How to Become a Professional Recovery Coach in Alaska

People who struggle with overcoming addiction can benefit from non-clinical.

Professional recovery coaches are the best choice for this job.

They usually work for rehabilitation facilities or for their communities.

These professionals have to motivate the patients to do their best to become free from substance dependency.

The aim of this article is to tell you more about professional recovery coaches, their job, salary, and especially how you to can become one.

Professional Recovery Coach Job Description

These professionals can’t diagnose or treat their clients as their purpose is to simply offer support.

Their main job is to help those fighting addictions to better themselves, improve their own lives, and in the end to come victorious over the addiction.

The most common job duties of this occupation are:

• Teach clients life skills, like cooking and cleaning
• Discuss the client’s goals and create an action plan
• Complete safety and wellness checks
• Monitor progress and provide accountability
• Provide access to other recovery resources
• Maintain privacy and meet HIPAA guidelines
• Meet with clients and family members

Here are the main clients of these recovery coaches:

• Those addicted to substances
• Alcoholics
• Those addicted to food
• Those addicted to sex, shopping, gambling
• Other addicts

Becoming a Professional Recovery Coach in Alaska

In this section, I’ll present the steps to take if you want to become a professional recovery coach in Alaska.

1. Earn A High School Diploma

The main requirement for this position is having a high school diploma or GED.

These diplomas show you have some of the most important skills and knowledge needed for the occupation.

If you dropped out of school and want to earn your GED, look at almost any alternative educational facility in your city.

2. Sign up for training

In this state, training is mandatory for these workers.

In Alaska, the training for professional recovery coaches lasts for 40 hours.

Your training has to look like this:

• 37.5 hours of Introduction to Peer Support training
• 3 hours of ethics training within the last 2 years
• 3 hours of confidentiality training within the last 2 years
• 6 hours of infectious diseases and HIV/AIDS training

I’ll present the schools offering the appropriate courses later on.

3. Become certified

Once you’re done with your training you must sit through the certification exam.

The Alaska Commission for Behavioral Health Certification (ACBHC) is the body organizing the test.

The certification was introduced at the state level back in 2020.

Keep in mind that there are more levels of certification available.

4. Be clean or sober

It’s mandatory for the candidates to be clean of abusing any substance for at least one year.

If this is not applicable, perhaps you took care of a family member for at least a year while they were recovering.

These situations help you better understand your future clients.

In Alaska, meeting one of these prerequisites usually replaces the training.

5. Get some experience

Another requirement for this occupation is accumulating 1,000 hours of work in a facility where people are in the course of detoxing from any substance abuse.

These hours are usually done in a volunteering situation.

Some additional 25 hours working under surveillance are also mandatory.

Professional Recovery Coach Training Options in Alaska

It’s time we took a look at the training options available in Alaska.

Alaska Behavioral Health

This institution is actually a clinic focusing on mental health.

The training offered can be attended:

• Weekdays on the evenings
• On Saturdays
• Every day of the week
• Throughout the year

Additionally, the classes can be attended:

• In-person
• On Zoom
• Throughout Alaska

These classes are free of charge, but you’ll have to apply for a spot and have your own transportation and meal.

Applying can easily be done online.

The clinic also offers training for:

• CEUs
• Supervisors
• Trainers of upcoming teams

Alaska Primary Care Association

The training done by this Association is through an apprenticeship in association with the Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development.

This training is free of charge as there’s a grant offered for it.

APCA requires:

• The apprentice be employed
• A dedicated mentor for the apprentice
• The apprentice learns both on the job and in theory

The apprenticeship ends with an exam that can be taken either at the APCA office or proctored distantly.

Recover Alaska

This institution focuses on addressing and preventing alcohol misuse across Alaska with various partners from around the state.

The institution also addresses the health and wellness of its own staff and is committed to its continued education.

The main topics are:

• Effective and fluent communication
• Systems of oppression such as racism and colonization
• Dismantling this oppression

Salaries for Professional Recovery Coaches in Alaska

Rarely do people choose a profession without getting informed about the pay they’ll receive at the end of the day.

Alaska is a big state but its population is low, yet those employed usually get paid more when compared to most other states.

The average annual salary for professional recovery coaches is $37,375.

If you want to know in which cities salaries are the highest, look no further than the table below.

Regional Salary in Alaska

Professional Recovery Coach by State