Addiction councilors in Indiana may soon need licenses to practice LAFAYETTE, IN (wbaa) - Social workers, psychologists and psychiatrists who practice in the state are required to have a license to do so. But substance abuse and addiction counseling is a field that has never had the same requirement.

Mental Health America of Indiana President and CEO Steve McCaffrey says with drug abuse on the rise, it's necessary to have guidelines for councilors to follow.

McCaffrey says he wants educational and professional guidelines, but he realizes the issue is contentious. He says there's a battle between councilors with formal education as opposed to those with real-life experience.

McCaffrey says addiction issues also affect prison population; so licensing councilors could prevent inmate numbers from climbing any higher. He estimates about 80 percent of the state's prisoners have an addiction of some kind. © Copyright 2009, wbaa