Alcohol and Drug Counseling Certificate

Program Overview:

The Alcohol and Drug Counseling Certificate prepares graduates for licensure with the Minnesota Board of Behavioral Health and Therapy (MNBBHT) as a Temporary Alcohol and Drug Counselor (ADC- T) or Licensed Alcohol and Drug counselors (LADC). This degree is designed for students who have an associate degree (or higher), want to learn more about chemical dependency issues, and who desire a career working with chemically dependent people.

Students in this program, will 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 Certificate does not license a student as a licensed or temporary alcohol and drug counselor. However, students with as associate degree 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. Students who have a bachelor’s degree (or higher), and pass a national exam, can apply for licensure as a drug counselor (LADC through the licensing board).

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 in Minnesota Statute 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 CERTIFICATE

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

Note: Not all courses are scheduled every semester.

FULL-TIME – FALL START

Full time is not recommended due to the intensity of practicums. Talk to Advisor for programming advice.

• Semester 1 – Fall (14 CREDITS): HS 1710, HS 1720, HS 1740, HS 1750, HS 1760 (Fall Only)
• Semester 2 – Spring (12 CREDITS): HS 1730 (Spring Only), HS 1765 (Spring Only) OR HS 1783 (Spring Only), HS 1770*, HS 1780*, HS 1782 (Spring Only)

PART-TIME – FALL START

• Semester 1 – Fall (9 CREDITS): HS 1710, HS 1740, HS 1750, HS 1785 (Fall Only)
• Semester 2 – Spring (8 CREDITS): HS 1720, HS 1730 (Spring Only), HS 1770*
• Semester 3 – Fall (9 CREDITS): HS 1760 (Fall Only), HS 1780*, HS 1781 (Fall Only)

*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