Indiana LACA Requirements: Hours, Exams & Step-by-Step Guide

Licensing as a Licensed Addiction Counselor Associate (LACA) in Indiana is structured as a bachelor‑level, pre‑supervision credential under the Behavioral Health and Human Services Licensing Board. It is designed for graduates who have the right degree, required addiction‑specific coursework, and a substantial supervised practicum, but who have not yet accumulated post‑degree experience and supervision. (secure.in.gov)

Below is a step‑by‑step outline emphasizing the hours and the Board’s own terminology.

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1. Understand the LACA License

The Board describes an associate addiction license as “for individuals to obtain post degree experience and supervision,” and notes that associate licenses may only be renewed twice. (secure.in.gov)

In practice, the LACA:

• Is a bachelor‑level license in addiction counseling (not independent practice).
• Is held while you gain post‑degree supervised experience toward full Licensed Addiction Counselor (LAC) status.
• Does not itself require multi‑thousand‑hour employment experience prior to issuance; the only specified numerical hour requirement for LACA is the supervised practicum/internship described below.

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2. Education Requirement (Degree & Coursework)

2.1. Required degree

For LACA, the Board requires a baccalaureate degree in addiction counseling or in a related area from an “eligible postsecondary educational institution” (regionally accredited or equivalent). (secure.in.gov)

By regulation, “a baccalaureate degree in addiction counseling or in a related area” means a degree in one of these fields: (law.cornell.edu)

• Addiction studies
• Chemical dependency
• Social work
• Psychology
• Human services
• Human development
• Family relations
• Counseling

If the bachelor’s degree is in another field, the applicant must document that the program (plus any additional coursework) is equivalent to these criteria, with transcripts and supporting documentation as requested by the Board. (law.cornell.edu)

2.2. Required academic “content hours”

Indiana’s addiction‑counselor rule requires at least 40 semester hours or 60 quarter hours of coursework in specific addiction‑related content areas. (law.cornell.edu)

The required content areas are:

1. Addictions theory
2. Psychoactive drugs
3. Addictions counseling skills
4. Theories of personality
5. Developmental psychology
6. Abnormal psychology
7. Treatment planning
8. Cultural competency
9. Ethics and professional development
10. Family education

These are academic credit hours, not practice hours, but they are part of the licensing requirement.

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3. Practicum / Internship Hour Requirements for LACA

This is the core hour requirement for the LACA license.

3.1. Minimum practicum hours and type of experience

The Board’s LACA application instructions (Form P – Verification of Practicum) state that applicants must complete at least one supervised practicum, internship, or field experience in an addiction counseling setting that: (secure.in.gov)

• Requires the applicant to provide at least 350 hours of addiction counseling services.

The Board further specifies that the practicum/internship/field experience:

• “must have been primarily in the provision of direct addiction counseling services” (their phrase). (secure.in.gov)
• Includes knowledge, skill, or experience derived from direct observation of and participation in the practice of addiction counseling (again, language from the statute/rule). (law.cornell.edu)

In other words:

• You need at least 350 clock hours of hands‑on addiction counseling services, not just classroom study.
• These hours are normally built into your bachelor’s program as a practicum or internship and are verified on Form P.

3.2. Who can supervise those 350 hours

For LACA practicum hours, the Board defines “supervised practicum, internship, or field experience” as experience gained under an individual who: (secure.in.gov)

• Is supervising within their scope of experience and training,

• Holds an active license at the time of supervision as one of the following:

  • Addiction counselor
  • Clinical addiction counselor
  • Mental health counselor
  • Clinical social worker
  • Marriage and family therapist
  • Physician with training in psychiatric medicine
  • Psychologist
  • Clinical nurse specialist in psychiatric or mental health nursing
  • Or another state‑regulated addiction counseling professional, or (if the experience was in a state without regulation) an addictions/behavioral health professional of equivalent status

• And has at least three (3) years of experience in providing addiction services.

These supervisory conditions come directly from the Board’s rule and are echoed in the LACA practicum instructions. (secure.in.gov)

Important distinction:
For LACA itself, there is no additional requirement like “1,500 hours direct experience plus 1,500 hours supervised experience.”
The only quantified practice requirement is 350 hours of addiction counseling services within a supervised practicum/internship/field experience.

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4. National Examination Requirement

To be licensed as a LACA, Indiana requires you to take and pass a national addiction counseling exam. The Board has adopted: (secure.in.gov)

• The Alcohol & Drug Counselor (ADC) exam, administered by the IC&RC, or
• The National Certified Addiction Counselor – Level II (NCAC II) exam, administered by NAADAC–NCC AP.

Applicants are required to pass either the ADC or the Level II exam for licensure (Board’s wording in the application instructions). (secure.in.gov)

There is no additional hour requirement tied to the exam beyond the practicum described earlier.

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5. Other Board Requirements for the LACA Application

From the Behavioral Health and Human Services Licensing Information page for “Addiction Counselor Associate (LACA) – Bachelor Level”, the application checklist includes: (secure.in.gov)

• Completed online application (through MyLicense One).
• Application fee: $50 (non‑refundable).
• Criminal Background Check.
• Positive Response Documentation, if you answer “Yes” to any fitness/discipline/criminal history questions (full written explanation plus court documentation).
• Name Change Documentation, if your current name differs from any document (e.g., marriage certificate, divorce decree).
• Official Transcripts from each school listed on Form C, showing degree awarded and date.
• Form C – Verification of Coursework, documenting that your bachelor’s program and coursework meet the Board’s addiction‑counselor education standards.
• Form P – Verification of Practicum, documenting the 350 practicum hours of addiction counseling services and your supervisor’s qualifications.
• Verification of Licensure, if you already hold a license or certification in another state (not applicable to many first‑time applicants).
• Letter of Good Standing from your university if you are in your last semester and seeking exam approval before graduation.

Once all documentation is approved:

• The Board issues exam approval if you have not yet taken ADC/NCAC II.
• You must take the approved exam within one (1) year of the Board’s initial approval, or the approval expires and you must reapply. (secure.in.gov)

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6. How LACA Relates to the Next License (LAC) and Its Hours

You asked specifically about formulations like “1,500 hours of direct experience and 1,500 hours of supervised experience.” Indiana structures this differently:

• Those kinds of multi‑year practice hour requirements apply to the next license level (LAC), not to the LACA.
• To move from LACA to LAC, the Board requires two (2) years of addiction counseling supervised experience, completed in no less than 21 months and no more than 48 months, verified on Form E2 – Experience and Form S2 – Supervision. (secure.in.gov)
• As part of that upgrade, you must complete at least 150 hours of supervision, broken down as: (secure.in.gov)
  • 100 hours of individual supervision, and
  • 50 hours of group supervision,
    under a “qualified supervisor” (a licensed clinical‑level professional with at least five years of addictions experience, as detailed in the instructions).

These two‑year supervised experience and 150 supervision‑hour requirements are not part of becoming a LACA; they are the requirements to become a full Licensed Addiction Counselor (LAC) once you already hold the associate license.

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7. Quick Summary of Hour Requirements

For the LACA license itself (Indiana BHHS Licensing Board):

• Academic coursework hours

  • Minimum 40 semester hours (or 60 quarter hours) in specified addiction‑related content areas as part of your bachelor’s degree. (law.cornell.edu)

• Practicum / Internship hours (pre‑licensure, part of degree)

  • At least 350 hours of addiction counseling services in a supervised practicum, internship, or field experience in an addiction counseling setting.
  • Experience must be primarily direct addiction counseling services and involves direct observation and participation in practice.
  • Supervisor must hold an appropriate license and have at least 3 years of experience providing addiction services. (secure.in.gov)

• No required pre‑licensure employment hours (such as 1,500 or 3,000 hours) are specified for obtaining the LACA itself.

For later upgrade to LAC (for context only, not required to obtain LACA):

• Experience (post‑degree, under LACA):

  • At least two (2) years of supervised addiction counseling experience, 21–48 months duration. (secure.in.gov)

• Supervision hours (post‑degree):

  • 150 hours total supervision, composed of
    • 100 hours individual supervision
    • 50 hours group supervision
      under a qualified supervisor with at least 5 years of addictions experience. (secure.in.gov)

Those latter experience and supervision hours are attached to LAC, not LACA.