Drug & Alcohol Recovery Counselor, A.S.*

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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 counseling 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 substance use disorders.

The DARC program is designed to meet the academic requirement for the State of Connecticut and the CT Certification Board’s certification as an alcohol and drug/addiction counselor. This program is designed to provide the student with the most up-to-date knowledge in the field of addiction counseling.

First-year specialty 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 (HSE* 281 & DAR* 251 ) and placement into a DARC internship site is based on the submission of an official application packet, an interview/screening process, including a site-specific background check, and the satisfactory completion of DAR* 101 , DAR* 111 , DAR* 112 , DAR* 158 , DAR* 213 , and HSE* 281 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. Internship application packets are accepted each semester for the following semester. Interviews/screenings of candidates will take place each December for the following Fall semester. Application deadlines are Ocotober 1st for the following spring and April 1st for the following fall.

Curriculum

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

Students may enroll full- or part-time.

Learning Outcomes

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

Understand addiction and a variety of models and theories of addiction and other problems related to addictions. Be able to describe the behavioral, psychological, physical health and social effects of psychoactive substances on the user and significant others.
Understand treatment, describe the philosophies, practices, policies, and outcomes of the most generally accepted and scientifically supported models of treatment, recovery, relapse prevention, and continuing care for addiction and other substance-related problems. Recognize the importance of family, social networks, and community systems in the treatment and recovery process.
Apply knowledge and understand the established diagnostic criteria for substance use disorders and describe treatment modalities and placement criteria within the continuum of care and provide treatment services appropriate to the personal and cultural identity and language of the client.
Demonstrate professionalism and understand the importance of self-awareness in one’s personal, professional and cultural life. Understand the addiction professional’s obligations to adhere to ethical and behavioral standards of conduct in the helping relationship.

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

Drug & Alcohol Recovery Counselor Requirements

DAR* 101: Public Health Issues Abuse and Addiction 3 Credits
DAR* 111: Addiction Counseling 3 Credits
HSE* 101: Introduction to Human Services 3 Credits
ENG* 101: Composition 3 Credits (Gen Ed - English )
PSY* 111: General Psychology I 3 Credits (Gen Ed - Social Sciences )
Subtotal: 15
DAR* 112: Group Counseling Theory and Techniques 3 Credits
DAR* 158: Biology of Addiction 3 Credits
COM* 172: Interpersonal Communication 3 Credits (Gen Ed - Humanities ) or
COM* 173: Public Speaking 3 Credits (Gen Ed - Humanities ) or
COM* 278: Group Communication 3 Credits (Gen Ed - Humanities )
DAR* 213: Addiction Counseling II 3 Credits
Choose one course from Gen Ed - Social Sciences 3 Credits
Subtotal: 15
HSE* 281: Human Services Field Work I 3 Credits ^‡
PSY* 245: Abnormal Psychology 3 Credits
Choose one course from Gen Ed - The Arts 3 Credits
HSE* 134: Introduction to the Mental Health System 3 Credits
Choose one course from Gen Ed - Physical and Natural Sciences 3-4 Credits
Subtotal: 15
DAR* 251: Counseling Internship I 6 Credits ^‡
Choose one course from Gen Ed - Math 3 Credits
Choose any course 3 Credits
PSY* 107: Pathways to Personal Growth 3 Credits
Subtotal: 15

Total Minimum Credits Required: 60

Notes:

*Becoming Connecticut State Community College

A merger of Connecticut’s 12 community colleges is underway. As a part of this merger, modifications will be made to academic programs. Students who do not complete their programs by the end of the Spring 2023 term will be matched with the Connecticut State Community College (CT State) program that most closely aligns with the student’s Spring 2023 program and is offered at the current Manchester Community College location. The College is committed to students completing their education with a minimum of disruption. Further details can be found and will be updated on the Frequently Asked Questions page: www.ct.edu/ctstate/academics.

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