Who must course work be approved by?

• A. The National Association of Alcohol and Drug Abuse Counselors NAADAC
• B. The DC Board of Professional Counselors
• C. The Department of Education
• D. The American Psychological Association

Answer: (A)

The main idea here is understanding who sets the standards for addiction counseling coursework. Coursework for addiction counseling credentials is typically approved by NAADAC, the national association that develops and endorses training standards for the field. This approval ensures the curriculum covers the essential competencies, ethics, and evidence-based practices that credentialing bodies expect. State licensing boards may require that programs or courses align with NAADAC-approved offerings, but the formal approval authority is NAADAC, not a general licensing board.

Why the other options aren’t the right fit: a state licensing board like the DC Board of Professional Counselors regulates who can practice and may mandate certain coursework, but they don’t approve the curriculum itself; they rely on NAADAC-approved programs to meet those requirements. The Department of Education handles broader education policy and accreditation for institutions, not the specialized approval of addiction counseling coursework. The American Psychological Association accredits psychology programs, not addiction counseling programs, so it isn’t the authority for approving this specific coursework.