TEXAS CERTIFIED PREVENTION SPECIALIST (CPS) AND ASSOCIATE PREVENTION SPECIALIST (APS) – 120 HOURS

Texas operates a dual-credential system. The Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHS) issues the LCDC (Licensed Chemical Dependency Counselor) — a state license. The Texas Certification Board (TCB) issues professional certifications including the ADC, AADC, CCJP, and Prevention Specialist credentials. Most counselors begin with either the LCDC license (state-issued, with formal practicum and CTI registration) or the ADC certification (TCB-issued, with degree-tiered work experience). Both pathways require completing approved education hours and passing the IC&RC ADC examination.

Both require the IC&RC ADC exam, but they’re issued by different bodies and follow different paths. The LCDC is a state license from Texas HHS — it requires 270 education hours, registration as a Counselor Intern, 4,000 supervised work hours through a registered Clinical Training Institution (CTI) or under a Certified Clinical Supervisor, and a 300-hour field work practicum. The ADC is a professional certification from TCB — it requires 300 education hours, a 300-hour Chemical Dependency Counseling Practicum, and degree-tiered work experience (6,000 hours with a high school diploma down to 2,000 with a master’s). Counselors often hold one or both.

The LCDC and ADC both require a passing score on the IC&RC Alcohol and Drug Counselor (ADC) examination. The AADC requires the IC&RC Advanced Alcohol and Drug Counselor (AADC) exam — a master’s-level exam. The CCJP requires both the IC&RC ADC exam and the IC&RC CCJP Supplemental exam. The CPS requires the IC&RC Prevention Specialist exam; the APS does not require an exam.

The Texas LCDC license is issued by HHS and requires: a degree (associate’s minimum for licensure; bachelor’s or higher in chemical dependency counseling, sociology, psychology, or an HHS-approved field), 270 hours of approved education, 4,000 hours of supervised work experience through a registered Clinical Training Institution or under a Certified Clinical Supervisor, a 300-hour supervised field work practicum covering all four KSA dimensions, and a passing IC&RC ADC examination.

The Texas ADC is issued by TCB. Education and work experience are tiered: 300 hours of training in all cases, with work hours scaled by degree (6,000 hours with a high school diploma, 5,000 with an associate’s, 4,000 with a bachelor’s, 2,000 with a master’s — degrees must be in a behavioral science field). Candidates must complete a 300-hour Chemical Dependency Counseling Practicum covering the 12 Core Functions (minimum 10 hours each) and pass the IC&RC ADC exam. CEU Matrix’s TCB-approved 300-hour ADC package covers all 12 Core Functions.

The CCJP (Certified Criminal Justice Professional) is a TCB credential for counselors working at the intersection of substance use and the criminal justice system — including correctional treatment, drug courts, parole/probation, and reentry programs. Hour requirements scale with degree: 270 hours (high school), 200 hours (associate’s), 150 hours (bachelor’s, ADC, or LCDC), 100 hours (master’s), or 60 hours (doctoral or AADC). Candidates pass both the IC&RC ADC exam and the IC&RC CCJP Supplemental exam. CEU Matrix offers TCB-approved CCJP packages at every degree pathway.

The CPS (Certified Prevention Specialist) and APS (Associate Prevention Specialist) are TCB credentials for prevention educators working in alcohol, tobacco, and other drug (ATOD) prevention. Both require a high school diploma minimum, 120 hours of training across the six IC&RC prevention domains, and a 120-hour practicum (10 hours minimum per domain). The CPS requires 2,000 hours of prevention work experience and a passing IC&RC Prevention Specialist exam. The APS requires 3,000 hours of prevention experience plus a supervisor competency evaluation, with no exam. CEU Matrix’s TCB-approved 120-hour package covers all six prevention domains for both credentials.

Most Texas credentials renew every two years. TCB-issued credentials (ADC, AADC, CCJP, CPS, APS) require 40 CE hours per renewal cycle in the relevant performance domains. The AADC additionally requires 3 hours each of professional ethics and clinical supervision. The HHS-issued LCDC requires 24 CE hours every two years for counselors with a master’s or higher, or 40 CE hours for counselors below master’s level — including 3 hours of ethics, 6 hours of HIV/Hepatitis C/STD education, and a human trafficking prevention course.

Yes for both. The LCDC and ADC each require a passing score on the IC&RC Alcohol and Drug Counselor (ADC) examination, which is portable across IC&RC member boards in other states. The AADC is similarly reciprocal through the IC&RC AADC exam, and the CCJP through the IC&RC CCJP supplemental exam.

Counselors holding an IC&RC ADC-equivalent credential from another IC&RC member state can transfer to a Texas credential through reciprocity, provided their issuing board is in good standing. Transfers to the LCDC license are processed by Texas HHS and may require additional state-specific coursework (HIV/Hepatitis C/STD, human trafficking prevention). Transfers to TCB credentials (ADC, AADC, CCJP, CPS) are processed by the Texas Certification Board through the IC&RC reciprocity application.

Yes. CEU Matrix is a Texas Certification Board (TCB) approved continuing education provider. Our Texas packages cover the full education requirement for each TCB credential we offer — ADC (300 hours), AADC (180 hours), CCJP (60-270 hours by degree pathway), and CPS/APS (120 hours).

All courses become available in your CEU Matrix Student Center the moment payment clears, with no enrollment delay. Coursework is fully self-paced — there is no fixed completion deadline. Your progress, exam scores, and earned certificates are tracked automatically and stored under “My Courses,” giving you a single consolidated view of your Texas credential progress and total hours earned.