Addiction Counseling Internship (ADCN 693/694)

• Course Prerequisites
  • Ethical & Legal Issues in Counseling (CEFS 501)
  • Multicultural Counseling (CEFS 504)
  • Theories of Counseling (CEFS 510)
  • Research & Program Evaluation (CEFS 515)
  • Assessment Techniques in Counseling (CEFS 521)
  • Psychopathology (CEFS 546)
  • Theories of Family Systems (CEFS 601)
  • Substance Abuse: Diagnosis, Treatment & Prevention (CEFS 691)
  • Diagnosis & Treatment Planning  of Addictive Disorders (ADCN 667)
    • *ADCN students may enroll in Diagnosis & Treatment Planning of Addictive Disorders (ADCN 667) as a co-requisite with the Addiction Counseling Internship (ADCN 699) only if:
    • they are enrolled in a B-term online section of Diagnosis & Treatment Planning of Addictive Disorders, (ADCN 667).
      • If a student is enrolled in a D-term online section of ADCN 667 the same semester they wish to take Internship, they will need to switch to a B-term online section of ADCN 667 or they will be denied.
    • All other prerequisite courses are non-negotiable and must be successfully completed prior to the start of internship.
• Additional Prerequisites
  • Background Check: You must purchase a background check through CastleBranch within no more than one year before applying for internship.
  • Fingerprints: You must purchase and complete your fingerprints before applying for internship.
  • GPA: Must have a 3.0 cumulative GPA by the posted application deadline

Students Outside of Virginia

All hours earned towards the internship course must be clinical in nature and addiction-related.

Minimum Internship Hours: 300

• Direct Client Contact Hours (PDF)
• Individual Supervision Hours (PDF)
• Group Supervision Hours (PDF)
• Related Activities Hours (PDF)

Students Inside Virginia or in a state requiring 600 hours:

Minimum Internship Hours: 600

• Direct Client Contact Hours: 240
• Individual Supervision Hours: 20
• Group Supervision Hours: It is recommended that you find a site that provides group supervision. Although not required, group supervision of addiction counseling is a valuable component of growth as an addiction professional.
• Related Activities Hours: 340

Telehealth and In-Person Counseling Policy

In-person clinical counseling is the expected standard in meeting the direct service requirements. However, students and site supervisors are permitted to use telehealth services if the approved site uses telehealth services as a normal delivery of services. If telehealth is used, students and site supervisors are expected to maintain a 50/50 ratio of in-person and telehealth direct client contact hours. This is to ensure students have a well-rounded counseling experience using both modalities.

Please note: There will be no exceptions to this policy unless directed by federal and/or state mandates.

Students will be responsible for the following when telehealth services are used:

• Coordination of a balanced approach in use of telehealth and in-person clinical services
• Completion of the Liberty telehealth training prior to conducting telehealth services
• Midterm and Final hours reporting on telehealth services
• No more than 50% of telehealth direct client contact hours permitted

Please direct all questions regarding the Telehealth and In-Person Counseling Policy to the Practicum/Internship Office (adcn699@liberty.edu). 

Video Recording Requirement

• Students must record two counseling sessions to submit to site supervisors.
• Students will submit a verbatim form that is an 8-10 minute segment of the recorded session.
  • Faculty will provide feedback on this portion of the session
  • Devices students can use for recording:
    • Digital cameras
    • Camcorders
    • Computer webcam – must be recorded through a HIPAA compliant platform
  • Devices that are inherently cloud-based such as phones and tablets cannot be used for video recording. Please contact the Practicum and Internship Office if you are needing further clarification.

**Please note: live observation and role play is no longer permitted starting Fall 2023. All students must have at least one site that allows videotaped sessions to fulfill this requirement.

Please note that all students are responsible to keep a record/copy of their verification of final hours form for licensure purposes. Students need to check with their state counseling board for internship requirements for their state. Liberty University vs. your state comparison of requirements (PDF).

Semester Requirements:

• Internship is full-semester commitment.
  • Internship officially starts the first day of Liberty’s academic semester.
  • Students are required to earn hours each week of the semester with the approved site and supervisor.
  • Internship is an A-Term course:
    • 16-17 weeks during the Fall and Spring semesters
    • 14-15 weeks during the Summer semester.

*Please note that all students are responsible to keep a record/copy of their verification of final hours form for licensure purposes*

Internship Opportunities

State Site Lists: sites previously used by Liberty University students

• The sites listed have been used by any of our counseling students and may not fulfill the requirements for the ADCN internship.
• On average, finding a site and supervisor takes at least three to four months.
• Students are allowed a maximum of two sites.

Types of Sites Typically Approved for Internship Fieldwork

All hours earned towards the hour requirement must be clinical in nature and addiction-related.

• Counseling agency
• Hospital
• Private practice
• University counseling center
• Community services board
• School*
• Church**

*A potential school site must provide addiction-related mental health services to elementary, middle, and/or high school-aged students. The site must use approved informed consent and maintain records of counseling sessions.

**A potential church site must be an established church counseling center or services that use approved informed consent and maintains client records of counseling sessions.

Students are allowed a maximum of two supervisors.

• Please visit our site supervisor webpage for helpful information for practicum supervisors.
• Discuss the Supervisor Responsibility Form (PDF) with potential supervisors.

Addiction Counseling Internship supervisors must meet the following requirements:

1. Must have a master’s degree in counseling or a related profession and be independently licensed with an approvable license.
2. Must have a minimum of two years of professional addiction counseling experience.

Examples of Approved Supervisors

• Licensed Alcohol and Drug Abuse Counselor (LADC)
• Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW)
• Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC)
• Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT)
• Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC)
• Licensed Psychologist (LP) with either a PhD in Clinical Psychology or a PsyD (all other Licensed Psychologists will be reviewed on a case by case basis)

Examples of Supervisors Not Approved

• Doctorate degrees that are not in the counseling field or are unaccredited
• Licensed Master Social Worker (LMSW) – with the only exception of the macro- or clinical- designations in the state of Michigan.
• Limited Licensed Professional Counselor (LLPC)
• Master of Divinity
• Pastoral Counselors
• School Counselors

1. Degree Completion Plan Audit
   • Located under the Degree Completion tab on the Course Registration page
2. Background Check Receipt
   • Students must submit a background check receipt that was purchased no more than one year prior to the date of their application.
   • The practicum/internship office will also verify that you have completed your fingerprints through CastleBranch at the time of your application. If you have not purchased and completed your fingerprints through CastleBranch, these will need to be completed by the time you apply or you will be denied to begin your internship.
   • Only send the receipt that is sent to your email once the purchase of the background check or re-check has been made. Visit the background check website for further instructions on background check or fingerprints.
3. Supervisor’s License Verification
   • Found on your state counseling board website.
   • Includes name, license number, issue date, expiration date, & current/active
4. Fieldwork Contract
   • On-Site Fieldwork Contract (PDF): an on-site supervisor is an individual who is an employed counselor at the site you are applying to complete your practicum
   • Offsite Fieldwork Contract (PDF): an offsite supervisor is an individual who is not an employed counselor at the site you are applying to complete your practicum, but has received approval to come on-site and provide supervision
   • Signed by student and site supervisor
     • The dates must match Liberty’s A-term semester dates. Check the Academic Calendar for the semester dates you will be completing practicum.
     • Please note: you must only fill out one fieldwork contract per site/supervisor. Students are only required to have one site and supervisor but may have up to two sites and supervisors.
5. Supervisor & Site Information Forms (PDF)
   • Signed by the site director, the supervisor, and the student
6. Digital Photo of Student
   • Professional photo, driver’s license, or student ID
7. Liability Insurance Face Sheet (PDF)
   • Students are required to purchase their own coverage for the duration of practicum and internship. The coverage requirements are detailed in the link above.
8. Affiliation Agreement and Student Addendum (PDF)
   • Cover Page: completed by a site representative
   • 8-Page Agreement: completed and signed only by legal signatory at site
   • 3-Page Schedule A & B (Student Addendum): completed and signed by the student
   • Extensions will not be granted for Affiliation Agreement negotiations

All approval documents must be submitted to the Internship office through the SharePoint submission portal by the deadline listed above. No late documents will be accepted.

Submission of these forms does not mean automatic acceptance of the proposed site and/or supervisor; they must be approved first. Liberty University must validate the student’s proposed site will provide a good educational experience and that it has adequate oversight and safeguards built in to ensure an appropriate clinical environment. After your documents have been approved, you will receive an official approval email with your approved start date for earning hours. Upon approval, the Internship Office will manually register you for the course.

Students are allowed to switch site(s)/supervisor(s), add an additional site/supervisor, or drop a site/supervisor during their internship experience. Review our policy below.

• Site & Supervisor Change Policy (PDF)

Students must follow the procedures laid out in the Counseling Internship Site and Supervisor Change Procedures (PDF) document(s)

Disclaimer: If there is a change in the Site Director that is listed on the Site Information Form, our office will only need an updated Site Information Form with the new individual’s name and title. You will need to submit the updated Site Information Form via email to ADCNinternship@liberty.edu.

Students residing in Virginia will need to take 2 semesters of internship (ADCN 693 and ADCN 694). Virginia students will submit their request for an additional semester of internship (ADCN 694) by emailing the documents below to ADCNinternship@liberty.edu before the completion of Week 10 in their first semester of internship. The second semester of an internship will fulfill the elective credit needed, as listed on the Degree Completion Plan.

• If you plan to continue with your current, approved site(s) and supervisor(s), you will need to submit the following:
  • Fieldwork Contract (one for each supervisor)
  • Liability Insurance Fact Sheet
• If you plan to switch your site(s) and/or supervisor(s), you will need to submit the following:
  • Fieldwork Contract
  • Supervisor and Site Information Form
  • License Verification
  • Affiliation Agreement and Student Addendum
  • Liability Insurance Face Sheet