AA in Addiction Studies Required Courses
ADST 110 TOPICS IN BIOCHEMISTRY WITH LAB
This course will provide the student with an overview of alcohol and other drugs (AOD) as diseases. The student will gain an understanding of the major drugs of abuse and their biological, psychological and social effects on individuals. Special emphasis will be placed on the pharmacology of commonly used and abused drugs. The student will be required to fulfill a laboratory requirement, which can be completed via laboratory visits, analysis of protease inhibitors, analysis of liver enzymes/diseases, chemistry analysis of drugs/alcohol.
ADST 120 INTAKE, ASSESSMENT, SCREENING, AND RECORD KEEPING
Documentation skills are of prime importance in the field of chemical dependency counseling. This course will review the intake, assessment and evaluation of the chemically dependent client and the interviewing skills that facilitate this process. Cultural implications will be identified and explored. The student will examine the written record and the skills necessary for record keeping and developing the initial treatment plan. Standards by which agencies are reviewed for compliance will be examined.
ADST 140 CULTURAL PERSPECTIVES ON ADDICTION AND RECOVERY
This course studies recovery from the standard of culture, particularly with respect to how diverse cultural expectations, norms, and practices contribute to patterns of addiction and recovery, with particular attention to assisting the student in cross-cultural understanding.
ADST 205 THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM AND THE SUBSTANCE ABUSER/ADDICT: TRENDS
Understanding the issues and needs of addicted clients involved in the criminal justice system takes unique knowledge, techniques and skills. This course will provide an in-depth exploration of how crime and chemical dependency contribute to the increasing problems of prison over crowding, recidivism and the use of drug and alcohol treatment programs as alternatives to incarceration. Effective treatment strategies that address the needs for the criminal offender who is chemically dependent will be identified and explored. Ethics in terms of counselor boundaries and the professional code of conduct involved in working with this population will be presented.
ADST 210 THE ROLE OF FAITH AND SPIRITUALITY IN THE WORKPLACE
This course will examine a spiritual interpretation of relationships in human services and in organizational life. The topic of "what-it-is" that the recovering individual and/or human services worker experiences in the work environment will be the central theme. Spirituality will be focused via the concepts of trust, self-communications, and belonging. The application of support groups will be included in the discussions.
ADST 220 CO-OCCURRING DISORDERS IN THE ADDICTION FIELD AND RECOVERY
This course will provide a comprehensive overview of current theories, models and principles pertinent to the identification, description and delineation of a major mental disorder. The focus of this course is to provide a knowledge base that will enable the counselor/worker to become better observers of symptoms and behaviors that constitute the basis for diagnostic judgments. Treatment planning and the use of psychotropic medication within the clinical setting will be explored. (Prerequisite: BIB 100)
ADST 245 APPLICATION OF COUNSELING SKILLS
Through didactic and experiential exercises, the student will learn the basic philosophies, components and concepts of the Therapeutic Community as a method of treatment. Impact evaluations will be examined.
ADST 250 CRISIS INTERVENTION AND BRIEF INTERVENTION TECHNIQUES
This course will provide a comprehensive overview of specific crisis intervention techniques and strategies. The management of escalation and the techniques to address creating a safe environment will be identified. Referral resources and hospital admission procedures will be outlined. The student will explore the regulations on voluntary and involuntary hospitalizations as applied to chemical dependency, suicide ideations/attempts and co-occurring disorders. The history and principles of case management and the role of the case manager in the substance abuse treatment field will be discussed. Service and technical guidelines and standards for agency compliance are applied to the systems involved.
ADST 295 INTERNSHIP
The student will participate in a work experience within a chemical dependence or co-occurring treatment agency, criminal justice setting, or a prevention program provider agency. This placement prepares students to gain in-depth understanding through applying the theory from class within a treatment setting of their choice. Students may use their current agency for a placement. (This course meets the PCB's partial requirements for work experience.)
