Kansas advisory committee reviews draft survey of addiction counselors; flags retirement, workforce, telehealth and AI concerns

At a remote meeting, the Addiction Counselor Advisory Committee of the Kansas Behavioral Sciences Regulatory Board reviewed a draft report summarizing a January 2025 survey of licensed addiction counselors in Kansas and discussed next steps for workforce analysis, telehealth practice, use of artificial intelligence and training needs.

The board’s executive director, David Frey, presented the draft findings and said, “422 individuals completed the survey for an overall response rate of about 27.3%, which is pretty good for this type of survey.” The survey period ran 31 days beginning Jan. 13, 2025; at the time there were 1,546 licensed addiction counselors in Kansas across three permanent license levels (520 LACs, 433 LMACs and 593 LCACs). Responses were anonymous; raw open-ended answers will be included in appendices when staff publishes the final report.

Why it matters: committee members said the results may affect licensing policy, continuing education and outreach in rural areas. The draft shows a notable share of licensees signaling potential retirement or uncertainty about remaining in practice within five years, and recurring comments about low pay, burnout and limits on supervision capacity.

Key findings presented

- Response…