Alcohol and Drug Counseling Associate’s Degree

The Alcohol and Drug Counseling Associate’s Degree from ICDC College prepares you for employment as a Substance Abuse Counselor, a role that fills a growing need in our society. Addiction is a chronic and widespread problem that affects people of all ages and from all walks of life. In fact, one in eight Americans suffers from alcohol or drug addiction.* People struggling with addictions to alcohol, drugs and other substances, or even gambling and similar negative behaviors, often lose control of their jobs, relationships and their lives.

Of the 27 million people with alcohol and drug problems in the U.S., it is estimated that nearly 16 million are in need of immediate treatment.* Qualified Substance Abuse Counselors can help addicts break negative patterns, overcome their addictions and assist them on the road to recovery. The Online Alcohol and Drug Counseling Associate’s Degree from ICDC College provides students with the skills needed for assisting with addictive behaviors, addiction prevention, guidance for relapse prevention, and case management. Students will learn effective techniques for individual and group substance abuse counseling, and our Associate’s Degree program also will prepare you for treatment or certification opportunities in gambling addiction and co-occurring disorders.

The ICDC College program meets the California state, national and international substance abuse counseling certification training requirements and exceeds the California Certification Board of Alcohol and Drug Counselors (CCBADC) requirements for registration. Additionally, ICDC College’s program has been approved by the California Association of Alcoholism and Drug Abuse Counselors (CAADAC). This means that online students who are based in California will graduate from a program that is approved by one of the largest alcohol and drug abuse counseling certification organizations in the state. ICDC College is also an education provider approved by NAADAC, the National Association for Alcoholism and Drug Abuse Counselors. NAADAC is one of the largest membership organizations serving addiction counselors, educators, administrators, and other addiction-focused health care professionals, who specialize in addiction counseling, prevention, intervention, treatment, recovery support and education. NAADAC has 8,000 members and 43 state affiliates, with a network of addiction services professionals that spans the United States and the world.

Your state requirements may differ. Any questions regarding the minimum requirements for the state where you choose to seek employment may be obtained from ICDC College, along with referrals to state-specific agencies for further information.

The Online Alcohol and Drug Counseling Associate’s Degree program at ICDC College teaches students how to perform the 12 Core Functions of substance abuse counseling:

• Screening
• Intake
• Orientation
• Assessment
• Treatment planning
• Counseling
• Case management
• Crisis intervention
• Client education
• Referrals
• Reports and recordkeeping
• Consultation with relevant professionals

Call to enroll today! Once the enrollment process is complete, you will be provided with the tools you need to succeed, including online coursework, textbooks and a new Netbook computer** – all included in the cost of your tuition. Your next step is to log in and learn, at your convenience – 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, from any location.

Graduates of ICDC College’s Alcohol and Drug Counseling program have found employment with a variety of companies throughout the country ranging from private counseling and recovery centers, to behavioral health and treatment facilities, as well as outpatient counseling and rehabilitation services.

ICDC College’s campus program for the Alcohol and Drug Counseling Fast-Track Diploma has been approved by the California Association of Alcoholism & Drug Abuse Counselors (CAADAC) and the National Association for Alcoholism and Drug Abuse Counselors (NAADAC). This means that our both our on-campus students in California, and our online students will graduate from a program that is approved by two of the largest alcohol and drug abuse counseling certification organizations in the United States.

Career Services assistance is provided by ICDC College upon completion of the program. Interested applicants are encouraged to look into their own state’s eligibility criteria for working in the field of addiction counseling.

Students who graduate from ICDC College’s online Alcohol and Drug Counseling Associate’s Degree program will be qualified to provide guidance in crisis intervention, treatment planning, referral services, client and family counseling, and community education and outreach. Work environments may include day treatment centers, inpatient and outpatient drug rehabilitation clinics, hospitals and private facilities.

Career Services assistance is provided by ICDC College upon completion of the program.

Employment:

State employment requirements for Alcohol and Drug Counselors may differ. Interested applicants are encouraged to look into their own state’s eligibility criteria for working in the field of alcohol and drug counseling. ICDC College can provide assistance regarding the minimum requirements for the state where you choose to seek employment by making referrals to state-specific agencies for further information.

Graduates may qualify for entry-level employment in the following types of positions:

Substance Abuse Counselor: In this role you may work with adolescents, teens or adults, providing a range of services including moderating discussions in recovery groups and psycho-educational sessions, conducting classes in life skills and relapse prevention, and providing substance abuse counseling in individual and group settings. A substance abuse counselor typically provides direct care and supervision of all client-patients in structured activities and programs at a treatment facility.

Substance Abuse Technician: Under the supervision of a substance abuse counselor, program nurse or clinic coordinator, in this role you would provide assistance in monitoring and maintaining therapy activities for patient-clients and their families in a substance abuse program or treatment facility. A technician serves as a role model to client-patients and families in the recovery process, and assists the work of other professionals on the substance abuse treatment team.

Transitional Case Manager: In this role you would provide transitional case management services to active substance abusers to facilitate their access to substance abuse treatment programs and relapse-prevention services. Your duties might include transporting or meeting client-patients at service providers to provide support and advocacy. A case manager networks with community service providers to identify needs in the local population, then develops strategies for promoting programs to engage the target audience.

Residential Counselor: Residential Counselors typically work in day treatment centers with client-patient residents seeking long-term recovery from alcohol and substance abuse. In this role you would provide assistance in all substance abuse treatments and activities for the clients at the center. Duties might include advocating for clients, monitoring their medications and daily activity, ensuring compliance with facility rules, assisting with direct care and the development of an after-care plan, transporting clients as needed, and helping with upkeep of the facility.

Residential Detox Counselor: Working in a 24-hour facility that provides acute inpatient substance abuse services, in this role you would assist in providing around-the-clock care and observation for clients detoxing from drugs and alcohol addiction. Duties might include implementing treatment services and assisting with direct care, monitoring client-patients’ daily activities, educating clients, documenting activities, and ensuring compliance with facility rules.

The Alcohol and Drug Counseling Associate’s Degree program is available at the following campus:

• Online

The Online Alcohol and Drug Counseling Associate’s Degree program at ICDC College is designed to introduce students to the eight domains of knowledge in the field of addiction:

• Clinical Evaluation
• Treatment Planning
• Referral
• Service Coordination
• Counseling
• Client, Family and Community Education
• Documentation
• Professional and Ethical Responsibility

The program teaches students how to perform the 12 core functions of substance abuse counseling:

• Screening
• Intake
• Orientation
• Assessment
• Treatment planning
• Counseling
• Case management
• Crisis intervention
• Client education
• Referrals
• Reports and recordkeeping
• Consultation with relevant professionals

Courses from the Alcohol and Drug Counseling program include:

• Counseling laws and ethics
• Individual, group and family counseling
• Case management
• Addiction prevention and education
• Treatment planning and relapse prevention
• Chemical dependency and co-occurring disorders counseling
• Psychoactive drugs
• Pharmacology
• Advanced domestic and family violence counseling
• Personal and professional growth

In addition to their coursework, all ICDC College’s Alcohol and Drug Counseling students will participate in an “Externship” that involves field work at a substance abuse treatment facility in their area, completing 270 hours in 15 weeks. Through the externship, students will gain hands-on experience working in a clinical setting alongside industry professionals. The externship will also provide students the opportunity for networking with potential employers. Student “externs” gain practical skills in screening, orientation, assessment, treatment planning, counseling, case management, crisis intervention, client and family education, referral, reports, recordkeeping and consultation.

OCCUPATIONAL INFORMATION:

The occupations this program prepares students to enter by name and SOC code:
Substance Abuse and Behavioral Disorder Counselors # 21-1011.00

LINKS:

The links to the occupational profiles on the Department of Labor’s O*Net are:
http://www.onetonline.org/link/summary/21-1011.00

COSTS:

Tuition and Fees: $37,667.50
Books and Supplies: included w/ tuition
On campus room and board: N/A

MEDIAN LOAN DEBT:

Federal Loans: $14,103.00
Private Educational Loans: $0
Institutional Financing Plans: $0

PROGRAM LENGTH:

The program is designed to take 96 weeks to complete.

PROGRAM COMPLETION AND PLACEMENT RATES

This program is new. Therefore the number of students who graduate, the number of students who are placed, or the starting salary you can earn after finishing the educational program are unknown at this time. Information regarding general salary and placement statistics may be available from government sources or from the institution, but it is not equivalent to actual performance data.