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Specialization in Addictions Counseling

Regardless of clinical setting, counselors almost always face the challenge of working with people with addictions.  Through additional coursework and a specialized internship, this track prepares students for addictions counseling and satisfies the training requirements for the Massachusetts License in Alcohol and Drug Counseling.  The program is approved by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health Bureau of Substance Abuse Services as an Approved Addiction Education Program.

Required Courses

Students specializing in Addictions fulfill the following course requirements:

  a. Courses already required for the MA in Mental Health Counseling:

  • CP 101 Psychological and Addictions Assessment
  • CP 102 Theories of Counseling
  • CP 103 Ethics for Mental Health and Addictions Counselors
  • CP 104 Multi-Cultural Issues in Counseling
  • CP 181 Biology of Mind and Behavior
  • CP 186 Psychopathology II

  b. Additional required course:

  • CP 110 Understanding and Treating Addictions

Internship

In addition, students specializing in Addictions engage in an internship in a setting for populations with addictions.  This may be part of the student’s regular counseling internship, if that internship qualifies, or an additional practicum.  To be eligible for the license, students spend 300 hours on the Addictions practicum, performing each of the state-defined 12 core functions of addictions counseling for a minimum of 10 hours.  (The core functions are screening, intake, orientation, assessment, treatment planning, counseling, case management, crisis intervention, client education, referral, reporting and record keeping, and consultation with other professionals.)  Students in the Addictions specialization work with an individual CP 351 supervisor with extensive experience in addictions counseling, in addition to supervision at their internship site.  Thirty (30) hours of addictions supervision is required.