ACA Code of Ethics for Addiction Counselors: Key Requirements for 2026
- by Everett Wolf
Addiction counselors working in the United States operate under at least two distinct ethics frameworks. The first is the ACA Code of Ethics, published by the American Counseling Association. The second is the NAADAC/NCC AP Code of Ethics, specific to addiction professionals. Many counselors are bound by both simultaneously.
If you hold a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC), Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC), or similar license, your state board almost certainly references the ACA Code. If you hold a CADC, NCAC, or MAC credential, NAADAC’s code governs your conduct at the credentialing level.
This post walks through what the ACA Code of Ethics covers, how it compares to NAADAC’s framework, and which sections matter most if your caseload includes clients with substance use disorders. It also covers where ethics CE hours fit into renewal requirements and what federal confidentiality law adds on top of both codes.
Table of Contents
- What the ACA Code of Ethics Covers
- ACA Code vs. NAADAC Code: Which Applies to Addiction Counselors?
- Section Highlights Most Relevant to SUD Practice
- Where Ethics Intersect with 42 CFR Part 2
- Telehealth Ethics for Addiction Counselors
- Ethics CE Requirements by Credential and License
- Common Ethics Violations and How to Avoid Them
What the ACA Code of Ethics Covers
The ACA Code of Ethics (2014) is organized into nine sections, each addressing a distinct area of professional conduct. The 2014 update expanded guidance on technology, social media, distance counseling, and end-of-life care. A new version is currently under development and expected to be formally adopted by the ACA Board of Directors in September 2026. Until that adoption, the 2014 code remains current and you can access it at the ACA’s ethics resources page.
The nine sections are:
- Section A: The Counseling Relationship
- Section B: Confidentiality and Privacy
- Section C: Professional Responsibility
- Section D: Relationships with Other Professionals
- Section E: Evaluation, Assessment, and Interpretation
- Section F: Supervision, Training, and Teaching
- Section G: Research and Publication
- Section H: Distance Counseling, Technology, and Social Media
- Section I: Resolving Ethical Issues
For addiction counselors, Sections A, B, C, and H carry the most day-to-day weight.
ACA Code vs. NAADAC Code: Which Applies to Addiction Counselors?
Both may apply simultaneously, depending on your credentials and state. The table below maps out the key differences.
| Dimension | ACA Code of Ethics (2014) | NAADAC/NCC AP Code of Ethics (2025) |
|---|---|---|
| Publisher | American Counseling Association | NAADAC, the Association for Addiction Professionals |
| Primary audience | LPCs, LMHCs, NCC holders, counseling licensees broadly | CADCs, NCACs, MACs, SAPs, addiction-specific credentialed professionals |
| Current version | 2014 (revision expected Sept. 2026) | 2025 (effective June 1, 2025) |
| Structure | 9 Sections | 11 Principles |
| SUD-specific content | General counseling standards; not SUD-specific | Written for addiction settings throughout |
| Telehealth/AI guidance | Section H: Distance Counseling | Principle VI: E-Therapy, AI, and Social Media |
| State board adoption | Adopted by most state LPC/LMHC boards | Adopted by most state addiction certification boards |
| Ethics CE requirement | Varies by state license | Typically 6 hours per 2-year renewal |
You can read NAADAC’s current code directly on the NAADAC Code of Ethics page. If you hold both a state counseling license and a NAADAC-recognized credential, both codes apply. When they conflict, apply the stricter standard.
Section Highlights Most Relevant to SUD Practice
Section A: The Counseling Relationship. This section covers informed consent, dual relationships, and working with vulnerable populations. For addiction counselors, dual relationships deserve close attention. Clients in recovery often move through tight-knit community spaces where a counselor may encounter them outside of session. Section A.6 governs managing professional boundaries and nonprofessional interactions, including the requirement that counselors document potential benefits and harms before extending boundaries (A.6.b).
Section B: Confidentiality and Privacy. Section B establishes the client’s right to privacy, the counselor’s duty to maintain confidentiality, and the conditions under which disclosure is permissible: danger to self or others, court orders, client consent. For addiction counselors, Section B must be read alongside 42 CFR Part 2, which adds a stricter federal confidentiality layer for substance use disorder records. Section B does not override federal law.
Section C: Professional Responsibility. This section requires counselors to practice only within their competence. For addiction counselors, that means recognizing the limits of your SUD-specific training relative to co-occurring mental health conditions, and referring appropriately. Section C also prohibits discrimination and requires ongoing professional development, which connects directly to CE requirements.
Section H: Distance Counseling, Technology, and Social Media. Section H was added in the 2014 update. It requires counselors to verify client location for licensure compliance, obtain informed consent specific to telehealth, and maintain confidentiality using encrypted platforms. These requirements apply in full to addiction telehealth settings.
Where Ethics Intersect with 42 CFR Part 2
The ACA Code of Ethics and NAADAC Code both establish confidentiality obligations. Federal law adds a layer that supersedes both.
42 CFR Part 2 governs the confidentiality of substance use disorder patient records. It applies to any program that receives federal funding and provides SUD assessment, treatment, or referral. Under Part 2, patient-identifying SUD records cannot be disclosed without written patient consent, except in medical emergencies or under court order with very narrow scope. This is stricter than HIPAA.
Key practical implications:
- A general HIPAA release does NOT authorize disclosure of SUD treatment records under Part 2. A separate Part 2-compliant consent form is required.
- Disclosures to other treatment providers, insurance companies, or courts require written consent specific to the SUD records.
- Law enforcement cannot access Part 2 records without a court order, even if the patient has consented to other disclosures.
Counselors who work in federally funded SUD programs need ethics CE that explicitly addresses 42 CFR Part 2, not just general confidentiality principles. When reviewing CE providers, confirm that the ethics course covers federal SUD-specific law, not just HIPAA.
Telehealth Ethics for Addiction Counselors
Telehealth expanded significantly in addiction treatment settings after 2020. The ACA Code’s Section H requires several specific steps before and during telehealth delivery:
- Confirm the client’s jurisdiction and verify your licensure covers that state.
- Obtain written informed consent covering the unique risks and limitations of remote sessions.
- Use only encrypted, HIPAA-compliant platforms. Consumer video tools do not meet this standard.
- Have a documented plan for technology failure.
- Assess whether the client’s environment is appropriate for remote sessions: privacy, safety, connectivity.
NAADAC’s 2025 Code adds guidance on AI-assisted tools in Principle VI, which now addresses AI-generated session notes, chatbot-based screening tools, and social media contact with clients. For addiction counselors using AI tools in practice, Principle VI is the most current ethics guidance available from either code.
Ethics CE Requirements by Credential and License
Most state licensing boards and credential renewal bodies require a specific number of ethics CE hours per renewal cycle. General CE does not substitute. The hours must come from courses explicitly addressing professional ethics.
| Credential / License | Ethics CE Requirement | Renewal Period |
|---|---|---|
| CADC (NAADAC) | 6 hours ethics | 2 years |
| NCAC I/II (NAADAC) | 6 hours ethics | 2 years |
| MAC (NAADAC) | 6 hours ethics | 2 years |
| LPC (most states) | 3–6 hours ethics | 2–3 years |
| LMHC (most states) | 3–6 hours ethics | 2–3 years |
| NCC (NBCC) | Not mandated separately | 5 years |
Verify your board’s current requirement before renewing. Requirements change, and boards do not always notify credentialed counselors directly.
Ethics CE from CEU Matrix’s NAADAC-approved course library is approved through NAADAC (Provider #6310) and NBCC (Provider #94564), covering both the ACA Code of Ethics and NAADAC’s 2025 framework. Courses are self-paced and include 42 CFR Part 2 and telehealth ethics, which are frequently tested renewal topics.
If you need NAADAC-approved CE beyond ethics, the complete breakdown of what NAADAC-approved providers cover and how to verify approval is a useful reference before you start accumulating hours.
Common Ethics Violations and How to Avoid Them
The most frequently cited ethics violations in addiction counseling share a common pattern: unclear boundaries and inadequate documentation.
Dual relationship violations occur when a counselor has a secondary relationship with a client, student, or supervisee. The risk is highest in small communities and rural settings where a client may also be a neighbor, church member, or community contact. Document any potential dual relationship before it becomes a problem and consult supervision when uncertain.
Confidentiality breaches most often involve disclosing information to family members without written consent. In SUD treatment, this is compounded by 42 CFR Part 2: sharing treatment information with a client’s family, even with good intentions, can constitute a federal violation.
Scope of practice errors happen when counselors provide services outside their training. Diagnosing co-occurring disorders without the appropriate license, applying mental health interventions outside your scope, or providing couples counseling without specific training are common examples.
Inadequate informed consent is the easiest to prevent. Use a written consent form that covers your therapeutic approach, confidentiality limits, telehealth policies if applicable, and client rights. Update it when your practice model changes.
Regular ethics CE keeps these issues on your radar and satisfies renewal requirements at the same time. CEU Matrix ethics courses in the NAADAC-approved library are built around SUD-practice scenarios rather than abstract case studies.
If you are working through renewal, the credential-by-credential CE requirements guide covers exact hour counts and required content categories for each credential.