Addiction Counseling Studies Associate Degree

The addiction counseling studies Associate Degree is designed to prepare individuals for work in alcohol, drug, and other addictions counseling. The program emphasizes a public health approach that addresses community, social, and individual level factors in addiction while providing certificate candidates with a strong background in treatment modalities, health education and prevention, professional and ethical responsibilities, and client advocacy. Courses are sequenced based on knowledge and skills that are acquired as students move through the program. Students must complete internship coursework and fieldwork with a state-licensed substance abuse services agency. The degree requires the completion of 39 major-specific units and 60 unites total. Each course for this degree must be completed with a grade of “C” or better.

Some courses within the major have a required prerequisite. If you feel you have equivalent knowledge and skills to those included in the prerequisite course through professional experience, licensure or certification, you have the opportunity to submit a Prerequisite Challenge to be reviewed by the Department Chair. For the Prerequisite Challenge to be considered, you must submit documentation/verification to substantiate the basis for the challenge. Please see a counselor for more information about the Prerequisite Challenge process.

Projected enrollment is approximately 20 to 40 students annually, which includes Cerro Coso's campuses in KRV, IWV, EKC, and ESCC. The Associate degree estimates 15-20 completions per year beginning in 2024.

The addiction counseling studies program is a new occupational program at Cerro Coso Community College. This program will give new dimension to the vocational programs of the college and will increase the offering of related psychology and human services courses.

According to the Occupational Employment and Wages Data for Kern County in 2018, based on the Occupational Employment Statistics Survey, Cerro Coso College's service area of Kern County can expect a high increase of jobs related to substance use and abuse treatment. Job titles include alternative occupational titles, such as substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors, mental health and substance abuse social workers, and health educators (just to name a few).

Each course must be completed with a grade of “C” or better.

ADSTC101 : Introduction to Addiction Studies This career-oriented course introduces historical and sociological perspectives on the use, abuse, and social control of psychoactive, psychopharmaceutical, and/or psychotropic drugs. Students receive information about the bio-psycho-social nature of addiction; the impact of addiction on children, families, and society; contemporary treatment and prevention approaches; and the addiction counseling profession.

ADSTC102X : Physiological Effects of Addiction This career-oriented course presents an overview of the physiological processes and impacts of psychoactive drugs on the person, including risk factors related to addiction, acute and chronic health problems, communicable diseases, and fetal impacts. Issues related to synergistic risk factors, detoxification, and withdrawal are also reviewed.

ADSTC103X : Addiction Prevention, Intervention, Treatment, and Recovery This course describes the philosophies, practices, policies, and outcomes of the most generally accepted and scientifically supported models of prevention, intervention, treatment, recovery, and continuing care for addiction and other substance-related problems. Professional and ethical codes of conduct and behavior are also reviewed and emphasized.

ADSTC104X : Co-occurring Disorders This course reviews the major concepts, definitions, and features of co-occurring mental health disorders associated with addiction (either as cause or consequence). Skills in recognizing co-occurring disorders, referral and case management of clients, and appropriate scope of practice are emphasized. Common types of mental health issues associated with addiction, including mood, anxiety, and adjustment disorders, post-traumatic stress disorder, and unresolved issues of childhood abuse are covered. An overview of appropriate treatment and management approaches is discussed.

ADSTC105X : Counseling Skills in Addiction Treatment This course provides an introduction to case management, treatment planning, goal-setting, and progress charting when working with individual clients. Students learn theoretical models of counseling and concepts of treatment like skills deficits, social skills deficits, and psychological deficits. Current scientific and research addiction counseling strategies are presented for individual and group activities. This course provides a strong component in self-care and professional readiness as students are given tools and techniques to analyze appropriate content and applications.

ADSTC106X : Law and Ethics in Addiction Counseling This course introduces students to issues associated with the dignity and worth of individual human beings and the protection of fundamental human rights. Professional ethics, clients' rights, confidentiality, and other relevant material related to the field of addictions are explored. Topics include discussing situations for setting boundaries and an overview of current federal legislation pertaining to client confidentiality and release of information.

ADSTC107X : Family Dynamics of Addiction This course is designed to explore methods of assisting significant others (family, employer, etc.) to understand and cope in dealing with the alcohol and drug abuse of individuals with substance use disorders. It explores the multigenerational nature of substance use disorders in family systems with an emphasis on the risk factors for addictive behaviors; the dynamics of dysfunctional families; and the impacts of child abuse and neglect for adult children. Typical values, norms, roles, and beliefs of the family system are covered as well as the common patterns of adaptation. The dynamics of these relationships are examined as students develop treatment strategies to assist families and significant others throughout various stages of active addiction, treatment, long-term recovery and relapse prevention. Family involved approaches include adolescent drug use issues, codependency, enabling, and support for adult children of individuals with substance use disorders using an interdisciplinary perspective. The approach is experiential in format and students participate in exercises that lead to the development of specific skills.

ADSTC108X : Case Management in Addiction Counseling This course develops basic competencies in case management strategies for situations common in the addiction treatment setting, with attention to appropriate strategies of intervention, the admission process, and documentation of information as it pertains to clients with substance use disorders. Students are trained to screen, assess, and refer, if necessary, clients/patients to services which may apply the following: behavioral health counseling, criminal justice interventions; domestic violence; suicide; sexual abuse; Post Traumatic Stress Disorders (PTSD); distressed, agitated, or dangerous clients; and other relevant issues that can affect the outcome of successful treatment. The importance of appropriate case management and referral in crisis intervention is covered.

ADSTC109X : Group Treatment This course introduces the major goals, stages, and processes of group counseling in addiction treatment programs. The role, responsibilities, and ethics of the group leader are emphasized along with strategies and techniques for facilitating group processes as a means of changing behavior. The factors involved in problems of communication, effective emotional responses, and personal growth are highlighted. Students practice and demonstrate competencies through group leadership participation as well as other measurable indicators.

ADSTC110X : Addiction Studies Field Experience This course provides experience in the addictions field, enabling students to practice skills they have learned. Supervised field experience in a community organization, agency, or institution allows students to apply knowledge and learn new skills outside of the classroom environment. This course is designed to provide students with an opportunity to develop skills that would facilitate gaining employment in the addiction or human services field. Minimum of 255 hours of field experience. (Note: more hours may be required if student is paid). Participation in a placement setting requires drug and background screening.

ADSTC111X : Addiction Studies Field Experience Seminar This course is a study of substance use disorder treatment with an emphasis on developing the skills and abilities of the student-as-intern. Emphasis is placed on supporting students enrolled in an addiction studies internship. Throughout this course, students engage in critical analysis of their strengths and weaknesses as interns and as potential professionals in the field. Students must be accepted for an internship at an approved substance abuse treatment facility. This course is intended for students only in their final semester of an Addiction Studies program. Students are expected to create a weekly journal reflecting feedback, issues, and concerns arising during the fieldwork experience, as well as a final reflective essay. Participation in a placement setting requires drug and background screening.

HMSVC101 : Introduction to Human Services The purpose of this course is to introduce students to the human service professions and their role in helping people to cope with the problems of living. The course provides a historical overview and contemporary theories, as well as description of service delivery models of human services and allows the student to understand the client as a whole person in a specific context. The course addresses competence, professionalism, legal and ethical issues in human services.

PSYCC101 : General Psychology This course offers the student an introduction to the scientific study of behavior and mental processes focusing on exploration of major psychological theories and concepts, methods, and research findings in psychology. Topics include the biological bases of behavior and mental processes, perceptions, consciousness, memory, cognition, learning, motivation, emotion, development, intelligence, personality, social psychology, psychological disorders and therapeutic approaches, and applied psychology. The American Psychological Association (APA) format is taught and applied to written assignments and papers.

PSYCC101H : General Psychology : Honors This course offers the student an introduction to the scientific study of behavior and mental processes focusing on exploration of major psychological theories and concepts, methods, and research findings in psychology. Topics include the biological bases of behavior and mental processes, perceptions, consciousness, memory, cognition, learning, motivation, emotion, development, intelligence, personality, social psychology, psychological disorders and therapeutic approaches, and applied psychology. The American Psychological Association (APA) format is taught and applied to written assignments and papers. The honors course provides more content and requires greater intensity and depth of study than the non-honors class.

SOCIC101 : Introduction to Sociology This course introduces concepts and research findings of contemporary sociology; this includes analyzing human groups such as the family, the peer group, the work group, social class, institutions, mass behavior, and culture. Discussion is centered on the effects of social change in an industrial society.