AOD COUNSELOR 2026 STUDY GUIDE
SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER COUNSELING
FOUNDATIONS AND CORE PRINCIPLES
◉ Addiction
Answer: a chronic, relapsing disease of the brain with social and
behavioral manifestations
marked by continued alcohol or drug use despite negative
consequences.
◉ Addiction counseling
Answer: professional and ethical application of specific
competencies that
constitute eight practice dimensions, including clinical evaluation;
treatment planning; referral;
service coordination; individual, group, and family counseling;
client, family, and community
education; and documentation.
◉ Advocacy
,Answer: (1) a social or political movement working for changes in
legislation, policy,
and funding to reflect clients' concerns and protect their rights (i.e.,
advocacy for clients);
(2) a philosophy of substance abuse treatment practice maintaining
that clients should be
involved actively in their own treatment and have rights in its
planning and implementation
(i.e., advocacy by clients). Much of advocacy is about shifting the
system from the directive
model to one in which the client is an empowered, involved
participant in treatment decisions.
◉ Biomedical
Answer: pertaining to the biological and physiological aspects of
clinical medicine.
◉ Biopsychosocial
Answer: the biological, psychosocial, and social influences in human
development
and behavior.
◉ Client
, Answer: individual, significant other, or community agent who
presents for alcohol and drug
abuse education, prevention, intervention, treatment, and
consultation services.
◉ Collateral sources
Answer: persons or organizations providing pertinent information
about a client
(can include family members and legal, educational, and medical
personnel).
◉ Competency
Answer: specific counselor functions comprising requisite
knowledge, skills, and
attitudes.
◉ Confidentiality
Answer: a client's right to privacy as defined by applicable Federal
and State statutes.
◉ Confidentiality rules and regulations
Answer: rules established by Federal and State agencies to
limit disclosure of information about a client's substance use
disorder and treatment (described
SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER COUNSELING
FOUNDATIONS AND CORE PRINCIPLES
◉ Addiction
Answer: a chronic, relapsing disease of the brain with social and
behavioral manifestations
marked by continued alcohol or drug use despite negative
consequences.
◉ Addiction counseling
Answer: professional and ethical application of specific
competencies that
constitute eight practice dimensions, including clinical evaluation;
treatment planning; referral;
service coordination; individual, group, and family counseling;
client, family, and community
education; and documentation.
◉ Advocacy
,Answer: (1) a social or political movement working for changes in
legislation, policy,
and funding to reflect clients' concerns and protect their rights (i.e.,
advocacy for clients);
(2) a philosophy of substance abuse treatment practice maintaining
that clients should be
involved actively in their own treatment and have rights in its
planning and implementation
(i.e., advocacy by clients). Much of advocacy is about shifting the
system from the directive
model to one in which the client is an empowered, involved
participant in treatment decisions.
◉ Biomedical
Answer: pertaining to the biological and physiological aspects of
clinical medicine.
◉ Biopsychosocial
Answer: the biological, psychosocial, and social influences in human
development
and behavior.
◉ Client
, Answer: individual, significant other, or community agent who
presents for alcohol and drug
abuse education, prevention, intervention, treatment, and
consultation services.
◉ Collateral sources
Answer: persons or organizations providing pertinent information
about a client
(can include family members and legal, educational, and medical
personnel).
◉ Competency
Answer: specific counselor functions comprising requisite
knowledge, skills, and
attitudes.
◉ Confidentiality
Answer: a client's right to privacy as defined by applicable Federal
and State statutes.
◉ Confidentiality rules and regulations
Answer: rules established by Federal and State agencies to
limit disclosure of information about a client's substance use
disorder and treatment (described
