California Consortium of Addiction Programs and Professionals
Reviews and Complaints

So, I applied to the California Consortium of Addiction Programs and Professionals (CCAPP) and paid the application fee. But guess what? My application status is stuck in "Pending Review" forever. And you know what's even worse? They don't give back the application fee. It's like they're just taking our money and not doing anything about it. It's so frustrating!

I did some research on Yelp, and boy, oh boy, half of the reviews there are just one star. I mean, come on, that's not a good sign, right? Here's the link if you wanna check it out: https://www.yelp.com/biz/ccapp-sacramento?osq=ccapp

I don't get it, though. How is CCAPP still allowed to accredit addiction professionals in California? It doesn't make any sense to me. The state should really look into this and figure out what's going on.

Overall, my experience with CCAPP has been disappointing. They take your money and leave you hanging with no updates on your application. It's just not right.

This place is terrible with customer service. I've been tryin' to call 'em for over a year, left voicemails to multiple people in upper management. I also filed a complaint not once, but twice on their website, never got a response back. It's so unprofessional for 'em not to return messages. I've been waitin' for an answer for a year and still nothin' back. All I wanna know is what can I do or what to do next when I can't verify my internship hours 'cause my supervisor passed away. This is messin' up my chances of findin' better job opportunities 'cause I can't get registered with RADT. They're makin' it mandatory for me to get registered.

This place that gives licenses to people is a total joke. But the person in charge right now is really great. There are some problems with CCAPP. They don't recognize supervisors who have experience in psychology or mental health, they only want people with substance use disorder (SUD) experience for their licenses. They kept sending my application back with excuses for a whole year, even though I was more than qualified. I went above their heads and complained to the state. Finally, the state approved my credential. But our college has an agreement with CCAPP for students in the program, and they didn't follow through with that. They also didn't honor transfer agreements with other programs and still made us pay. All they care about is money and having people get credentialed under them and no one else. It's not professional. Our clients need counselors who are well-rounded and educated in different areas with different skills. Because other students are having issues with them too, our school is switching to CADTP. I recommend them or anyone else over CCAPP any day.

I really love my job as a substance use counselor, and the folks at the program where I work get top-notch care from all our counselors. That's why it's so disappointing that this agency treats its members so badly. The info on their website is unclear, and when you call to clear things up, nobody picks up or they give you the wrong info. Their emails aren't personalized either (just positions like [protected]@ccapp or [protected]@ccapp), so you never really talk to the same person. Their fees for membership and registration are crazy high, and since counselors don't make much money, it's really tough to renew, especially since many agencies don't cover the fees. Where does all that money go? Licensed *** MFTs and LPCCs need 36 CEUs (6 ethics) and $220 to renew every 2 years. Substance Use counselors have to pay $200 every year, plus a $100 membership fee and 50 CEUs to renew. They say you need 9 hours of Ethics CEUs, but they don't apply those same ethics to their own work. Once again, I have to renew my license. Even though I finished the process 2 months ago, I still haven't gotten my certificate and the application is still pending. Terrible customer service, confusing rules, expensive. I'd give them zero stars if I could. So why do I stick around? Because I love my job, and I can't/won't practice without my license.

This place is so bad, I can't even. I tried to update my CADC-CAS in 2019, but it was a total disaster. So, I decided to get my certification up-to-date in 2021. Finally, on August 21st, and after shelling out $864, I was all caught up. But let me tell you, this organization loves to milk you for every penny. They hit you with so many fees, it's ridiculous. I ended up paying more than double what I should have. They promised me a break until 2023, but that was a lie. Now, I'm bombarded with emails about "action steps required" because apparently, I have to pay these "membership fees" every year, even though the certification lasts for two. It's a scam, I tell you. They want you to be a member to get a discount, but most of us can't afford it otherwise. And if you ignore the membership, they slap you with another late fee. It's a never-ending cycle. The only good thing is that *** is starting to notice these shady practices from organizations like this. Everyone I talk to who has this certification is unhappy with CCAPP. We're all dealing with similar issues. The consequence of CCAPP's problems is that people are starting to take them less seriously. My boss even told me I don't need it anymore, and they'll reimburse me if I renew. So, do I really want to give these guys any more of my money? I'm lucky that I have options, but what about the counselors who barely make enough to get by? They're stuck dealing with these extra charges or risking losing their jobs. And what about the new counselors who have paid all the fees but still have to explain to their bosses why CCAPP says their certification is expired when it's not? It's a mess, and I can smell a lawsuit coming.

I got certified by CCAPP and paid my membership fees and renewed my certificate, but they still haven't sent me my fancy certificate in the mail. I've called and emailed them multiple times, but all I get is an automated response saying they're working on it. I haven't received my certificate yet, and it's getting annoying to keep asking for something I've already paid for.

I contacted this company like they said after I paid and took the courses they wanted. But they didn't renew my certification. I did the courses they sent me, and they took my money for nothing. They never fixed my cert and now I don't trust them to renew it this year. I want them to fix this and give me a refund with clear instructions on how to renew.

I paid my membership fee on 06/09 and an application fee for certification renewal on 08/10. I called the credentialing department at CCAPP on 09/21 and they told me my certification application for renewal won't be approved for three weeks. The credentialing agency didn't send an email about changes in the certification renewal process. The CCAPP person said the info is on the website. But I couldn't find it under "Renew a Credential" https://ccappcredentialing.org/index.php/renew-credential. Now CCAPP people are saying applications won't be approved until the full application is submitted.

My certification gonna expire in 2 weeks. I got all the papers and fees paid since 1.16.22. I tried to fix this problem many times, and it took me hours just waiting on hold. Right now, I've been on hold for 3 hours after using their online chat. I waited for an hour before they finally replied and told me to call tomorrow. My job depends on having an active certification, and my boss needs time to check it too. This is the 3rd time I renewed with them, and every time they wait till the last days. I gotta keep calling them over and over again like I'm doing today.

The renewal rates they advertised ain't clear. When I was going through the process, it said it's gonna be $150. So, I paid up and sent 'em all the required documents. But then they told me I gotta pay a membership fee on top of that, either $450 or the original price. I went ahead and paid the membership fee, but then they hit me with more charges for past fees and late fees, adding up to $158. I had enough and decided to switch to another agency. I asked for a refund for the fees I already paid, but they told me it's gonna take 15 days. The next week, they hit me with the news that there ain't gonna be no refund 'cause CCAPP reviewed my renewal. They did this even though I shouldn't have been eligible for a review based on the price I paid. And now, they ain't even talkin' to me no more. They've gone completely silent. I got almost all our communication in emails, though.

I graduated from this place and they gave me bad service the whole time. I don't think they follow their own rules and goals. Talking to the staff has been terrible at every level and they always give different information. CCAPP took my money for an application and the phone line says it takes 4-6 weeks to process BUT now it's week 7 and they say it might take another 3+ weeks. I'm tired of dealing with CCAPP because they don't teach or communicate well and they make life harder. I want them to process my application soon so I can cut ties with this place that has made me more anxious.

I work in mental health and I'm trying to renew my RADT for my job. I paid $40 in July. I needed my supervisor's resume, which took a while to get, but I finally submitted it. I'm ready to finish the renewal process and get my certification. I'm really upset. I've been on hold since 2:30 and it's been three hours. I've been in queue #1 since before 5pm and still nothing. This organization is disappointing. They've been unhelpful and unprofessional. The office is closed and there hasn't been any response today. I want my RADT license now or a refund if CCAPP can manage it.

My application was submited may 24th for review. Processing times are misleading. At first they said it will take 8 weeks due to large number of applications. Then they told me to call in two more weeks and then I was transfered to my reviewer who informed me to email her in 15 days after we spoke. I emailed her and she never responded. I have called and they never call back. I am now past 4 months just to get an exam date. How is this even okay? Continue to dodge customers after paying and I had my membership active when I paid and months after. I do not want to continue with this company so I dont want to pay for my membership fee again. I want to take my test get certified and transfer to another company. I just want them to finish the job I paid for while my membership was active.

It's been like 9 months and they still haven't approved my application. I tried to complain about the person handling my claim and now it feels like she's making it even harder for me. She's taken out stuff I submitted and saying I don't have any "counseling" classes on my transcript. I'm an intern therapist, so there's no way I don't have any "counseling" classes. I even sent proof of my transcripts and the course descriptions. The person who processes my forms only works on Mondays, but CCAPP's phone service is only available from Tuesday to Friday, so I can't even call her. I can't even email her directly. The CCAPP process is a pain, it's too much and it takes forever. Plus, it seems like they purposely make it hard to contact them directly. I send emails and usually don't get any response at all.

I sent my app for a CADC-III in April 2022. They say it takes 6-8 weeks to process, but it's been 11 weeks now and no progress. I did all the paperwork and paid my dues. I've emailed and called *** for info, but no luck. I call every week, but the staff can't help. They tell me to talk to ***, but she hasn't called back. I get it if it's busy, but my employer needs proof my app is being processed. I've emailed different departments, but they just pass it along. I'm worried about my job if I can't show official proof my app is in progress.

My name is ***. I'm a SUD Counselor of 12 years with the credential, CADC II - CA provided by CCAPP. My two-year renewal expired 9/8/22. I submitted all the required CEU's and fees the first week of July. Between 6/21/22 and 8/4/22 and then between 8/4/22 - 9/1/22, CCAPP corresponded with me only twice despite multiple emails from me. Their lack of communication, conflicting stories, and follow through on their part cost me two days of work due to suspension because my credential wasn't renewed in time. The cost to me - $456 ($228 per day). Had CCAPP been responsible in their communications, I would not be in this position. I even sent emails to their complaint department and two emails to their board of directors. NO ONE responded whatsoever. In fact, I sent two complaint email to IC and RC seeking help with no response. Finally, yesterday, 9/11/22, I was put in touch with president *** who assisted in the completion of my renewal this morning, for which I'm thankful, but he completely ignored my lost work and money grievance that I outlined for him. In fact, after apologizing for the "...frustrations you are experiencing", he took offense, saying, "I am somewhat concerned about you challenging me and my position when I am trying to assist you." I thanked him for his help, apologized for the perceived slight, but pointed out he ignored the money and work lost and then he responded no more. I'm happy to provide more details and I have the email records to prove my case. Bottom line - due to their negligence, irresponsibility, and unprofessional behavior, I'm out $456 that I'd like back from them. From the ComplaintsBoard.com complaint page on them, it's obvious this type of grievance is a long standing issue for CCAPP.

I paid online to renew my credential about 30 days before it expired. The payment went through and I paid CCAPP/*** for it. This is my second complaint about CCAPP/*** because they take a long time and have a lot of requirements. I'm not going to renew with them again after this. I would tell others not to go through all this frustration just to do good work. It doesn't make any sense. I hadn't heard from CCAPP/*** since I finished the online renewal process and paid. Today, I got an email from them saying my credential has lapsed. They want me to send them a letter explaining why it lapsed. The letter needs to have a valid date, an original signature, and include my specific credential. Once I write the letter, I can email it to them and they'll confirm they got it. If I don't have a scanner or computer, I should ask them how to send the letter. After they get the letter, they'll review it.

In June , I sent my application for CADC-I, the payment for CCAPP membership, and exam. I called before to ask what the requirements were since I was finishing school in the State of New York and moving to California. I have an Associate in Applied Sciences Degree and my major was Chemical Dependency Counseling. I moved to California in July and started communicating with CCAPP staff. Since the beginning each person that I spoke with gave me different answers. It was not until August that I found out that I needed to apply for RADT-l. I was asked on three different occasions for a copy of my ID. I sent via U.S. mail all paperwork needed: my internship supervisor resume, practicum hours log signed by my instructor, transcripts from college, picture of my degree certificates, recommendation letters from a supervisor and a peer. As of today, I have been working for over a year as a Substance Abuse Counselor at Recovery Solutions of Santa Ana, CA and I have the 2080 plus hours that I need to be able to do my exam to have my CADC-l credential. My Supervisor at work sent the hours via mail, and we had no response. I called to ask about the status of this and I was told that they needed to be uploaded online. I started the application online and now I was told that I need to submit all what I mentioned above again, because it is a different process. My concern is why if all of my sensitive personal information (SPI) was sent to the CCAPP office in Sacramento via mail, that the people that work in credentialing cannot upload it to my online application? I cannot travel to New York to bring the same documentation that it is already in the office at CCAPP. Should I worry about my sensitive personal information and documentation being lost? I would like to know where my Personally Identifiable Information (PII) is and how it is being stored. I sent an email to CEO *** on 10/29. He answered the same day via email informing me he was "CC'ing" my email to "*** and ***". None of these individuals ever contacted me. I sent another email to CEO *** on 11/8 to inform that nobody had contact me and he answered he was "CC'ing the email to "***". As today 12/3, I have not been contacted by any CCAPP credentialing staff, neither the individuals mentioned above. This is costing me not only the opportunity to move forward with my career but also a lot of unnecessary stress.