Alcohol and Drug Counseling Associate of Science

Program Overview:

The Alcohol and Drug Counseling Associate Degree prepares graduates for licensure with the Minnesota Board of Behavioral Health and Therapy (MNBBHT) as a Temporary Alcohol and Drug Counselor (ADC- T). This degree is designed for students who have a high school diploma, want to learn more about chemical dependency issues, want to work as an ADC-T, and want to complete a bachelor’s degree at a university within the next 5 years.

While in this program, students gain valuable classroom knowledge in 12 core areas of addiction counseling theory, practice, and skill development. Through the required practicum placements in a licensed chemical dependency facility students gain valuable and necessary practical experience under the supervision of a Licensed Alcohol & Drug Counselor or other qualified professional.

Program Outcomes:

Upon completion of the Alcohol and Drug Counseling program at RCTC, students will achieve the following outcomes:

• Show proper use of the 12 core functions of a substance use counselor in clinical settings.
• Demonstrate, recognize, and exhibit professional standards by using legal, ethical, developmental, and culturally responsive counseling practice.
• Utilize a wide variety of crisis, educational, counseling or case management evidence-based methods, theories, skills, and interventions.
• Recognize how diversity, human development, or ecological systems influence etiology, case conception, prevention, and treatment of co-occurring and substance use disorders.
• Develop and foster relationships with behavioral health clients, professionals, organizations, and treatment agencies.
• Acquire familiarity with client and community resources, needs, and services.
• Assist clients in creating and maintaining a wholistic healthy lifestyle.
• Explore a wide variety of behavioral health careers and discern the requirements needed to work in that field.
• Evaluate how pharmacology influences a person’s ability to function in life, society, and the world.

Career Opportunities:

The Alcohol and Drug Counseling Associate Degree does not license a student as a temporary alcohol and drug counselor. However, students who complete the degree can apply for licensure as a temporary drug counselor (ADC-T) through the Minnesota Board of Behavioral Health & Therapy. If the licensing board approves your application, students can work as a temporary drug counselor for roughly 6 years (or 5 annual renewal periods) while they complete a bachelor’s degree.

Additional Information:

Currently all but two of the Human Service (HS) Alcohol and Drug Counseling (ADC) classes are open to any enrolled RCTC students. The two HS ADC classes that are not open to all RCTC students are the clinical practicums (HS 1770: Alcohol and Drug Counseling Practicum I & HS 1780: Alcohol and Drug Counseling Practicum II). Students interested in accessing the clinical practicums must pass a background study, get instructor permission, declare alcohol and drug counseling as a major, and have all class pre-requisites met.

Notice of Minnesota Background Check Requirement

Minnesota Statute 245C requires that students who have contact with individuals in licensed institutions complete an annual background study with the Minnesota Department of Human Services. Individuals who do not pass the background check will not be allowed to participate in clinical activities. A list of disqualifying offenses is available at https://www.revisor.mn.gov/statutes/?id=245C.15. Students in the program will also be required to complete a National Criminal background Study. Information about completing the background study will be available from program faculty.

ALCOHOL AND DRUG COUNSELING AS

MINNESOTA TRANSFER CURRICULUM (MnTC)/GENERAL REQUIREMENTS (34 CREDITS)

GOAL 1: COMMUNICATION (7 CREDITS)

• ENGL 1117 – Reading and Writing Critically I (4 cr) AND COMM 1114 – Fundamentals of Public Speaking (3 cr) OR COMM 1130 – Interpersonal Communication (3 cr)

GOAL 3: NATURAL SCIENCES (7 CREDITS)

• BIOL 1110 – Human Biology (4 cr)
• 3 credits from MnTC Goal 3, second science cannot be BIOL.

GOAL 4: MATHEMATICAL/LOGICAL REASONING (4 CREDITS)

• MATH 1090 – Statway Statistics II (4 cr) OR MATH 2208 – Fundamentals of Statistics (4 cr)

GOAL 5: HISTORY AND THE SOCIAL AND BEHAVIORAL SCIENCES (10 CREDITS)

• PSYC 2618 – General Psychology (4 cr)
• PSYC 2626 – Human Growth and Development (3 cr)
• SOC 1614 – Introduction to Sociology (3 cr)

GOAL 6: HUMANITIES AND THE FINE ARTS (3 CREDITS)

• Three credits from MnTC Goal 6

ANY OTHER MnTC GOAL (3 CREDITS)

• Three credits from MnTC Goal 8, 9, or 10

PROGRAM CORE REQUIREMENTS (22 CREDITS)

• HS 1710 – Foundations of Alcohol and Drug Counseling (3 cr)
• HS 1720 – Co-Occurring Disorders (3 cr)
• HS 1730 – Screening and Assessment of Disorders (2 cr)
• HS 1740 – Pharmacology of Addiction (2 cr)
• HS 1750 – Case Management and Ethics (3 cr)
• HS 1760 – Multicultural Aspects of Addiction (3 cr)
• HS 1770 – Alcohol and Drug Counseling Practicum I* (3 cr)
• HS 1780 – Alcohol and Drug Counseling Practicum II* (3 cr)

PROGRAM CORE REQUIREMENTS (4 CREDITS)

Choose a total of 4 credits from the following courses:

• HS 1765 – Counseling Theory and Practice (3 cr)
• HS 1781 – Crisis Invention and Prevention (3 cr)
• HS 1782 – Behavioral Health, Society & The Justice System (1 cr)
• HS 1783 – At-Risk Children, Youth and Their Families (3 cr)
• HS 1785 – Overview of Applied Behavioral Analysis (1 cr)

RECOMMENDED COURSE SEQUENCES

FULL-TIME – FALL START

• Semester 1 (16 CREDITS): ENGL 1117, SOC 1614, HS 1710, HS 1720, HS 1781 (Fall Only)
• Semester 2 (16 CREDITS): BIOL 1110, COMM 1114 OR COMM 1130, PSYC 2618, HS 1740, HS 1750
• Semester 3 (16 CREDITS): HS 1760 (Fall Only), HS 1770*, MATH 1090 OR MATH 2208, MnTC Goal 3 (cannot be BIOL), PSYC 2626
• Semester 4 (12 CREDITS): HS 1730 (Spring Only), HS 1780*, HS 1782 (Spring Only), MnTC Goal 6, MnTC Goal 8, 9, or 10

PART-TIME – FALL START

• Semester 1 (9 CREDITS): ENGL 1117, HS 1740, SOC 1614
• Semester 2 (7 CREDITS): COMM 1114 OR COMM 1130, PSYC 2618
• Semester 3 (7 CREDITS): HS 1750, HS 1785 (Fall Only), PSYC 2626
• Semester 4 (8 CREDITS): HS 1710, HS 1730 (Spring Only), MnTC Goal 6
• Semester 5 (7 CREDITS): HS 1720, MATH 1090 OR MATH 2208
• Semester 6 (7 CREDITS): BIOL 1110, HS 1765 (Spring Only) OR HS 1783 (Spring Only)
• Semester 7 (9 CREDITS): HS 1760 (Fall Only), HS 1770*, MnTC Goal 3 (cannot be BIOL)
• Semester 8 (6 CREDITS): HS 1780*, MnTC Goal 8, 9, or 10

*Must complete the Criminal Background study required by the Minnesota Department of Human Services and qualify for direct client contact prior to enrollment in HS 1770 and HS 1780.

Course descriptions can be found at: RCTC course descriptions