CGAC-I - Testing Requirements

CGAC I - Initial Certification

The CGAC Testing application will be assigned to you after you complete the CGAC-R Certification in Certemy.

The CGAC requires credentialing, education, supervised experience hours and successful completion of a written examination. Education and/or Credentialing Requirements:

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent in the behavioral health field such as license or certification in a recognized behavioral health field (i.e. psychology, addictions, clinical social work). Educational coursework for degree requirement must include the following:
  • Basic Counseling Skills
  • Group Counseling Skills
  • Counseling Ethics
  • Counseling Diverse Populations
  • Coexisting Disorders, or Multiple Diagnosis, or Dual Diagnosis, etc
• 30 Hours Problem/Compulsive Gambling Education. All education hours must be accredited or approved by a recognized/approved accreditation body. A minimum of 2 hours is required in following categories:
  • Gambling Client Assessment/Intake
  • Gambling Financial Planning & Budgeting
  • Gambling Counseling (Individual, Group, Family)
  • Gambling Case Management
  • Professional Responsibility and Ethics
  • Crisis Intervention
  • Co-occurring Disorders
• 500 Hours of Clinical Supervised Experience in the Gambling Addiction Counselor Domains Experience from a Clinical Supervisor under OAR 309-019-0125:
• "(7) Clinical supervisors in problem gambling treatment and recovery programs shall meet the requirements for clinical supervisors in either mental health or substance use disorders treatment and recovery programs and have completed twelve hours of gambling specific training specific within two years of designation as a problem gambling services supervisor."
  • Experience may include any gambling specific counseling services rendered in the Four Domains; Clinical, Documentation, Administrative and Client Advocacy. (1 Full Time Month = 160 experience hours).
  • Included in the experience must be a minimum of 100 hours as a gambling counselor delivering direct treatment to problem/disordered gambler and significant others.
• 24 hours of face-to-face, telephone, email, or other electronic communication consultation from a qualified problem Gambling Certification Consultant.
• Code of Conduct (signed and dated)
• International Certification Examination for Gambling Counselors
  • Passing score on the International Certification Examination for Gambling Counselors professional psychometric national certification examination from the International Problem Gambling and Gaming Certification Organization

• Recommended Study Material for CGAC Exam

• IGCCB Exam Prep Book
• IGCCB Exam Prep eCourse

CGAC Recertification

Recertification occurs every two years.  Certified CGACs must submit 40 hours of continuing education every two years, which must include 6 hours of Ethics Training and update their certification file with any changes (address, phone, email, etc.).