Academic Program Code: 154
This certificate in Addiction Studies prepares students to serve as substance abuse counselors, residential care counselors, recovery coaches or peer mentors, specialists in drug or sobriety courts, or to work with addicted populations as probation, parole, or corrections officers. This program enhances the skills of persons currently employed in corrections or substance abuse agencies in working with addicted populations.
Substance abuse counselors and residential aides as well as specialty probation and parole officers, work with persons having addictive disorders in order to eliminate dependence on drugs or alcohol and reduce criminal behaviors associated with their use of drugs or alcohol. The Michigan Certification Board for Addiction Professionals (MCBAP) requires that certain education and experience requirements be met in order to obtain reciprocal state certification in the areas of addiction counseling, prevention services and substance abuse assessment in the court system. Certification requires specific education coursework in drugs, alcohol, addictive populations, interviewing, counseling with diverse populations, treatment planning, criminal justice, and criminology. The education coursework for credentials as a Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor (CADC), Certified Criminal Justice Professional (CCJP) , Certified Peer Recovery Mentor (CPRM) can be completed as part of an Associate Degree Program in Criminal Justice. Students are advised to discuss specific requirements with the GRCC Criminal Justice Department faculty before enrolling.
Probation, parole, and corrections officers working with addictive populations and residential substance abuse counselors generally are required to have a bachelor’s degree as a condition of employment. Persons working as assessment or counseling staff in a substance abuse or mental health agency, may be required to have graduate education. Students interested in such work should discuss transferability of Community College work to baccalaureate degree-granting institutions with the GRCC Criminal Justice Department faculty before enrolling in the program.
To be eligible for the program completion certificate in Addiction Studies, students must earn a minimum of “C” (2.0) in each of the required Addiction Studies courses. This applies to coursework for the CCJP, CPRM, and CADC certificates.
Pending approval by MCBAP, completion of the following courses will fulfill the minimum education requirements for the CCJP credential in addiction. Completion of PY 231 (Abnormal Psychology) or PY 232 (Developmental Psychology) in addition to the other coursework, will meet the minimum education requirements for the CADC credential in addiction from MCBAP. Students interested in the CPRM credential must complete the Addiction Recovery and Client Advocacy course.