The objective of the Standard is to establish the basic and indispensable competences in the exercise of addiction counseling in our country, mainly those that are exercised in establishments with residential modality and that serve as a reference for the evaluation process. It is composed of two dimensions, one theoretical and one practical; In the first there are twenty-one general concepts grouped into six thematic axes, which make up the theoretical framework of reference that every director must have and take into account for the exercise of their powers. In the second dimension there are forty competences that are grouped into two operational lines: 1) Counseling in addictions and 2) Coordination with the multidisciplinary team and other services. In the first line there are thirty-four competences in seven thematic axes and in the second line six competences grouped in two thematic axes are concentrated.

Each competence is a set of capacities that are integrated by knowledge, skills and attitudes used to achieve or comply with specific phases and components of counseling actions or even to solve problems or situations that arise. The knowledge component takes into account those knowledge indispensable for the exercise of competence and also defines its taxonomic level of cognition and learning: knowledge, understanding or application.