligible to seek Substance Abuse Professional (SAP) status through the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT).


Application Requirements

Prerequisite

The National Certified Counselor (NCC) is a prerequisite for the MAC specialty. If you are not an NCC, please review these requirements.

In addition to holding NCC certification, the requirements for the MAC certification include:

  • Documentation of a minimum of 12 semester hours of graduate coursework in addictions counseling, including drug terminology, theories of addictions, and addictions treatment methods. Up to six semester hours of coursework in group counseling (limit three semester hours) and/or family counseling (limit three semester hours) may be included. Continuing education hours specifically in the area of addictions may be substituted for all or part of the addictions-specific coursework requirements. If addictions-specific continuing education is substituted, 500 CE hours equals the entire 12 semester hours. Three years supervised experience as an addictions counselor at no fewer than 20 hours per week. Two of the three years must have been completed after the counseling master's degree was conferred.
  • A passing score on the Examination for Master Addictions Counselors (EMAC).

Please contact us at certification@nbcc.org if you are interested in applying for the MAC.


Recertification

Once you complete the application process, you will need to meet ongoing requirements in order to maintain and recertify your MAC.


MAC Questions:


Submit

The MAC® is a registered certification mark owned and controlled by the MAC Consortium, consisting of the National Board for Certified Counselors, Inc. (NBCC), NAADAC – the Association for Addiction Professionals, and the Commission on Rehabilitation Counselor Certification (CRCC). Unauthorized use of the MAC certification mark and credential is not permitted.

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