Addiction Counseling Studies Certificate

Cerro Coso IWV campus

What can I do with this?

The Addiction Counseling Studies Certificate of Achievement

  • Prepares individuals for counseling in alcohol, drug, and other addictions.
  • Emphasis on public health approach that addresses community, social, and individual-level factors in addiction
  • Provides students 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 fieldwork with a state-licensed substance abuse services agency.

Job Outlook

According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment of substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors is projected to grow 23 percent from 2020 to 2030, much faster than the average for all occupations. $51,564 is the Median Pay for substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors in 2020 in the service area of Cerro Coso College, which is 7% higher than the national median salary of $48,114.

Source: All data provided by EMSI.

Find it! Be it! Find out how Cerro Coso Community College is helping students get training and education close to home and gain skills for good-paying jobs.

What will I learn?

  • Articulate the broad concerns and practices of the addiction counseling field.
  • Describe seven or more traits of an effective helping person including establishing a helping relationship with the client characterized by warmth, respect, genuineness, concreteness, and empathy.
  • Promote client knowledge, skills, and attitudes consistent with the maintenance of good health (as defined by both the client culture and the treatment culture) and the prevention of HIV/ AIDS, TB, STDS, and other communicable diseases.
  • Perform the actions necessary to start a group, including determine group type, purpose, size, and leadership, recruiting and selecting members. Also establish group goals and clarify behavioral ground rules for participating, identifying outcomes, and determining criteria and methods for termination or graduation from the group.
  • Describe the dynamics of crisis intervention.

What courses do I take?

Note: Some courses within the major may 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 faculty chair. For the Prerequisite Challenge to be considered, you must submit documentation/verification to substantiate the basis for the challenge. Please consult a counselor for more information regarding Prerequisite Challenge.

Complete all of the following courses:

C-ID: ADS 110 X Introduction to Addiction Studies

Advisory: ENGL C101

54 hours lecture. 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.

C-ID: ADS 140 X Pharmacology of Alcohol and Other Drugs

Advisory: ENGL C101

54 hours lecture. 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.

C-ID ADS 150 X Prevention, Intervention, and Recovery

Advisory: ENGL C101

54 hours lecture. 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.

C-ID ADS 190 X Co-occurring Disorders

Advisory: ENGL C101

54 hours lecture. 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.

C-ID ADS 120 X Basic Counseling Skills

Advisory: ENGL C101

54 hours lecture. 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.

C-ID ADS 160 X Law and Ethics

Advisory: ENGL C101

54 hours lecture. 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.

C-ID ADS 180 X Family and Addiction

Prerequisite: ADST C101. Advisory: ENGL C101, ADST C102X, ADST C106X

54 hours lecture. 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.

C-ID ADS 170 X Case Management

Prerequisite: ADST C101. Advisory: ENGL C101, ADST C106X

54 hours lecture. 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.

C-ID ADS 130 X Group Process and Group Leadership

Prerequisite: ADST C101. Advisory: ENGL C101, ADST C106X

54 hours lecture. 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.

Prerequisite: ADST C101, ADST C102X, ADST C103X, ADST C104X, ADST C105X, ADST C106X, ADST C107X, ADST C108X, ADST C109X

Co-requisite: ADST C111X

255 hours laboratory. 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.

C-ID: ADS 210 X Addiction Studies Field Exerience Seminar

Prerequisite: ADST C101, ADST C102X, ADST C103X, ADST C104X, ADST C105X, ADST C106X, ADST C107X, ADST C108X, ADST C109X

Co-requisite: ADST C110X

45 hours lecture. 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.

Select 3 units from the following courses:

Advisory: ENGL C101

54 hours lecture. This course introduces students to the social work and human service professions and their role in helping people cope with the problems of living. It provides a historical overview and contemporary theories, as well as description of service delivery models, allowing students to understand the client as a whole person in a specific context. The course addresses competence, professionalism, and legal and ethical issues in the field. Approved for Local GE Area 6.

C-ID: PSY 110 Introductory Psychology

Advisory: ENGL C070

54 hours lecture. 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. Approved for IGETC Area 4, CSU GE Area D, Local GE Area 2.

C-ID: PSY 110 Introductory Psychology

Advisory: ENGL C101 Limitation on Enrollment: Acceptance for the Honors Program or eligibility for this honors course as determined in consultation with the instructor.

72 hours lecture. 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. Approved for IGETC Area 4, CSU GE Area D, Local GE Area 2.

C-ID: SOCI 110 Introduction to Sociology

Advisory: ENGL C101, LIBR C100

54 hours lecture. 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. Approved for IGETC Area 4, CSU GE Area D, Local GE Area 2 & 6.

Program Pathways

All classes needed for this certificate are available at the following campuses: CC Online

See Counseling for specific help with enrolling and completing this major.

How can I afford it?

This certificate requires 37 to 38 units and will likely take 4 semesters.

Approximate Total Costs

CA Residents

37 or 38 units

at $46 per unit

Equals $1,702 in tuition and fees

Plus approximately $2,220* for books and supplies

Total cost $3,922 for 4 semesters

Non-residents

37 or 38 units

at $388 per unit

Equals $14,356 in tuition and fees

Plus approximately $2,220* for books and supplies

Total cost $16,576 for 4 semesters

*This is an estimate. Actual costs will vary.

Need help? Financial Aid can help with fee waivers and scholarships and other aid. Make sure to fill out your FAFSA every January.