NCCAP ADC study plan
NCCAP ADC · Give each week a clear focus.
8 weeks · About 6 hours per week
Counseling and Service Coordination & Assessment and Diagnosis
Map the ADC exam blueprint to a personal study calendar, allocating each domain's percentage weight to specific days
Define the stages of the counseling relationship and list at least three counselor behaviors appropriate to each stage
Compare at least four screening/assessment instruments by purpose, administration format, and appropriate use population
Draft a one-page glossary of intake and assessment terminology in your own words
Your checkpoint
A dated 8-week study calendar plus a one-page terminology glossary covering intake and assessment terms
Assessment and Diagnosis & Counseling and Service Coordination
Differentiate screening from comprehensive assessment and describe when each is indicated
Outline the components of a biopsychosocial assessment and explain the purpose of each component
Identify criteria for referral for further evaluation when assessment findings exceed a counselor's scope
Practice writing a mock assessment summary that separates objective findings from clinical impressions
Your checkpoint
A written mock biopsychosocial assessment summary with objective findings and impressions clearly separated
Treatment Planning & Assessment and Diagnosis
Construct a treatment plan from a written case vignette that links each identified problem to a measurable goal
Write at least three measurable, client-centered objectives using observable behavior and timeframes
Explain how assessment results drive problem prioritization and level-of-care decisions
Revise a weak treatment plan example to meet measurable-goal standards
Your checkpoint
A complete treatment plan for one case vignette with problems, measurable goals, objectives, and proposed interventions
Counseling and Service Coordination & Treatment Planning
Describe service coordination tasks including linking clients to resources and monitoring progress toward goals
Identify at least four counseling techniques and match each to an appropriate clinical situation
Explain how to document treatment plan reviews and revisions when client needs change
Draft a script for a coordination call with an outside provider that protects confidentiality
Your checkpoint
A written provider-coordination script plus a treatment plan review-and-revision note
Professional and Ethical Responsibilities & Case Management and Referral
Summarize the core ethical principles and apply each to at least one realistic dilemma
Explain confidentiality limits and describe how to disclose them to clients at intake
Outline the referral process from identification through follow-up, including what information to share and what to withhold
Apply a decision-making model to one ethical dilemma and justify the chosen course of action
Your checkpoint
A written ethical decision-making worksheet resolving one dilemma with a justified recommendation
Case Management and Referral & Client, Family, and Community Education
Build a referral resource list for at least five service categories relevant to the ADC population
Describe how to educate clients and families about treatment options, confidentiality, and recovery expectations
Identify at least three community education strategies and the audience each serves
Explain how cultural and language needs affect referral selection and family education
Your checkpoint
A categorized referral resource list with at least five service categories and contact criteria
Documentation and Record Keeping & Client, Family, and Community Education
List the required elements of a progress note and rewrite a vague note to meet those standards
Explain record retention, correction, and release-of-information requirements at a general level
Draft a family education handout on one topic in plain language at roughly a sixth-grade reading level
Distinguish what belongs in the clinical record from what should be communicated verbally
Your checkpoint
A corrected progress note plus a plain-language family education handout
Screening and Intake & Professional and Ethical Responsibilities
Sequence the intake process from first contact through assignment to services
Explain informed consent elements and how to obtain consent in a way the client understands
Review all eight domains and list at least two remaining weak areas with a remediation action for each
Complete a timed mixed-domain practice set and analyze every missed item by domain
Your checkpoint
A timed practice-set score log with a per-domain error analysis and a written remediation plan for weak areas
Milestones
Week 2: Can explain screening versus assessment and name the components of a biopsychosocial assessment without notes
Week 4: Can produce a measurable, client-centered treatment plan from a new vignette in under 30 minutes
Week 6: Can state confidentiality limits, referral steps, and at least three ethical principles accurately from memory
Week 8: Timed mixed-domain practice set completed with every missed item categorized by domain and a written remediation plan