Drug Studies

The following curriculum meets the requirement for an Associate of Science Degree in Drug Studies . The Drug Studies Program is accredited by the California Association of Alcohol and Drug Educators (CAADE). The courses needed for the degree are designed to serve as preparation for a career in the helping professions. These courses may also serve students who wish to further their education in Human Services or other helping professions.

To acquire the Associate of Science Degree in Drug Studies, students must complete the required major courses below with a grade of "C" or better along with one of the following: Rio Hondo College General Education and Proficiency requirements, California State University General Education Breadth (CSU GE), or Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculum (IGETC).

The Drug Studies Program provides the student with the academic preparation and field experience needed to work with the drug dependent and their families. The Certificate is accredited by the California Association of Alcohol and Drug Educators (CAADE). Completion of the required courses provides the educational component necessary for certification as a Certified Addiction Treatment Specialist through CAADE. The courses that comprise the Certificate are designed for those who are working with or want to work with drug dependent populations, providing a broad base of knowledge regarding approaches to drug education and prevention, treatment issues, counseling skills, ethical issues, and practical knowledge about drugs and their effects.

To acquire the Certificate of Achievement in Drug Studies, it is necessary to complete the following courses with a grade of “C” or better:

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The Associate of Science in Drug Studies degree provides the student with academic preparation and field experience needed to work with drug dependents and their families. The Degree is accredited by the California Association of Drug Educators ( CAADE ) . Completion of the required courses provides the educational component necessary for certification as a Certified Addiction Treatment Specialist through CAADE. The courses that comprise the Degree are designed for those who are working with or want to work with drug-dependent populations, providing a broad base of knowledge regarding approaches to drug education and prevention, treatment issues, counseling skills, ethical issues, and practical knowledge about drugs and their effects.

Rio Hondo College applied to the California Association of Alcohol and Drug Educators ( CAADE )  for re-acceditation and the accreditation committee announced that the Rio Hondo College Addiction Studies program will be granted provisional accreditation for one-year, effective August 31, 2022, through August 31, 2023. After the Committee’s evaluation of the program, the following resolution has been proposed.  That the following courses be finalized.Diverse Population Issues andLaw & Ethics; Taught in other courses; new courses in progress. To be granted full accreditation for the remaining (2) years, Rio Hondo College faculty will present evidence that the proposed changes will be reflected in the following year’s college catalog in order to assure future compliance with CAADE’s educational standards for Addiction Studies. The evidence can be in the form of an email and/or formal letter on the college’s letterhead with a copy (or attachment) of the college catalog (2023-2024). Once the Accreditation Committee confirms that the corrections have been made, an official CAADE certificate and letter of accreditation renewal will be mailed to Rio Hondo College.

In addition, during the annual Rio Hondo College Drug Studies meeting, hosted by the Drug Studies program. Which includes faculty from other colleges and representatives in the industry. The narrator of this program change discussed the necessity to add two new courses, in order to maintain program accreditation. The participants in the meeting agreed that the two new courses and the program needed to change.