NCAC case studies
NCAC · Put your knowledge to work in context.
The NCAC I - National Certified Addiction Counselor, Level I - is a national credential for addiction counselors offered through NAADAC, the Association for Addiction Professionals. It is the entry tier of NAADAC's counselor certification ladder, aimed at counselors who are building supervised clinical experience in substance use disorder treatment and who want a nationally recognized, rather than state-only, mark of competence. The NCAC case studies are 5 cases and about 4,164 words.
1The Client Who "Only Drinks on Weekends"
Marcus, 41, is referred by his employer after a second DUI in 18 months (BACs 0.19 and 0.16). He tells you he "only drinks on weekends," which he defines as Thursday through Sunday: 8–10 beers plus several shots of whiskey each of those days.
803 words, about 4 min2Withdrawal Risk in a Combined Alcohol–Benzodiazepine Presentation
Denise, 29, walks into your outpatient program at 10 a.m. She last drank at midnight (about 10 hours ago) and last took alprazolam - prescribed at 2 mg four times daily for four years by her primary care physician - at 6 a.m.
826 words, about 4 min3The Mandated Seventeen-Year-Old
Jamal, 17, is referred by juvenile probation after a possession charge. He has smoked cannabis daily for about a year, misses first period most weeks, and his grades have fallen from B's to D's.
859 words, about 4 min4Small Town, Shared Recovery Community, and a Phone Call from an Employer
Elena is a certified alcohol and drug counselor with three years in recovery who has worked 14 months at a small nonprofit in a town of 9,000. Her new client, Ray, is a 45-year-old man in early recovery from opioid use disorder.
867 words, about 4 min5Buprenorphine in Pregnancy and Conflicting Advice
Aisha, 31, is 14 weeks pregnant and has been stable on buprenorphine/naloxone 16 mg daily for two years, with negative urine screens for 18 months. She is housed, employed, and engaged in prenatal care.
809 words, about 4 min