Drug and Alcohol Rehabilitation Counselor, A.S. Degree

Program Design

The Drug and Alcohol Recovery Counselor (DARC) associate degree program provides education and training for persons seeking employment or job advancement in the addiction profession; others transfer to upper level colleges to complete bachelor's or graduate degrees in the field of addiction  counseling or other transfer opportunities. Students receive education and training in the professional techniques of counseling with a disciplined background in the environmental and psychological causes and effects of alcohol and other substance use disorders.

First-year speciality courses are open to any student wishing to enroll, e.g. DAR* 101, DAR* 111, DAR* 112, DAR* 158.

DARC Internship Admission Process

Registration for the DARC internship courses (DAR* 251 & 252) and placement into a DARC internship site is based on the submission of an official application packet, an interview/screening process, and the satisfactory completion of DAR* 101, DAR* 111, DAR* 112, DAR* 158 and DAR* 213 with a grade of C or better. Those students seeking admission into the DARC internship must meet with the DARC program coordinator. DARC internships begin each fall semester and the internship application packet must be submitted to the DARC program coordinator at the beginning of the previous spring semester. Interviews/screenings take place each Spring for the following Fall semester.

Curriculum

The program consists of 27 semester hours of speciality courses and 33 semester hours of general education credits.

Students may enroll full- or part-time.

^ Courses open only to students formally accepted into this program.

Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of all Drug and Alcohol Rehabilitation Counselor degree program requirements, graduates will

1. Define the causes and characteristics of dependency and addiction relevant to various populations and cultures.
2. Demonstrate behaviors that are appropriate for the counselor as a person and as a professional.
3. Be aware of traditional counseling theories and techniques including Psychoanalysis, Adlerian, Client/Person-Centered, Gestalt, REBT, Reality, CBT and other cognitive and behavioral therapies. They will also have an understanding of evidence-based models, including Solution-Focused and Motivational Enhancement therapies, along with current trends in the counseling field.
4. Define and describe addiction as a family disease.
5. Define and debate issues regarding the ethical behavior of counselors.
6. Demonstrate working knowledge and skills as they pertain to drug and alcohol recovery counseling in a group setting, including the facilitation of climate setting, process feedback and consolidate learning for clients.
7. Demonstrate knowledge and skills related to relapse prevention.
8. Define and relate skills necessary to deal with co-occurring disorders.
9. Define and describe the important terminology and concepts relating to the biology of drug and alcohol abuse.
10. Co-facilitate group counseling sessions and develop the skills outlined in the instructional units.
11. Accurately describe the overall operation of the internship placement and understand the role of the counselor as a member of the care-giving team.
12. Practice the 12 core functions of a substance abuse counselor.
13. Develop and demonstrate individual and group counseling skills.
14. Define causes and characteristics of addiction within various populations and cultures.

In addition, the graduate will complete the comprehensive learning outcomes identified with the General Education Component.

Source: 2009-2010 Course Catalog