Associate of Science in Substance Abuse Counseling – 100% Online

The AS in Substance Abuse Counseling prepares the student to help individuals with job readiness knowledge, skills and attitudes required to be successful in the helping professions; acquire paraprofessional competencies applicable to the substance abuse treatment field and many other behavioral health professions; learn about theories as they apply to working with clients, skills needed to apply the theories, and promote an understanding of how substance use disorders develop in individuals as well as how treatment is designed to meet their individual needs. This degree is especially useful for those wanting to work in the field of substance abuse or mental health treatment.

• 100% Online
• 24 Month Program
• Associate of Science Degree

• Initial screening of potential clients as to their need for further evaluation and diagnosis.
• Intake: Collecting of necessary personal information, explanation of confidentiality laws, obtaining of appropriate release of information signatures.
• Orientation: Clarify rights and responsibilities of both client and treatment facility, facility rules, tour appropriate areas, explain treatment process, help client to understand what is expected, and what s/he may expect.
• Referral: Be able to appropriately match client diagnosis and symptoms to treatment facility and program level. Be familiar with other area programs and facilities that clients may need beyond substance abuse treatment and be able to make appropriate referrals.
• Counseling: Be able to: select the appropriate counseling model(s) for a situation; use one-on-one and group counseling skills, including empowering clients, focusing on strengths, and keeping the focus on the client’s agenda, not the counselor’s.
• Crisis Intervention: Recognize and appropriately respond to signs of relapse, suicidality, depression. Be able to appropriately call others for assistance when the situation is beyond his/her abilities to handle.
• Patient Education: Counselor should be able to: help client to understand the processes of addiction, withdrawal, relapse, and recovery; convey this information in terms understood by clients and in one-on-one, in group or in front-of-the room environments.
• Case Management: Be able to understand, and where appropriate assist client with, processes in which the client may be involved in the areas of social services, legal, health care, and mental health care.
• Reporting and Record Keeping: Be able to keep succinct but complete and coherent records regarding all client interactions for the well-being of both client and agency. Be capable of objective reporting and of knowing what should be included.