BA in Substance Abuse Counseling

The Substance Abuse Counseling major equips students entering the addiction recovery field. To be licensed in the field of chemical dependency counseling in Ohio, three requirements must be met:

• Completion of education specific to chemical dependency counseling. The BA degree in Substance Abuse Counseling meets more than the minimum hours required. Ohio Christian University’s degree program is designed to meet this requirement of chemical dependency counseling education.
• Appropriate supervision of chemical dependency counseling while employed in a treatment facility. For many students, this process begins after completion of the major.
• Successful completion of the licensure test that is administered by the State of Ohio.

Students are eligible to apply to the Ohio Chemical Dependency Professionals board for Certified Chemical Dependency Assistant status (CDCA) once they have completed 40 clock hours of chemical dependency training in specific areas. The CDCA is required to seek entry level employment and to begin supervision required prior to taking the State test for licensure. (Refer to ocdp.ohio.gov/, in the Certification and Licensure tab, follow instructions to download the CDCA Forms. Students should contact the appropriate state licensure board to learn of requirements unique to a particular state. The names of the boards can be found online at the International Certification and Reciprocity Consortium at www.internationalcredentialing.org.

Objectives:

Upon graduating from the program, students should be able to:

• Integrate Christian principles in critical thinking and decision-making to the study of substance abuse counseling.
• Appraise the needs of persons through use of assessment techniques, diagnostic criteria, and treatment planning.
• Utilize appropriate counseling techniques with individuals, families, and groups.
• Apply chemical dependency interventions, knowledge of drugs, and ethical codes of conduct.

MAJOR45 Hours

*30 credit hours at the 3000-level or above

• PSY2450 Principles of Behavior3
  A concentrated look at the behavioral approach to counseling and human development. This course provides practical knowledge and experience with a critique from the Christian viewpoint.

  Prerequisite: PSY1020
• PSY3000 Methods of Counseling3
  Concepts, practices, and applications of counseling theories, including constructs of how the counselor integrates theory with Christian and biblical views, and development of these counseling skills and practical approaches into a personalized counseling style for use in individual sessions.

  Prerequisite: PSY1020
• PSY3600 Abnormal Psychology3
  Abnormal behavior as defined by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, with analysis of ideology and behavioral abnormality, methods of therapy, and emphasis on cultural and demographic variables impacting mental illness.

  Prerequisite: PSY1020
• SAC1020 Introduction to Substance Abuse3
  Fundamental concepts related to substance use disorders in multiple client populations, including assessment and diagnosis of substance use disorders, planning a course of treatment, analyzing effects of substances on the client and others, etiology, and best practices in counseling and treatment through a Christian worldview.
• SAC2120 Ethical and Legal Issues in Counseling3
  Professionalism, ethics, and legal issues that present themselves in the context of counseling, with emphasis on substance abuse counseling. Students will examine and analyze professional issues in counseling from both a legal and an ethical perspective.
• SAC2150 Case Management3
  Best practices for case management common to the human services, including interviewing skills, documentation, cultural aspects, self-care, and ethical issues.

  Prerequisite: SAC1020
• SAC2300 Family Dynamics in Substance Abuse3
  The impact of chemical dependency and substance abuse upon the family system. Enabling as a dynamic that reinforces dysfunctional patterns will be examined. Attention is given to treatment options and interventions for not only the family member with the Substance Use Disorder, but the other family members impacted by their use as well. Additionally, substance use issues related to adolescents and children will be addressed. These dynamics will be addressed with a Christian and biblical worldview.
• SAC3220 Theories and Techniques of Group Counseling3
  An overview of group theories and the techniques and theorists associated with each, examined in the context of a biblical worldview. Development of skills for facilitating group counseling

  Prerequisite: SAC1020
• SAC3300 Psychopharmacology3
  Background, instruction, and practical understanding of substances with addictive or abusive potential. Current medical guidelines will be evaluated in light of biblical truth to allow for a holistic course will be on legal and illegal drugs that elicit a pharmacologic effect in the central nervous system. Both pharmacokinetic (e.g., drug absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion) and pharmacodynamics (e.g., psychotropic effects) will be discussed in a practical manner. Drugs will be categorized by common classifications to facilitate learning and retention.
• SAC3500 Prevention Strategies3
  The discipline and dynamics of substance abuse prevention, with emphasis on researched and science-based programs and an introduction to prevention programs and activities.

  Prerequisite: SAC1020
• SAC3600 Diagnostic Evaluation and Personal Assessment3
  The counselor functions of screening, intake, orientation, assessment, and diagnosis, the processes of interviewing and assessment, and related ethical, legal, and professional issues. The course will examine and practice the use of tests, assessment instruments and the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders in the process of Diagnostic Evaluation and Personal Assessment of a client.
• SAC3650 Trauma & Addiction3
  This course is a comprehensive exploration of the effects of psychological trauma: the nature of trauma (abuse, combat, natural disasters, etc.) and the effects of trauma (traumatic stress, grief reactions, addiction, etc.). The professional’s response to trauma, such as vicarious traumatization, compassion fatigue, disenfranchised grief, crisis intervention, comorbid disorders, and general treatment issues, will also be addressed. Finally, students will review evidence-based practices. A variety of theoretical frameworks are presented, including cognitive, neurobiological, clinical, and socio-cultural.

  Prerequisites: PSY1020 and SOC1020, or associate dean’s approval
• SAC4030 Spiritual Dimensions of Illness and Recovery3
  Dynamics of spirituality and religion that can impact the counseling process, including ethical challenges and specific elements of spirituality viewed from a Christian perspective.
• SAC4800 Preparation for the State Test3
  A general review of material learned throughout the SAC curriculum, to familiarize students with the content, construction, and requirements for passing the Ohio Chemical Dependency Professional Board’s State Licensure Examination.

  Prerequisites: SAC2120, PSY3000, SAC3650

Please choose one of the following:

• SAC4950 Practicum in Substance Abuse Counseling3
  Introduces the student to substance abuse treatment through field experience placement. This practicum requires 135 clock hours under the direction of agency supervisors with opportunities to observe and participate in core functions of counseling.

  Prerequisites: SAC2120, PSY3000, SAC3650
• SAC4900 Substance Abuse Counseling Capstone3
  This course provides the student in Substance Abuse Counseling an opportunity to incorporate their learning experience and coursework that will culminate in a final project that involves conducting research on a contemporary issue or topic in the field. Note: This course is the online option/substitute for the Traditional SAC Practicum. Online students in other states will need this option. Practicum could still be available if their state requires those hours for licensing.

  Prerequisites: SAC2120, PSY3000, SAC3650