Addiction Counseling CEUs: How to Choose NAADAC Approved Training That Counts

You have a renewal deadline.
You have clients who do not care about your deadline.
You have a pile of course options that look the same.

So you do what most counselors do.
You pick the cheapest, fastest thing.
You grind through slides at midnight.
You print a certificate.
You forget it all by Monday.

That is how addiction counseling CEUs turn into busywork.

I used to treat training like punishment.
Back in my heroin days, I watched systems label me “non compliant” and “unmotivated.”
Later, when I got clean and started counseling, I promised I would never waste another hour on performative work.
I wanted addiction counseling training that made me sharper in the room, not just legal on paper.

You can do the same.
You can choose addiction counseling CEUs that make you better at your job.

Start with the rulebook you answer to

Every credential has a rule set.
Your first move is matching courses to that rule set.

New York CASAC renewal is clear.

OASAS says you must attest to a minimum of 60 clock hours for renewal. OASAS+1
OASAS also requires six hours of OASAS approved ethics training upon every renewal. OASAS+1
OASAS lists “Professional Boundaries and Reporting Requirements” as a training you must complete upon every renewal. OASAS

National NAADAC credentials have their own rhythm.

NAADAC states that NCAC I renewal includes 40 hours of continuing education every two years. Naadac
NAADAC lists the same 40 hour, two year renewal requirement for NCAC II and MAC. Naadac+1
NAADAC notes those credentials renew every two years. Naadac

Question: Why start here?
Answer: This stops you from buying hours that your board rejects.

Pick courses from sources that your board recognizes

You do not need “popular.”
You need accepted.

For NAADAC approved addiction counseling continuing education, you can verify providers through NAADAC’s Approved Education Provider directory. Naadac+1
That matters for addiction counseling CEUs, since the provider status signals a review process tied to continuing education.

NAADAC has another point that helps you stay out of trouble.
NAADAC’s provider guidelines say the provider must verify CE acceptance in the state or country where the training is offered. Naadac
So you still match the course to your board’s rules.

For New York, you look for OASAS approved CEUs when you hold a CASAC.
OASAS publishes its renewal rules directly, and those pages are the source you lean on. OASAS+1

A simple filter for course shopping

Use this filter every time you shop.
It keeps you focused and it saves money.

Course acceptance
The course lists your board, your credential, and your hours clearly.
For CASAC renewal, your plan includes the OASAS ethics requirement every cycle. OASAS+1
For NAADAC national credentials, your plan lines up with 40 hours every two years. Naadac+1

Course relevance
The topic matches what you see in your caseload.
The topic matches what you avoid in your caseload.
That second one is where growth lives.

Course format
You can finish it without rushing.
You can track it without chaos.
You can prove it in an audit.

This is where addiction counseling CEUs start to strengthen real practice.

Choose topics that fix your weak spots
A lot of counselors keep buying the same themes.
Ethics. Trauma. Boundaries.
Those are valid.

But skills gaps hide in plain sight.
Look at your last month of work.
Pick one thing that made you freeze.

Here are topics that strengthen core counseling work fast.
Clinical documentation and progress notes
Clients do not relapse in neat paragraphs.
You still have to write notes that tell the truth without drama.

Motivational Interviewing skill drills
If your sessions sound like debates, this pays off.
You stop chasing compliance.
You start hearing change talk.

Co occurring mental health and substance use
Anxiety and trauma show up in your group room daily.
Your training should match that reality.

Alcohol use disorder and neurobiology
You explain tolerance, sleep, blackouts, withdrawal.
Plain language. No shame.

Infectious disease basics for SUD treatment
HIV and hepatitis knowledge still saves lives.
So does safer use education.

Question: What topic should you pick first?
Answer: Pick the topic that shows up in your notes the most.

This is the real point of addiction counseling training.
You get better at the work that actually happens.

Do not ignore ethics. Use ethics to get sharper
For CASAC renewal trainings, OASAS requires six hours of OASAS approved ethics training every renewal. OASAS+1
So you do it.

But do it with a goal.
Choose ethics hours that fix the real problems you see.

Confidentiality in family chaos
Release forms and collateral contacts
Dual relationships in small communities
Mandatory reporting and boundaries

You do not need horror stories.
You need decision reps.

Avoid the “cheap hours” trap

Cheap hours cost you later.
They cost you in session.
They cost you in supervision.
They cost you when a client asks a basic question and you blank.

Here are red flags.
The course page does not list approval details clearly
The certificate looks vague on hours, date, and provider
The topic sounds like marketing, not training
The content promises instant mastery

Good addiction counseling CEUs feel practical.
They give you tools you can use this week.

Track your credits like your paycheck depends on it

OASAS renewal requires attestation. OASAS
NAADAC credential renewals can involve audits. Some renewal forms state certificates are not required unless an audit happens. Naadac+1
You still keep your proof.

NAADAC’s Education Center explains that certificates can be accessed through your profile under the Certificates tab. Naadac
That helps with organization.

Here is a clean tracking system.

One folder named by renewal cycle
One spreadsheet with course title, date, hours, provider, approval
One backup copy of every certificate

This is boring.
This is what keeps your license in your pocket.

Make your CE plan match your role

Your role shapes your needs.

You run groups all week
Pick group facilitation, crisis skills, documentation, ethics.

You supervise trainees
Pick clinical supervision, ethics, documentation, skill coaching.

You work in harm reduction
Pick overdose trends, infectious disease, stimulant use, motivational work.

You work in court mandated settings
Pick ethics, coercion, trauma, engagement, relapse prevention.

You are not collecting hours.
You are building a practice.

That is what addiction counseling CEUs are supposed to do.
How our programs fit the real world
If you want one place to cover both NY and NAADAC needs, that is the lane we built.

Our renewal option is designed for CASAC renewal trainings and NAADAC renewals in one spot.
Our site states you can fulfill a 60 hour CASAC renewal requirement and a 45 to 60 hour NAADAC renewal online, and it lists OASAS Provider 0415 and NAADAC Provider 254148. educationalenhancement-casaconline.com+1
You still match your exact credential rules, then pick the courses that meet them.

Question: What is the smartest way to buy courses?
Answer: Buy what counts first, then buy what builds your skill next.

Your next move
Pick your renewal target.
CASAC renewal trainings require 60 hours with ethics in New York. OASAS+1
NAADAC national credentials like NCAC and MAC renew every two years with 40 hours. Naadac+2Naadac+2

Then choose addiction counseling CEUs with a purpose.
You show up for clients every day.
Your training should show up for you.