Renewal Application Instructions

Renewal Application Instructions

The following renewal application instructions are for the following positions: 

  • Credentialed Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Counselor (CASAC)
  • Credentialed Prevention Professional (CPP)
  • Credentialed Prevention Specialist (CPS)
  • Credentialed Problem Gambling Counselor (CPGC)

Purpose of the Credential

CASAC

The New York State Office of Addiction Services and Supports (OASAS) is committed to enhancing the quality of services in New York State through the professional development of the Substance Use Disorder (SUD) services workforce. To ensure that counselors who provide direct care in SUD programs are competent and ethical in their work and skilled in meeting the needs of today’s society, OASAS issues a professional credential -- the Credentialed Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Counselor (CASAC) -- to individuals who meet specific eligibility requirements and pass appropriate examinations. 

CPP/CPS

The New York State Office of Addiction Services and Supports (OASAS) is committed to enhancing the quality of services in New York State through the professional development of the substance use disorder (SUD) prevention services workforce. To ensure that prevention practitioners who provide services in SUD prevention programs are competent and ethical in their work and skilled in meeting the needs of today’s society, OASAS issues professional credentials -- the Credentialed Prevention Professional (CPP) and Credentialed Prevention Specialist (CPS) -- to individuals who meet specific eligibility requirements and pass appropriate examinations.

CPGC

The New York State Office of Addiction Services and Supports (OASAS) is committed to enhancing the quality of servicesin New York State through the professional development of the problem gambling treatment services workforce. To ensure that counselors who provide direct care in problem gambling treatment programs are competent and ethical intheir work and skilled in meeting the needs of today’s society, OASAS issues a professional credential -- the Credentialed Problem Gambling Counselor (CPGC) -- to individuals who meet specific eligibility requirements. To ensure continued competence and maintenance of skills, the all credentials must be renewed every three years.

Application

Credentialing portal

Renewal Process

Approximately 120 days prior to the expiration date of your credential, you will receive an email that serves as notice of expiration. 

You can access your renewal notice and complete the Renewal Application on the credentialing portal at https://credentialing.oasas.ny.gov

A completed renewal application must be submitted to the OASAS Credentialing Unit at least 75 days prior to the expiration date of your credential. Upon receipt by the OASAS Credentialing Unit, your application will be reviewed to ensure that all renewal requirements have been satisfied. 

Applications are reviewed in the order they are received, and within 60 days of receipt. 

Based on the findings of the review, your application will be determined to be either incomplete or approved.

Incomplete Applications

If your application is determined to be incomplete, you will receive an Application Review Summary that identifies documentation still needed. If the documentation that is still needed is not received prior to the expiration date of your credential, your credential will expire and you will be subject to a late fee. 

Approved Applications

When your application is approved, you will be issued a new certificate, which will expire on the last day of the three-year period.

Late Renewal

If less than one year has elapsed since the expiration date of your credential, you are eligible for late renewal and may submit your application with the associated late fee ($50 late fee plus the $150 application fee). 

Reinstatement

If more than one year has elapsed since the expiration date of your credential, please review information on the reinstatement process.

If your credential has expired, you may not identify yourself as a credentialed counselor. 

Counselor Scope of Practice Checklist

For CASAC Only

The Counselor Scope of Practice establishes a framework for a career ladder with minimum qualifications and defined Scopes of Practice for the Counselor Assistant, CASAC-Trainee, CASAC-Provisional, CPGC, CASAC, CASAC-G CASAC Level 2, CASAC Advanced Level, and CASAC Master Level. It is important to note that CASACs may not work outside of their Scope of Practice.

Please Note

The Scope of Practice only pertains to those individuals employed in an OASAS certified treatment program.

Checklist
NO CHANGE IN CREDENTIALED STATUS
  • If you have already upgraded your credential and previously submitted the Clinical Supervision Foundations 1 & 2 trainings you do not need to complete or resubmit the trainings again.
CASAC 2
CASAC ADVANCED LEVEL
  • Transcript or diploma verifying completion of a bachelor’s degree; and 
  • Certificates of completion for 30 hours of approved Clinical Supervision training*
CASAC MASTER LEVEL
  • Transcript/diploma verifying completion of a master’s degree in an approved human services field. Refer to the list of approved human services fields and 
  • Certificate(s) of completion for 30 hours of approved Clinical Supervision training*; and
  • Maintained CASAC credentialed status for the past three years.

 

*Clinical Supervision Foundations I is a 14-hour, self-paced online course that may be accessed. Clinical Supervision Foundations II is a 16-hour face-to-face training. View a list of the training providers offering Foundations II.

 

Education and Training

Requirements

To renew your credential, you must attest to the completion of continuing professional education of a minimum of 60 clock hours

The trainings must relate to addiction, behavioral health counseling, and/or prevention (for CASAC), SUD Prevention (for CPP/CPS), and problem gambling counseling (for CPGC). Up to 20 hours can be claimed through professional activities (see professional activities section) and up to 10 hours can be claimed through professional development training (see professional development section).

Mandatory one-time trainings must also be completed and are counted toward the overall 60 hours that are required.

You can find the list of mandatory one-time trainings here:

 

Additional Information
  • For CASAC credentials only: If you are applying to upgrade to the Advanced Counselor or Master Counselor under the Counselor Scope of Practice, the certificates for the approved Clinical Supervision Foundations I and II trainings (30 hours total) must be submitted. If the 30-hour clinical supervision trainings were completed during your current credentialed period, it may be applied toward your upgrade and toward the overall 60 required clock hours. *If you have already hold the Advanced Counselor or Master Counselor status and you are not requesting an upgrade,you do not need to resubmit the training certificates, they are a one-time requirement.
  • For CASAC and CPP/CPS credentials only: If you hold a Gambling Specialty Designation (GSD), an additional 10 hours of gambling-related education and/or training must be attested to have been completed. Note: a GSD can only be renewed at the same time as your credential, it cannot be renewed outside of your renewal period.

 

Continuing Professional Education

All education and training must be completed during your current credentialed period (dated on or after the effective date on your most recent credential certificate). 

Any trainings taken prior to your effective date cannot be considered toward the 60 required clock hours. All training requirements must be completed by the date you've attested to completing them. 

All education and training must be non-repetitive (i.e., the same course cannot be claimed more than one time during each credentialed period).

Continuing professional education consists of any training session, seminar, workshop, or in-service training from an OASAS approved education and training provider and documented on a standardized certificate. Training announcements, agendas, e-mails, handwritten certificates, sign-in sheets, etc. are not appropriate forms of documentation of completion of training. Conferences held in New York State, independent of an academic institution, must be preapproved by the OASAS Learning and Development Unit. Trainings must be obtained through a nationally recognized federal, state, or local organization, including ATTC’s and PTTC’s, examples of nationally recognized trade associations are NAADAC, SAMHSA, or NASW.

Do not submit any training certificates unless you are notified that you were chosen for an audit.

For more information on approved trainings, please email the Training Unit at [email protected].

 

Acceptable training certificates must include:
  • Accreditation through OASAS Education and Training Providers (ETP) or through a federal, state, or local government agency
  • The signature of the Authorized Representative
  • The participants name
  • The number of hours completed (must be typewritten)
  • The date the training was completed (must be typewritten)
  • Trainings obtained from an OASAS approved ETP must be approved by the OASAS Learning and Development Unit, listed on the OASAS Training Catalog, and the certificate must be issued using the OASAS StandardizedCertificate of Completion (unless otherwise approved by the Learning and Development Unit)

 

Exceptions to the Standardized Certificate policy are:
  • Training offered by federal, state, county or town government agencies;
  • Academic coursework (supported by an academic transcript), including training and workshops offered at an accredited college or university (1 credit hour is equal to 15 continuing education hours);
  • Out-of-state training will be considered on a case-by-case basis. Out-of-state conferences that are approved by a nationally-recognized professional organization or another credentialing board may be accepted; and
  • Distance learning courses approved by appropriate certifying bodies. There is no limit on the number of clock hours completed through distance learning.

 

Professional Development Training Hours (optional)

A maximum of 10 hours of professional development training hours can be claimed. 

Examples of professional development trainings include but are not limited to: writing, communication, and leadership skills, NYS Employee Mandatory OER trainings, and computer software skills (ex: Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Teams, Electronic Medical Records, etc.).

All professional development training hours must meet the acceptable training certificate or the exceptions to the standardized certificate policy requirements outlined above.

As a reminder, do not send in any professional development training hours unless you are notified that you were chosen for an audit.

Professional Activities (optional)

A maximum of 20 clock hours of professional activities may be claimed toward satisfying the 60-clock hour requirement of education and training. The training must be related to your specific credential: addiction, behavioral health counseling, and/or prevention (for CASAC), SUD Prevention (for CPP/CPS), and problem gambling counseling (for CPGC). 

All professional activities being claimed must be supported by a completed Professional Activities Verification Record Form and retained in the event of an audit. A separate Professional Activities Verification Record Form must be completed for each group or organization served. Billable hours with service recipients cannot be accepted as a professional activity. The attestation on the bottom of the next page must be signed by an authorized representative of the group or organization served. Make additional copies as needed.

A letter, on letterhead, from an authorized representative of the group or organization served may be substituted for the attestation, and must include the following: Applicant’s name, type and description of the activity, date of completion, total number of activity hours, signature, title, and phone number of the authorized representative.

Please note that a maximum of 20 hours of professional activity can be accepted for each renewal period. This may be completed as a combination of multiple professional activities (each activity must have its own form) or as one single professional activity. Please see section below for professional activities accepted and maximum number of hours accepted for each activity. As a reminder, do not send in a professional activity form unless you are notified that you were chosen for an audit.

Accepted Professional Activity and Maximum Number of Hours Accepted For Each Activity 

The following section outlines Accepted Professional Activity (must be related to your specific credential type) and the Maximum Number of Hours Accepted (can claim 20 hours maximum).

  • Preparing and teaching a credit bearing course in an accredited higher education institution.
    A maximum of 20 hours can be accepted.
  • Preparing and teaching a continuing education course. The course must be approved to provide continuing education credits by an accrediting body (examples include but are not limited to OASAS, NAADAC, social work, mental health counseling, etc.). Proof of CEU course approval must be submitted. A maximum of 20 hours can be accepted. For every in-class continuing education hour, one hour of continuing education credit may be awarded plus one-half additional hour for preparation time for each hour of teaching.
  • Preparing and conducting a presentation to other current or future professionals.
    A maximum of 15 hours can be accepted. For every presentation hour, one hour of continuing
    education credit may be awarded plus one-half additional hour for preparation time for each hour of actual presentation.
  • Authoring a published book, chapter, or article. A copy of the published book, chapter, or article must be submitted. A maximum of 20 hours can be accepted.
  • Supervising an intern performing the duties of an addiction counselor. A maximum of 10 hours can be accepted.
  • Volunteering at a conference, as a board member, organizing a campaign, or disaster response relief counseling. All volunteer work must be outside your current employment and/or internship and be non-paid. Please note that no other volunteer activities other than the ones listed above can be considered. A maximum of 10 hours can be accepted.

A Professional Activities Work Form is available below for your convenience.  

NOTE: Clock hours claimed for teaching or presentations are limited to the actual time spent presenting the subject matter only once during your credentialed period. Repeated delivery of the same subject matter will not be considered.

Professional Activities Work Form

Download a copy of the Professional Activities Work Form to keep track of your activity. 

Audit Process

OASAS will be performing random renewal audits monthly.

If you are selected, you will be notified of such and required to submit all documentation of continuing education for review.

Those selected for audit will be notified and must submit documentation of the appropriate number of hours of education/training that they attested to completing in the three-year credentialed period identified in the notification.

Since the audit process is random, individuals may be selected for audit multiple times.

You are required to retain records of all education/training you attest to having completed for six years, or two renewal periods. However, the one-time requirements are not subject to this time period as they will be requested for any future audit, regardless of how much time has passed.

Non-compliance with the required education/training for recertification is viewed as a breach of professional ethics. Please be aware that all statements made in connection with the attestation form are subject to investigation and verification. Falsification or omission of information may result in administrative action against you by OASAS, including denial of your application and/or revocation of any OASAS-issued credential. Making a false statement on this application or any attachment or supporting document is punishable as a misdemeanor pursuant to Section 210.45 of the NYS Penal Law.

Do not submit documentation of continuing education with your renewal application. Documentation of continuing education will not be reviewed at the time of your renewal. Documentation of continuing education will only be required if you are selected for an audit.

Ethical Conduct

Instructions

As part of the renewal process, you will complete and sign an Attestation of Ethical Conduct, affirming your compliance to ethical standards in your professional behavior during your current Credentialed period. In the Attestation, if you indicate any unethical conduct, you will be given the opportunity to provide additional information in the "Additional Remarks" section.

It is important to note that indicating unethical behavior on the Ethical Conduct Attestation Form is not an automatic bar to renewing your credential. Your answers may or may not preclude the renewal of your credential. All factors must be considered before the renewal of your credential may lawfully be denied.

Please be aware that all statements made in connection with the attestation form are subject to investigation and verification. Falsification or omission of information may result in administrative action against you by OASAS, including denial of your application and/or revocation of any OASAS-issued credential. Making a false statement on this application or any attachment or supporting document is punishable as a misdemeanor pursuant to Section 210.45 of the NYS Penal Law.

If you suspect an individual has violated the Canon of Ethical Principles, Misconduct, or Other Prohibited Acts, please visit the OASAS Credentialing Portal and select "File a Complaint."

File a Complaint