IC&RC Alcohol & Drug Counselor (ADC) Examination

The AUDIT is a 10-item instrument developed by the World Health Organization and scored from 0 to 40. Which total is the conventional threshold for a positive screen for hazardous or harmful drinking?

• AA total of 4 or more on the 40-point scale
• BA total of 8 or more on the 40-point scale
• CA total of 15 or more on the 40-point scale
• DA total of 20 or more on the 40-point scale

How does IC&RC report ADC examination results to candidates?

• AAs a raw percentage correct, with 70 percent required to pass
• BAs a scaled score from 200 to 800, with 500 required to pass
• CAs a raw percentage correct, with 75 percent required to pass
• DAs a scaled score from 200 to 1000, with 600 required to pass

A client meets four of the eleven DSM-5-TR criteria for alcohol use disorder within a 12-month period. Which severity specifier applies?

• AMild, the specifier used for two to three criteria
• BModerate, the specifier used for four to five criteria
• CSevere, the specifier used for six or more criteria
• DIn early remission, used when criteria are no longer met

In The ASAM Criteria, Fourth Edition (2023), how is readiness to change handled within the six assessment dimensions?

• AIt remains Dimension 4 and independently drives the level-of-care recommendation
• BIt is integrated across the dimensions, and Dimension 6 is Person-Centered Considerations
• CIt was folded into Dimension 1 alongside intoxication and withdrawal assessment
• DIt was removed from the framework and is no longer considered in treatment planning

A candidate wants to sit for the IC&RC ADC examination. Who determines eligibility and authorizes the candidate to test?

• AIC&RC headquarters, which registers candidates directly for every exam
• BThe candidate's IC&RC member board, such as CCAPP, FCB, PCB, or OCDPB
• CSAMHSA, which sets federal eligibility rules for addiction counselors
• DNAADAC, which administers IC&RC examinations under contract

Which counselor response best illustrates the evoking process of motivational interviewing?

• AListing the medical consequences of continued drinking for the client
• BAsking what the client would gain from changing, then reflecting the answer
• CTelling the client which recovery goal to pursue over the next 30 days
• DPointing out the contradiction between the client's words and behavior

Under 42 CFR Part 2, which set of elements must appear in a written consent to disclose substance use disorder records?

• APatient name, diagnosis, insurance number, and the counselor's personal contact details
• BPatient name, recipient, kind and amount of information, purpose, expiration, and right t…
• CPatient name, the dates of all future sessions, and a standing weekly update schedule
• DPatient name only, after which the program may add recipients without further notice

Which statement accurately describes buprenorphine's pharmacology in the treatment of opioid use disorder?

• AIt is a full mu-opioid agonist with no ceiling on respiratory depression
• BIt is a partial mu-opioid agonist whose ceiling effect limits respiratory depression
• CIt is a pure mu-opioid antagonist that blocks all agonist effects outright
• DIt is a glutamate modulator that eases protracted withdrawal symptoms

Extended-release injectable naltrexone is being considered for a client with opioid use disorder. Which precaution applies before the first injection?

• AThe client should have used an opioid within the previous 24 hours
• BThe client should be opioid-free for roughly 7 to 10 days beforehand
• CThe client should first complete two weeks of buprenorphine maintenance
• DThe client should show a COWS score of 12 or higher at the visit

According to the current IC&RC ADC Exam Candidate Guide, which set of domains and weights defines the examination blueprint?

• AScientific Principles 25 percent; Screening and Assessment 20 percent; Treatment, Counsel…
• BScreening and Engagement 23 percent; Treatment Planning 27 percent; Counseling 28 percent…
• CScientific Principles 30 percent; Screening and Assessment 30 percent; Treatment and Coun…
• DScreening and Engagement 22 percent; Treatment Planning 24 percent; Counseling and Educat…

A client arrives visibly guarded at a first session. Which counselor action most directly builds the working alliance?

• AReviewing program rules and the consequences of missed sessions first
• BUsing open questions, affirmations, reflections, and a clear account of what to expect
• CCompleting the full structured diagnostic interview before any other discussion
• DNaming the guardedness as resistance that has to be worked through today

SAMHSA's guidance for a trauma-informed approach identifies six key principles. Which list states them correctly?

• AAssessment; diagnosis; treatment planning; referral; documentation; discharge summary
• BSafety; trustworthiness and transparency; peer support; collaboration and mutuality; empo…
• CConfrontation; accountability; consequences; structure; compliance; total abstinence
• DScreening; triage; stabilization; rehabilitation; maintenance; aftercare monitoring

Which treatment-plan objective is written in SMART form?

• AThe client will work on improving communication skills over time
• BThe client will attend three intensive outpatient groups weekly for 30 days
• CThe client will understand how alcohol has affected the family system
• DThe client will feel more confident about sustaining recovery this year

Which presentation calls for immediate structured safety planning and consideration of a higher level of care?

• AA client voices frustration that group sessions run past the scheduled hour
• BA client reports a suicide plan, a chosen method, and access to that method
• CA client cancels one appointment and reschedules for the following week
• DA client describes mixed feelings about giving up cannabis entirely

Which description best captures cultural humility as it applies to counseling practice?

• AA completed body of knowledge about every cultural group a counselor serves
• BAn ongoing practice of self-reflection, open inquiry, and redressing power imbalance
• CA policy of keeping cultural topics out of sessions so no client is offended
• DA checklist of culture-specific techniques applied by the client's stated group

Which arrangement matches the evidence base for contingency management in stimulant use disorder?

• AVerbal praise offered at the end of each month of continued treatment
• BEscalating-value vouchers or prizes delivered promptly for verified abstinence
• CLoss of program privileges each time a urine drug screen returns positive
• DRandomly timed gift cards given regardless of the client's test results

A client discloses driving while intoxicated with two young children in the car. What is the counselor's primary obligation?

• AKeep the disclosure confidential, because 42 CFR Part 2 protects such records
• BReport to child protective services as state mandated-reporter law requires
• CTerminate the client from the program for creating an unacceptable risk
• DWait and address the driving behavior at the next scheduled session

Which statement accurately describes Twelve-Step Facilitation therapy?

• AIt is another name for attending Alcoholics Anonymous or Narcotics Anonymous
• BIt is a manualized clinician-delivered therapy that promotes active 12-step engagement
• CIt is a peer-led curriculum offered only inside residential treatment programs
• DIt is an adolescent-specific program designed to replace individual counseling