2019-2020

Post-Baccalaureate Certificate in Addiction Counseling (Alcohol and Drug)

Department

Degrees offered

Certificate

Campuses

Main Campus

The post-baccalaureate concentration objectives of the initiative at Notre Dame of Maryland University is directly informed by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s Addiction Counseling Competencies (https://store.samhsa.gov/shin/content/SMA12-4171/SMA12-4171.pdf).

Post-Baccalaureate Concentration in Addiction Counseling Objectives

  1. Students will acquire a transdisciplinary foundation of the complex contributions and underpinnings of addiction and demonstrate content knowledge by being able to explain the nature, characteristics, and mechanisms of addiction across the lifespan informed by current evidenced based scientific literature from a transdisciplinary perspective.
  2. Students will demonstrate readiness for practice in the assessment and intervention techniques consistent with a bachelor’s level certification training in providing clinical services to persons in need of addiction treatment.
  3. Students will demonstrate a working understanding of substance abuse, mental health, and legal systems, will demonstrate skills in effectively navigating these systems in order to access and provide coordinated addiction services for clients, and will demonstrate the ability to work as a member of an interdisciplinary team.
  4. Students will become proficient in the necessary knowledge, skill, and abilities to academically qualify to take the state certification examination to pursue state certification as a certified associate counselor – alcohol and drug (CAC-AD).

Learning Objectives

  1. Students will demonstrate competence in using clinical interviewing in conducting a biopsychosocial assessment and demonstrate skill in the use of clinical assessment instruments in assessing substance related use and abuse disorders.
  2. Students will demonstrate competence in making differential diagnoses and an ability to diagnose co-occurring disorders.
  3. Students will demonstrate competence in developing an integrated treatment plan for treating addiction and co-occurring disorders that may including individual counseling, group counseling, family counseling, and other evidenced based treatments such as 12 step programs.
  4. Students will demonstrate cultural competency and sensitivity to gender in the assessment and treatment of addiction.

Notre Dame of Maryland University will provide the necessary courses consistent with the COMAR regulations in the state of Maryland (https://health.maryland.gov/bopc/Pages/cac-ad.aspx) for students to complete the academic requirements to take the state certification examination. In addition to the completion of academic requirements, per Maryland State regulations, students must complete supervised clinical hours for which the student will be responsible for arranging and completing. The university does not award a degree or certificate in addiction counseling. The State of Maryland awards the professional certificate once the student has satisfied all of the academic and supervised experience.

Assessment of learning objectives will be completed through measuring how well students achieve the learning objectives of the required courses. Although some student may decide not to pursue the supervised training required to take the certification examination, the ultimate measure of program effectiveness would be the percentage of students who complete the NDMU program who successfully become a certified associate counselor – alcohol and drug (CAC-AD).

Post-Baccalaureate Concentration in Addiction Counseling (Alcohol and Drug)

1. Student will have already been awarded a Bachelor’s degree in a human service field

2: Requires minimum of 33 credits beyond the bachelor’s degree

     PSY 207: Psychopathology (3 credits) *online

     PSY 350: Ethics that includes Alcohol and Drug Counseling Issues (3 credits) *online

     PSY 306: Theories and Techniques of Counseling and Psychotherapy (4 credits)

     PSY 450: Group Counseling (4 credits)

     PSY 451: Addictions Treatment Delivery (4 credits)

     PSY 452: Medical Aspects of Chemical Dependency (Pharmacology) (3 credits) *online

     PSY 461: Practicum I (4 credits)

     PSY 462: Practicum II (4 credits)

     Choice of 3 of the following:

          PSY 233: Human Development (3 credits) *online

          PSY 411: Topics in Substance Related and Addictive Disorder (topic rotates) (3 credits) *online

          PSY 453: Family Counseling (4 credits)

          PSY 454: Treatment of Co-occurring Disorders (3 credits) *online

3: Have completed not less than 1 year with a minimum of 2,000 hours of clinically supervised experience in alcohol and drug counseling approved by the Board of Professional Counselors and Therapists. https://health.maryland.gov/bopc/Pages/cac-ad.aspx

4: Must pass the International Certification Reciprocity Consortium (ICRC)/Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse (AODA) Examination and the Maryland Law Test

Courses

PSY-207 Psychopathology

Considers and studies intensively the wide range of disordered behaviors from the different scholarly perspectives that comment on "abnormality." Explores the nature of abnormality; the relationships between body and mind, and brain and behavior; and the significance of abnormal personal patterns to human relationships. Prerequisites: PSY-205, PSY-210. [3 credits]

PSY-233 Human Growth and Development

Explores the principles of developmental psychology from infancy through adulthood and includes general consideration of developmental tasks through the lifespan. Prerequisite: PSY-101. [3 credits]

PSY-306 Theories and Techniques of Counseling

Introduces counseling perspectives, models, ethics and counseling skills for students interested in the helping professions. Surveys major theoretical paradigms and emphasizes mastery of basic communication skills useful in interpersonal relations settings. All students participate in lectures, class demonstrations, role playing and peer practice by using depart-mental counseling suites. This is the foundation course for PSY-406 Advanced Therapeutic Techniques. Prerequisites: PSY-210, PSY-205, and PSY-207 and Technical Standards as evaluated by the department. [3 credits]

PSY-350 Ethics that includes Alcohol and Drug Counseling Issues

Pending

PSY-411 Advanced Topics

Explores in depth a focused topic in psychology, based on instructor's area of specialization. Topic changes from year to year, with recent offerings including Psychology of Religion, Attachment, Psychopharmacology, Forensic Psychology, Health Psychology, Applied Behavioral Analysis, Evolutionary Psychology, and Culture of Violence. All students give a seminar paper and complete a major research paper. Prerequisite: will be noted for specific course, based on topics. Prerequisite: PSY-210, senior status as a psychology major. Not open to minors. [3 credits]

PSY-450 Group Counseling

Pending

PSY-451 Addiction Treatment Delivery

Pending

PSY-452 Medical Aspects of Chemical Dependency (Pharmacology)

Pending

PSY-453 Family Counseling

Pending

PSY-454 Treatment of Co-occuring Disorders

Pending

PSY-461 Practicum I

Provides opportunities for field experience for qualified students under professional supervision. Allows for consultative meeting with practicum coordinator concerning career goals and aspirations, which then determine the nature of a placement most consistent with student abilities and interests. Offers students an additional opportunity for advanced training and increased levels of professional responsibility through Practicum II. Requires students to meet academic and background requirements for chosen placement and to attend an academic seminar in addition to fieldwork. Prerequisite: junior psychology major status and conference with coordinator. Not open to liberal arts majors or psychology minors. Prerequisites: Technical Standards as evaluated by the department. Cannot retake if student receives a failing grade. [4 credits] Students will not be permitted to repeat PSY 461 or PSY 462 if they receive a failing grade (D or F) or are removed from their practicum site due to an ethical violation. Ethical violations are defined by the American Psychological Association's Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct. Ethical violations may include plagiarism. The practicum requirement cannot be waived or completed through another institution.

PSY-462 Practicum II

Provides opportunities for field experience for qualified students under professional supervision. Allows for consultative meeting with practicum coordinator concerning career goals and aspirations, which then determine the nature of a placement most consistent with student abilities and interests. Offers students an additional opportunity for advanced training and increased levels of professional responsibility through Practicum II. Requires students to meet academic and background requirements for chosen placement and to attend an academic seminar in addition to fieldwork. Prerequisite: junior psychology major status and conference with coordinator. Not open to liberal arts majors or psychology minors. Prerequisites: Technical Standards as evaluated by the department. Cannot retake if student receives a failing grade. [4 credits] Students will not be permitted to repeat PSY 461 or PSY 462 if they receive a failing grade (D or F) or are removed from their practicum site due to an ethical violation. Ethical violations are defined by the American Psychological Association's Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct. Ethical violations may include plagiarism. The practicum requirement cannot be waived or completed through another institution.