MENTAL HEALTH ASSISTANT - ALCOHOL COUNSELING
Program Description
Alcohol abuse and the abuse of other drugs is increasing in this nation. More demographic groups, including women, the elderly, adolescents and persons with other concurrent mental health disorders are in need of counseling and treatment to address these significant health issues. Increasing demands are being placed on alcoholism/substance counselors to work with more dysfunctional clients, under an increasing health care industry faced with financial constraints. This program is designed to prepare students for careers as alcoholism/substance abuse counselors, as well as provide additional training for those individuals already employed in the field. This course of study can be on a part-time evening or full-time day and evening sequence.
While in this program, the student will learn diagnostic, evaluation, individual, group, intervention and family counseling techniques. Students will serve internships with credentialed and experienced professionals at various public and private inpatient and outpatient facilities in Western New York. The program will provide the student with techniques and strategies for determining the best available treatment for the chemical abuser, their family and others affected by this destructive behaviors associated with alcohol/substance abuse. The alcoholism/substance abuse program will fulfill all the education/training clock hour requirements for the New York State OASAS credential for alcoholism/substance abuse counselor (CASAC). Completion of the two internship courses as part of the curriculum would be partial fulfillment toward the one year allowance for non-paid experience toward credentialing.
Graduates of the program are qualified for entry-level substance abuse counseling positions and related duties as prevention/education specialists in schools, employee assistance counselors in industry or business and private facilities promoting substance abuse awareness programs and/or direct service provision.
Graduates of the program will have been introduced to total quality management and continuous quality improvement concepts, principles and practices as they are applied to addictions treatment, inpatient and outpatient care and case management protocols.
Degree: Associate in Science (A.S.)
Hegis: 5216
Curriculum Code: 0541
Total Degree Credits: 60.0
Campus Location: City - Evening Program
Health Sciences Division