NDBACE Rules and Regulations

The 1987 Legislative Assembly established the North Dakota Board of Addiction Counseling Examiners. Following the adoption of administrative rules in August, 1991, the Board was awarded full accreditation by the National Accreditation Commission in 1992.

The purpose of the Board is:

To set minimum standards for the license of addiction counselors
To establish core curriculum requirements
To approve addiction counselor training programs, internship, and clinical supervisors
To establish requirements for the private practice of addiction counseling.

Nine members are appointed by the Governor for staggered three year terms on the Board. Meetings of the Board are conducted at least quarterly under the provisions of the North Dakota Open Meeting Law. For further information, Email us at ndbace@aptnd.com

Notice:

If you reside inside or outside of the state of North Dakota and wish to practice via the internet in North Dakota, you must be licensed by the North Dakota Board of Addiction Counseling Examiners.

North Dakota Law Governing Addiction Counseling
State Statute North Dakota Century Code 43-45-01 through 43-45-08 - Effective August 1, 2007

Rules and Regulations
North Dakota Administrative Code 4.5-01-01 through 4.5-02-03 (new rules posted 01/10/08

Code of Ethics

New Notice: Examination Requirements for Licensure -

As you are probably aware, the NDBACE board has been working on revisions to the administative code for over a year. We have sought input from NDACA, the NDATPC, the training consortiums and the public. Our goal was to continue to provide the best training for our counselors, well trained counselors for our citizens, and rules that allow competent counselors from other states to become licensed in North Dakota. We seem to have reached favorable decisions for all areas except the issue of the oral examinations.

Our original input recommended eliminating the oral exam. Our struggle was how to test competency and we swayed towards keeping the oral exam. Continuing the search for an answer, we contacted IC & RC. >From them we learned that 41 states use their new written exam, which has competency questions as well as knowledge based quesions. Three more states are also considering converting to IC&RC testing. That makes 44 states that would have reciprocity with their testing standards. Inversely, if we stay with the oral exam, we would have reciprocity with 9 states at best, 6 if others join.

The IC&RC has equal credibility with NAADAC and the NDBACE does not have to join IC&RC to use their test. The test has both knowledge based and competency questions. They are based on the same 8 core functions as we use. It has a standard case history thus avoiding subjectivity. There are a total of 13 competency questions in the test. They have been using it since March 2008 with a 75-85% pass rate. The NDBACE web site will have sample questions and more information reguarding the test and IC&RC.

I will do a short presentation at the Alcohol Summit during the luncheon. The NDBACE will also accept email comments until October 1, 2008 which the NDBACE will reivew at its October 10, 2008. If we approve the IC&RC test, it would take affect in April 2009.

Please look over the information and give us your comments.

IC & RC Written Exam FAQs.

IC & RC Candidate Guide