Sex offenders, criminals allowed to be counselors

The lax credentialing system in California has allowed convicted sex offenders and people with substance abuse problems to work with clients.

California is one of only two states that does not require background check on people who are registering to become substance-abuse counselors. No criminal background check is run, and in fact applicants are never asked to disclose any past trouble with the law.

An investigation run by the Senate Office of Oversight and Outcomes revealed that, since 2005, there are 23 sex offenders who have been registered or certified to work as substance-abuse counselors.