Contributors

The content provided on Alcohol.org features valuable information to help you and your loved ones determine your needs when it comes to seeking treatment for alcohol abuse. We strive to provide accurate and up-to-date information available in the field of addiction medicine and have enlisted an acclaimed team of authors, treatment professionals, and editorial experts to write, review, and update content to check that it meets our high editorial standards. Find more info on our contributors below:

Credentials

Our mission is to share trustworthy information about alcohol and its misuse in the most effective ways possible. That’s why Alcohol.org employs a diverse group of writers and editors with prestigious backgrounds and qualifications within the addiction treatment field. Our contributors collectively hold the below credentials.

Master of Science (M.S.)

Professionals with their Master of Science have completed years of graduate course- and research-based study in a scientific or technical field.

Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC)

Doctoral and master's-level mental health service providers, LPCs treat mental health and substance abuse disorders. LPCs are trained to work directly with clients in a variety of therapy settings.

Certified Advanced Alcohol and Drug Counselor (CAADC)

CAADCs have completed rigorous testing and residency experience. They hold a master’s or higher in a clinical field, having worked with substance use disorder or co-occurring disorder clients for thousands of hours.

Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT)

LMFTs treat individuals, couples, and families struggling with issues such as stress, low self-esteem, addiction, and substance abuse. This license requires years of higher education and ongoing continuing education, as well as clinical experience.

Mental Health Counselor (MHC)

MHCs primarily work with their patients to address depression, anxiety, and addiction.

Master of Education (M. Ed.)

A Master of Education typically specializes in counseling, school psychology, curriculum, or administration. This degree is required for educational administration or as a prerequisite for a Professional Counselor license.

Master of Science in Nursing (MSN)

Some nurses choose to pursue MSNs, an advanced-level postgraduate degree. These nurses are able to oversee medical procedures relating to addiction treatment.

Psychiatric and Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP)

PMHNPs diagnose and conduct therapy for their patients, who often have substance abuse problems among other disorders. PMHNPs are qualified to prescribe medications.

Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN)

This type of nursing licensure requires a graduate-level degree such as a Master's of Science in Nursing (MSN) or a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP). ARPNs have been specially trained as Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists, Clinical Nurse Specialists, Nurse Practitioners, or Certified Nurse Midwives.

Licensed Master Social Worker (LMSW)

LMSWs require a Master of Social Work, in addition to a license per State law. They work with individuals, couples, families, groups, and communities.

Doctor of Medicine (MD)

An MD is professional degree awarded after the completion of medical school. Prior to receiving this degree, MDs must complete four years of undergraduate pre-med, take the MCAT and the USMLE, complete at least one internship year, and pass the USMLE Step 3.

General Editorial Staff

The editorial staff of Alcohol.org is comprised of addiction content experts from and affiliated with American Addiction Centers. Our editors and medical reviewers have over a decade of cumulative experience in medical content editing and have reviewed thousands of pages for accuracy and relevance. Our reviewers consistently monitor the latest research from SAMHSA, NIDA, and other reputable sources to provide our readers the most accurate content on the web.

See below for Alcohol.org’s most regular contributors.

Medical Editors

*This badge indicates a piece of information has been reviewed by one of our Medical Professionals.

Editors

Writers

Courtney Blackedge, LCMHCA, LCASA

American Addiction Centers

To ensure that Alcohol.org adheres to the latest evidence-based findings on alcohol use disorder (AUD) and its treatment, we collaborate with American Addiction Centers (AAC) treatment facility staff. The AAC medical team contributes their expertise so that the information shared reflects the continually improving gold standard of alcoholism treatment.

Trusted Research Providers

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)

SAMHSA is part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. With a mission to “make substance use and mental disorder information, services, and research more accessible,” this agency collects data on substance use and mental health trends throughout the United States of America. Learn more about SAMHSA here.

National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)

NIDA is a US government agency overseen by the National Advisory Council on Drug Abuse (NACDA), which helps to prioritize the basic and clinical research efforts pertaining to substance use. NIDA’s mission is to “improve the prevention and treatment of substance use disorders and enhance public awareness of addiction as a brain disorder.” Learn more about NIDA here.