Online Addiction and Substance-Use Related Disorders Graduate Certificate

Become a substance abuse counselor and provide your communities a needed service and support. Substance use and addiction constitute one of the largest preventable health problems facing the U.S. today, but less than 20% of those in need receive any substance use treatment, and only a small fraction of those in treatment receive evidence-based treatment. This gap between treatment research and current practices is due in large part to deficits in the education and training available in the field of addictions. There is a growing need for a well-trained workforce, but most medical professionals are not sufficiently trained to treat addictions, and many counselors do not have the knowledge, skills, or credentials necessary to provide the full range of evidence-based services.

The online graduate certificate in Addiction and Substance-Use Related Disorders will improve the transfer of scientific knowledge to clinical practice, increase competence to address the opioid crisis and marijuana legalization, develop expertise to work with special populations and individuals with co-occurring disorders, and expand the use of evidence-based treatments, resulting in an increase in the effectiveness of substance abuse treatment. This graduate certificate can serve the needs of aspiring professionals (individuals with a Bachelor’s degree or currently in a Master’s or Doctoral program in a behavioral health field), or current behavioral health professionals with a Master’s or Doctoral degree who want additional education in addictions and substance use disorders to help them address their clients’ needs.

Substance abuse counselor jobs can be incredibly rewarding and offer a wide variety of experiences. Jobs are available in substance abuse treatment centers, community mental health agencies, primary care, integrated health, criminal justice, hospitals, schools and universities, and military and Veteran’s Affairs. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics expects employment of substance abuse counselors to grow 23% from 2016 to 2026, much faster than other occupations. Job prospects are expected to be very good for counselors who are licensed. The certificate program consists of seven courses, totaling 21 semester credit hours. The courses cover the core addiction-related content areas required for licensure in Arizona, as well as most other states.

This graduate certificate can serve the needs of aspiring professionals (individuals with a Bachelor’s degree or currently in a Master’s or Doctoral program in a behavioral health field), or current behavioral health professionals with a Master’s or Doctoral degree who want additional education in addictions and substance use disorders to help them address their clients’ needs.