DLCAS.com is a service of the Distance Learning Center, LLC
The Distance Learning Center for Addiction Studies
NAADAC (Provider #62818)
NBCC (Provider #5899)
Frequently Asked Questions
This FAQ page is designed to answer some of the common questions about DLCAS coursework and services. We have attempted to be as clear, precise and accurate as possible. If you have questions about our services, we encourage to look here first. Then, if you don't find and answer to your question, please send us an email at questions@dlc.email.
Distance learning is a guided set of educational activities that provide high quality content linked to current research and/or other related, widely accepted academic work, along with access to the instructor or training provider. It affords you the opportunity of taking courses at your pace - when you need them - and allows you to do so in the comfort and privacy of your home or office. It offers a real savings for you, both in time and money.
What is Distance Learning?
Most credentialing bodies require “clock hours” of education to earn or maintain an addiction counselor credential. Typically, this is measured as a 50 minute hour, and may be referred to as a CEU (continuing education unit), or CEH (continuing education hour). At DLCAS.com we use a standard of 12-15 pages of information being equivalent to one clock hour of education. So, for example, if your state requires 40 hours of education every two years, taking coursework from DLCAS.com that totals 40 hours would allow you to meet your requirement.
Your courses are listed with the number of hours of credit that you can obtain. Are these credit hours academic credit hours or something else?
Currently there are a variety of standards that other groups use to assign credits for distance or home study courses, but there is really no set standard. Some groups offer more hours for less information than we believe to be appropriate. So we turned to the U.S. Department of Education to examine standards for adult learners, as well as talked with NAADAC and other professional credentialing organizations.
240 words/minute is the average rate of reading for most adults. In reality, most of us typically read anywhere from 150 to 300 words per minute, with the "average" being around 240 words per minute. But most adult learners only have a comprehension rate of between 50 and 65% of what they read. In order to read and retain technical information in a learning environment, adult learners more reasonably retain information at a rate of about 120 words per minute.
Typically, a page of text contains around 450 words. Plus, the greater majority of the credentialing bodies we work with use a 50 minute training hour. So, 120 words per minute to read/retain information is equivalent to 6,000 words per hours, 18,000 words for a 3-hour course, or approximately 40 pages for a 3-hour course!
As a result, we have developed a minimum standard of between 12 and 15 pages of written material for each hour of credit offered. Our goal is to insure that you receive the proper amount of quality information for the time you spend in distance education.
12 to 15 pages of information for each hour? How did you arrive with that number?
Yes - all of our coursework is available in multiple formats to make it easier for our students. You can purchase an Internet format that can be downloaded immediately from our website in Adobe PDF format (a popular online format that requires you to have the Adobe Reader program on your computer - which is free to download it you don't have it already). You can also order a traditional print format that will be mailed to you by Priority Mail. Hard copy formats cost an additional $10 for 3 and 6 hour courses, or $15 for courses that are 9, 12, or 15 hours in length. We also have one additional option - USB Flash Drive. With this format we will send you a USB Flash Drive that can be used on your computer. We'll put the Adobe Reader program on the disk along with any coursework you order. This option will add $5 to your cost (for example, $45 for a 3-hour course). Materials and shipping are not included, but will be added at the time you place your order.
I'm not very good at using the Internet to download things. Are your courses available in any format other than Internet formats?
No – all of our coursework can be taken at the pace that you determine. Once you register for a course and obtain the materials, either by download, USB Flash Drive format, or in hard copy format, you simply need to read through the materials, pass a course post-test, and complete a course evaluation. Do it as quickly as you like, or take as much time as you need. Our coursework will never expire.
Is there a time limit that would require me to complete the work in a specific period of time?
How many hours can I take from DLCAS.com?
There is really no limit to the number of hours you can take. Many students take our coursework not only to maintain their credential, but also to obtain new information in areas that will help them work with their clients. If you are only interested in obtaining hours toward keeping your credential, however, each state has different limits as to the number of hours that can be accepted. To learn more about a specific state’s acceptance, you can visit this Webpage for more information: http://www.dlcas.com/credentialing-by-state
Courses being offered by the Distance Learning Center for Addiction Studies can typically be used for two types of educational needs:
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Basic Training courses (for the student who is beginning their credentialing process), and
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Continuing education courses (for the already credentialed counseling professional).
To find our how many hours your state allows, and if they allow basic and re-credentialing hours to be obtained by distance learning, visit this Webpage for more information: http://www.dlcas.com/credentialing-by-state
Additionally, our coursework is suitable for any health and human services professional seeking addiction information or continuing education credits. We have obtained course approval from a variety of fields . (e.g., Licensed/Certified Addiction Counselors, Licensed Professional Counselors, Licensed Marriage and Family Therapists, Social Workers, Nurses, Physicians, Psychologists, etc.) Approvals can be found on our State and Other Approval Bodies Webpage.
I am not yet credentialed. Can I take your courses? What if I'm not an addiction counselor, but have clients with and/or alcohol problems. Would I be able to take your coursework?
I know that I can't take all of my hours from you - what courses should I take?
We routinely suggest to our participants that they use our service to focus or concentrate on their required hours (i.e. many states require certain hours like ethics, HIV/AIDS, cultural training, etc.), and then take coursework of interest that would allow them to use the maximum number of hours available to them. We have contacted all of the credentialing bodies that we are aware of and have inquired as to the specific training hours that are needed. As a result, you’ll find that we have the largest number of courses available to meet those needs. For example, we have the largest selection of ethics courses available anywhere, a 6-hour HIV/AIDS course, more than 40 hours of cultural training, 6 hours of gambling, 6 hours on the history of chemical dependency treatment, and 9 hours on clinical supervision. We also have a variety of other topics that we find are helpful in keeping current on topics of interest and “need-to-know” information.
Once you place an order using our secure cart system, your confirmation screen will have active links to any internet coursework you order (which will be in PDF format for easy use and download). In addition, you will receive a digital download email from us containing a direct link to your course download. Please note, our system will allow you three (3) opportunities to download your digital course, so please make sure you open and save your course to an easily accessible location. But, if you have trouble with this please know that DLCAS Coursework NEVER expires. If you run into any problems getting your digital download, please email us at help@dlc.email and we will assist you in getting your download. When contacting us by email, please include your name and order number to help expedite your request.
When you are ready to test on your course you will need to refer to your original ORDER CONFIRMAITON EMAIL - no matter what version of our coursework ordered the test links and evaluation links will be found directly below the course title in this email. So please make sure you save your confirmation email as you will need it to access your course test and evaluation link, or links.
After I order an Internet formatted course, what happens? How do I access the course?
I started working on my course at work - can I access it at home too?
Yes - you will need to download another version of the course to your home computer (remember, you have 3 opportunities to download the course), transfer your course on a portable USB Flash drive, or email your course to yourself that can be opened on you home computer.
Students must pass a Post-Test at an 80% level and fill out a Course Evaluation form to obtain a Certificate of Completion. Both the Post-Test and Evaluation form are accessible online. Certificates are accessible immediately upon using our online testing system. If we process your test (if you mail or fax it to us), the system will generate an email that contains you course certificate, provided you pass the test AND provide us with a valid email address).
What are the requirements to obtain a Certificate of Completion?
How much do courses cost?
Courses purchased in Internet format cost only $40 for a three hour course. We also provide printed “hard copies” upon request for an additional $10-15 fee per course for printing. USB Flash Drive formats are available for the cost of the course plus an additional-fee of $5 for materials and burning. Shipping fees are extra and added at the time you place your order. For an up-to-date list of courses and costs, visit the following WebPage: Course Listing and Order Form
We accept Visa, MasterCard, Discover/NOVUS, American Express charge cards, PayPal Express, as well as personal checks and money orders. We also honor Institutional Purchase Orders. If you have questions or need information about payment options, contact our business office, toll free (US/Canada), at (866) 431-4240, or direct dial at (952) 431-4240.
What forms of payment do you accept for course fees?
Does DLCAS offer Institutional Discounts?
Yes. Progressive health care providers nationwide can now obtain high quality continuing education for their professional staff online at reduced course rates. DLCAS also provides institutional accounts with their own secure Premier Page to track and document staff course activity and course completion. As an additional service, DLCAS can provide consultation and measurement of Addiction Counselor Competency Assessment onsite to help institutions meet regulatory requirements. For more information contact Kevin Scheel toll free (US/Canada) at (866) 431-4240, or direct dial at (952) 431-4240.
All course information is online at the DLCAS homepage at http://www.dlcas.com. Look for the link in the top navigation that says “Course Listing and Order Form.” You can also obtain information about any of our courses or services by calling toll free (US/Canada) at (866) 431-4240, or direct dial at (952) 431-4240.
How do I get more information about DLCAS courses?
I don't need more training hours right now, but I am getting ready to take my credentialing exam. Do you have coursework that might help me?
DLC, LLC, our parent organization, does have information and training available to help you prepare for your credentialing exam (for those states that use either the ICRC or NAADAC examinations). If you, or someone you work with, needs help preparing or reviewing for their exams, please visit www.ReadyToTest.com for more information.
Our faculty has been and will be selected for their expertise in various content areas that are important as well as timely for addiction professionals. Many courses are original works of the instructor while other courses are adapted from federally produced works that are research based and widely accepted in the addictions field as being appropriate and proven.
Be sure to check out the "faculty" page for more information on specific instructors - simply click on an instructor's name to find out more.
Who are your instructors and how are the courses selected?
How do I take my post test?
The fastest way to take your course post test is to use our automated, online system. Each course has an active link to that specific course's test (found in your Confirmation email, directly below the course title).
Our test system is automated to give you immediate results. You will need to receive a score of 80% or higher to earn your certificate of completion. If you do not achieve a passing score you will be able to review the questions missed (indicated by the red X), make corrections and then submit your test again. Once you pass the test you will receive your course certificate in one of two ways: the first will be a blue certificate "hotlink" found on the results page, next to the word "Results." When you click on this hotlink your course certificate will appear allowing you to save/print it for your future needs. If you miss that hotlink, don't worry - a back-up copy of your certificate will be sent to the email address you provided at the start of the test. Please double check your SPAM/Junk folder, as it could be filtered by your email provider. If both of those methods fail, please send us an email to testing@dlc.email and we will pull a copy of your certificate from our records and send to you.
If you deleted your confirmation email containing your course test link, or links, and you would like to enter the test yourself, please send us an email to testing@dlc.email and we will send you your requested links.
If you would rather we enter and grade your test you can fax or mail us your test results by using the form found in all course formats. Course tests can be faxed to (866) 222-3461, or mailed to:
DLCAS
P.O. Box 240663
Apple Valley, MN 55124-0663.
I have completed and passed the test for my course. How long will it be before I get my certificate of completion?
With our automated system, you'll be able to print your certificate immediately upon successfully passing your course exam. The results page for the online exam has a "hotlink" next to the word "Results" IN THE RIGHT HAND COLUMN that you simply need to click to open. This will load a PDF copy of your course certificate on to your browser, and from there, you can save the file to your computer for future needs, and also print off your own printer.
Sometimes, students may find that their browser prevents pop-ups from appearing. To deal with this, our system also sends an email, to the email address provided at the start of the test, with the PDF certificate attached. If you still don't get it (some SPAM filters may prevent such email delivery!), simply call our office, toll free (US/Canada) at (866) 431-4240, or email us at testing@dlc.email and let us know. We'll be happy to send you an archived copy for your needs.
For students who use fax or mail to send in their test, once the test is received in our office we will enter the results for you, and you should be watching your email box for the delivery of your course certificate.
When you take your test online, you'll get instant scoring of your test results. This information is automatically forwarded to our offices for processing, and the confirmation page will show you all missed questions AND correct responses, provided that you pass the exam. If you don't use this system but instead mail or fax your test to us, we will provide you with this full report if you are interested and send us a request by email to testing@dlc.email.
What results will I see once I submit my test?
What happens if I fail an exam? Am I allowed to test again? Do I have to pay an additional fee?
The vast majority of our students pass their course exam on the first attempt. However, if a student should happen to fail an exam, here's what happens.
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First, you'll get instant notification of your score if you take the exam online. If you fax or mail your test to us, we process the test online and then send you back results (by email, fax, or regular mail if necessary).
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Next - we'll provide you with a report of the questions you missed on your exam. This will allow you to focus your time and efforts in reviewing those sections of the course.
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Then, you simply retake the entire exam, submitting responses to all of the questions, not just those that you missed.
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If you obtain a passing score, your course certificate will be prepared and mailed. Otherwise, you'll repeat the same process - there is no limit to the number of times you can take an exam and there is no additional fee imposed.
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Just to let you know - the failure rate for our exams is extremely low - and if a student has failed an exam, they rarely need to repeat the testing process more than once.
Being an internet-based training program, we use email communications to maintain contact with our students. As such, when you provide us you email address with your order, you are giving us permission to communicate with you in this fashion. Such communications may include coursework correspondence, the sending of test results and PDF certificate files, as well as updates on coursework we offer and any special notices about various credentialing activities nationwide.
We also use occasional newsletters as a way of communicating with our current students (who have provided us their email address) as well as those individuals who are potential students - folks that have visited our website and signed-up for email services or participated in one of our online giveaways.
We keep your email address in an off-line database in order to protect the privacy and security of your email address. We do not sell or provide your email address to any other group or organization. Your privacy and email security are important to us - and it is always your option to request that your email not be used for any mailings, advertising, or updates we provide. When we utilize the services of email delivery programs, we will always provide you with an option to unsubscribe.