The City Vision University Addiction Counseling program offers a full range of instruction on the skills necessary to succeed as a licensed addiction counselor.
These skills are defined by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) in a publication often known as TAP 21. This is a Technical Assistance Publication entitled Addiction Counseling Competencies: The Knowledge, Skills, and Attitudes of Professional Practice, which can be downloaded from https://store.samhsa.gov/sites/default/files/d7/priv/sma12-4171.pdf.
After you have receive a BS or a certificate in Addiction Counseling from City Vision University, you will still need to follow the steps necessary to get licensed by your state’s accreditation board. Most states require at least 180 hours of training (the equivalent of 2 courses) to satisfy the instructional requirement for licensure; typically you will simply need to supply a transcript of completed coursework, and, at most, the syllabi of the courses which you took.
City Vision has collected resources for you on how to become a certified addiction counselor in your state. Send an email to info@cityvision.edu if you need assistance with this process.
Note that if you have already completed an initial course of study in addiction counseling, any of the courses listed below should count as 45 CEUs (continuing education credits), since each provides 3 academic credits. Most states require 40 CEUs every two years, though some require the ethics course in person.
TAP21 outlines Eight Areas of Competency and Twelve Core Functions for the addiction counselor, which are briefly defined here. The following lists show how these correspond to the courses offered by City Vision University, and should be of assistance in documenting your learning to accrediting bodies. Click on the name of each course to read its description, and see which of the core functions are covered each in each of the 8 weeks of instruction. The following chart shows how the Eight Practice Domains and Twelve Core Functions relate.
| Eight Practice Domains | Twelve Core Functions |
| 1. Clinical Evaluation | 1. Screening 2. Intake 3. Orientation 4. Assessment |
| 2. Treatment Planning | 5. Treatment Planning |
| 3. Referral | 10. Referral |
| 4. Service Coordination/Case Management | 7. Case Management |
| 5. Counseling | 6. Counseling 8. Crisis Intervention |
| 6. Client, Family, and Community Education | 9. Client Education |
| 7. Documentation | 11. Reports and Record Keeping |
| 8. Professional and Ethical Responsibilities |
How City Vision Courses Prepare You for the Eight Practice Domains
Twelve Core Functions
I. Screening: The process by which the client is determined appropriate and eligible for admission to a particular program.