Program Overview

Co-Occurring Disorders Certificate of Specialization

Related Degrees & Certificates

• AA Associate in Arts Degree Program
  • Addiction Studies | 60 units
• CA Certificate of Achievement
  • Addiction Studies | 39 units
• CS Certificate of Specialization
  • Case Management | 15 units

Program Learning Outcomes

Students completing this program will be able to:

• Understand Addiction: a variety of models and theories of addiction; the social political, economic, and cultural context; risk and resiliency factors; the behavioral, psychological, physical health, and social effects of psychoactive substances.
• Describe the philosophies, practices, policies, and scientifically supported models of treatment, recovery, relapse prevention, and continuing care for addiction and the interdisciplinary approach to addiction treatment.
• Understand how to apply the education and training to practice by understanding the diagnostic criteria for substance use disorders and describe treatment modalities and placement criteria within the continuum of care and apply treatment services appropriate to the personal and cultural identity and language of the client.
• Assess the professional readiness of the counselor as to apply their understanding of diverse cultures into clinical practice, the importance of self-awareness in one’s own personal, professional, and cultural life, adherence to addiction professional’s ethical and behavioral standards of conduct, importance of ongoing supervision and understand procedures for handling crisis or dangerous situations.

University Transfer Program

Use Assist to identify lower division major preparation for Business and Accounting for the California State University and the University of California systems. For independent or out-of-state colleges and universities use their catalogs to locate this information. Transfer Services can assist you to gather this information.

About the Program

The Addiction Studies program prepares students to work with the alcohol and other drug dependent population, and the family and employer of the chemically dependent person. The program addresses community needs for trained alcohol and other drug prevention specialists to work and volunteer in both public and private agencies in the Bay Area.

Career opportunities in this field include Primary Addiction Counselor/Supervisor, Case Manager, Program Director, Prevention Educator, Mental Health Dual Diagnosis Counselor, Crisis Intervention Specialist, Incarceration Counselor, and Assessment/Placement Specialist. Other opportunities include working with adolescents, seniors, multicultural populations, and those who have been affected by HIV/AIDS.

Persons who are awarded the certificate may be employed by in-patient and out-patient treatment clinics, transitional housing centers, mental health clinics, job training/placement programs, shelters for various homeless populations, detoxification units, crisis intervention centers, incarceration facilities, and education/prevention programs in the schools and community.

The certificate program conforms to the Proposed Guidelines for Alcohol and Other Drug Studies Programs within Higher Education prepared for the California State Department of Alcohol and Drug Programs and meets the accreditation standards set forth by the California Association for Alcohol/Drug Educators (CAADE).

Program Overview

Program Requirements

Requirements

• Required Core Courses: 15 units
  • PSYC 410 | Abnormal Psychology | 3 units
  • SOSC 302 | Pharmacology and Physiological Effects of Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse | 3 units
  • SOSC 314 | Individual AOD (Alcohol and Other Drug) Counseling Process | 3 units
  • SOSC 319 | Co-Occurring Disorders I: Recognition and Referral | 3 units
  • SOSC 325 | Co-Occurring Disorders II: Management and Treatment | 3 units

Total Required Units: 15