New Certificate in Chemical Dependency Counseling Announced
June 22, 2016
Those working in the addiction counseling field will have a new option to receive certification starting this fall.
A new one-year certificate program at Hudson Valley Community College will allow students to prepare for the required Credential in Alcohol and Substance Abuse Counseling (CASAC) after completing an intensive 26-credit hour program. The program recently received approval by the State Education Department.
"The demand in the field is tremendous," Department Chair Maryanne Pepe said. "OASAS (The NYS Office of Alcohol and Substance Abuse Services) is looking at new ways for people working in the field to earn their CASAC, so offering this certificate program should help fill that need."
The college has offered a two-year Chemical Dependency Counseling associate degree program since 1995. The new certificate fulfills a specific need for those working in the chemical dependency field who have not obtained a CASAC.
"There are people working in the field with associate, bachelor's and master's degrees who are not credentialed. With the certificate, we will be able to say to them, 'We know you have this foundation of knowledge and experience, and here's an option for you without having to complete additional internship hours,'" she explained.
The creation of this certificate program highlights a trend among community colleges, which are increasingly finding that returning students already have a degree in another field.
Approximately 90 students currently are enrolled in the college's Chemical Dependency Counseling associate's degree program. Between 10 and 15 students are expected to enroll in the certificate program when it becomes available this fall.
Graduates of the certificate program will be given the CASAC-Training status and are eligible to take the CASAC examination.
Program graduates work as addiction counselors at substance abuse treatment centers such as Conifer Park and Saint Peter's Addiction Recovery Center. The new certificate program is designed to be completed in a year of full-time study. The certificate also may be completed through part-time study.
For more information about the new certificate program, contact the Human Services and Chemical Dependency Counseling Department at (518) 629-7341.
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Founded in 1953, Hudson Valley Community College offers more than 80 degree and certificate programs in four schools: Business; Engineering and Industrial Technologies; Health Science; and Liberal Arts and Sciences; and an Educational Opportunity Center for academic and career training. One of 30 community colleges in the State University of New York system, it has an enrollment of nearly 12,000 students, and is known as a leader in distance learning initiatives and workforce training. Hudson Valley has more than 75,000 alumni.