BREININGINSTITUTE

EST 1986 

 
 

Questions / Suggestions > 

 
 

Nationally Accredited.

  

RECOGNIZED  

  EDUCATION PROVIDERS

 
       
NATIONALLY ACCREDITED  

 

 

The Registered Addiction Specialist (RAS) credential is accredited by the National Commission for Certifying Agencies (NCCA).

 
   

INSTITUTIONS

 

 
There are many institutions that provide the required formal education which qualifies a candidate for RAS examination. The institutions listed below have provided qualifying education to RAS candidates.
 

 
Allan Hancock College  
American River College  
Antioch University  
Association of Christian Alcohol and Drug Counselors  
Azusa Pacific University  
Belford University  
Bethany College  
Breining Institute  
Butte College  
Cabrillo College  
California Addiction Counselor Training Institute  
California Association of Addiction Recovery Resources  
California Institute for Counseling Studies  
California Paramedical and Technical College  
California Polytechnic State University  
California State University, Bakersfield  
California State University, Dominguez Hills  
California State University, Fullerton  
California State University, Hayward  
California State University, Long Beach  
California State University, Los Angeles  
California State University, Sacramento  
California State University, San Bernardino  
California State University, Sonoma  
Chaffey College  
Chapman University  
Charles R. Drew University  
Christian Institute  
City College of San Francisco  
College of San Mateo  
College of the Redwoods  
College of the Sequoias  
Contra Costa College  
Corpus Christi State University  
Cosumnes River College  
Crescent College  
Cyprus College  
Delta College  
Diablo Valley College  
Dominican University of California  
East Los Angeles College  
Folsom Lake College  
Fordham University  
Fresno City College  
Graceland University  
Heartwood Institute  
ICDC College  
Institute of Advanced Counseling and Seminars  
InterCoast Colleges  
John F Kennedy University  
Loma Linda University  
Los Angeles City College  
Los Angeles Mission College  
Los Angeles Southwest College  
Loyola Marymount University  
Mendocino College  
Merced College  
Merritt College  
Michigan State University  
Modesto Junior College  
Moorhead State University  
Mt. San Antonio College  
Mt. San Jacinto College  
Oklahoma State University  
Oxnard College  
National University  
Pacific Oaks College  
Palomar College  
Pennsylvania State University  
Pepperdine University  
Peralta Colleges  
Pierce College  
Riverside Community College  
Saddleback College  
San Bernardino Valley College  
San Francisco State University  
San Joaquin Delta College  
San Jose City College  
Santa Monica College  
Santa Rosa Junior College  
Solano Community College  
Training Institute for Addiction Counselors  
Truckee Meadows Community College  
United States Air Force  
University for Humanistic Studies  
University of Arkansas  
University of California, Berkeley  
University of California, Los Angeles  
University of California, Riverside  
University of California, San Diego  
University of California, Santa Barbara  
University of California, Santa Cruz  
University of Florida  
University of Manitoba (Canada)  
University of Minnesota  
University of Phoenix  
University of Southern California  
University of Tennessee, Knoxville  
University of the Pacific  
William R. Mead Training Academy  
    
     

The examination to become a Registered Addiction Specialist (RAS) was developed to objectively measure the knowledge and practical skills required of professionals working in the field of addictions. 

The test questions are based upon counselor competency standards identified by national industry experts, including those established by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism –
Development of Model Professional Standards for Counselor Credentialing (1984), Birch and Davis, Inc. – known as the “Birch & Davis” study; by the International Certification and Reciprocity Consortium / Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse (“ICRC”) study and the 1991 publication of the Twelve Core Functions of Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse Counselors; and by the US Department of Health and Human Services, which published – within its Technical Assistance Publication Series, No. 21 (1998) – the Addiction Counseling Competencies: The Knowledge, Skills and Attitudes of Professional Practice (known as the “TAP 21” competencies).

The RAS examination is a multiple-choice examination. There is no oral examination, and there are no open-ended questions on the written exam. 

The Examination includes coverage of the following:

  • The curriculum contained in the TAP 21 counseling competencies study;

  • Provision of services to special populations such as aging individuals, individuals with co-occurring disorders, individuals with post traumatic stress disorder; individuals with disabilities, diverse populations, individuals with cultural differences, individuals on probation/parole, etc.;

  • Ethics;

  • Communicable diseases including tuberculosis, HIV disease and Hepatitis C; and

  • Prevention of sexual harassment.

The RAS Examination is based upon the standards identified above, which are fully addressed in a study guide provided to qualified candidates as part of the examination fee. Every question that may be asked on the RAS Examination can be answered with the information provided within the study guide.
 
 

  
    STUDY GUIDE AVAILABLE TO EDUCATORS  
 
Candidates may earn their RAS-required formal education from any State-approved or accredited institution, provided that the candidate documents coverage of the curriculum identified above (typically documented with formal transcripts and course descriptions contained in school catalogs). Breining Institute does not approve or accredit educational institutions. 

To assist educators in ensuring that their students are successful in passing the RAS exam, the 418-page study guide - The Addiction Professional: Manual for Counselor Competency (2005) - while not available to the general public, is made available to educators, educational institutions, treatment facilities and employers at discounted prices.

For ordering information, you may click on the study guide icon on the right, which will take you to a PDF order form that may be printed. (Note: The book that is available with these discounts does NOT include the DVD-Tutorial which is provided to examination-eligible RAS candidates.)
 
 
 
 

Adobe Acrobat Reader

Get Acrobat Reader 

  In order to download and print the order form, you need a current copy of the Adobe Acrobat Reader. If you do not already have one, you may get a FREE one from Adobe by clicking on the icon to the left.  

Find an RAS or RAS Intern

Read informative articles

Donate to addiction research

    The REGISTER of Addiction Specialists     

   The JOURNAL of Addictive Disorders     

   Research and Education Foundation       

Copyright © Breining Institute. Last modified: March 11, 2008.  Disclaimers. Contact us.