Addiction Recovery Assistant (Certificate)
Program Advisor: Kari Dupuis, PhD, LICSW
413-236-4506 • kdupuis@berkshirecc.edu
The Addiction Recovery Assistant (ARA) certificate prepares Human Service or other helping professionals for entry-level work in the substance use field. Graduates of this program will be trained to offer the following entry-level supervised sub- stance use services: Individual and group counseling; assessment; case planning; client services support; documentation; and community service outreach and referrals for individuals and families.
Admission Requirements
Admission to the ARA certificate will be based on an open enrollment basis. Students who enroll in the certificate must fill out a college application and have a high school transcript (or equivalent).
Expected Outcomes
Graduates of this program should be able to:
- Demonstrate knowledge of current research, trends and success rates in substance use treatment by successful completion of weekly quizzes and tests.
- Show enhanced understanding of individual, group and family substance use treatment options by completion of classroom small group activities and written assignments.
- Demonstrate effective oral and written communication skills, and computer research proficiency through participation in weekly class activities and computer research presentation at the BCC library.
- Understand and apply the stages of the substance use interview and counseling process as shown by successful completion of weekly class role plays and written assignments.
- Learn and demonstrate basic substance use individual and group counseling skills through successful completion of weekly class role plays, self-reflection classroom exercises and field practicum experience.
- Show enhanced understanding of effective counseling techniques for problematic substance use interviews (man- dated clients, anger, resistance, dual diagnosis) by successful completion of weekly class activities, quizzes and tests.
- Demonstrate the importance of client confidentiality and record keeping through participation in the Field Practicum.
- Develop an appreciation of how a client’s age, race/ethnicity, class, physical and mental status and/or gender can potentially influence the substance use counseling process shown by successful completion of written assignments, classroom activities and field practicum experience.
- Demonstrate understanding of legal and ethical issues in the substance use counseling profession, and follow the ethical standards for human services professionals as recommended by the National Organization of Human Services.
Graduation Requirements
To earn a degree in this program, a student must complete all program credits and the Additional Requirements, shown below.
Program
Additional Requirements
Demonstrated College Level Skills in Reading and Writing
| Minimum Cumulative Averages Overall |
2.000 |
| Minimum Cumulative Average in Program |
2.000 |
Suggested Pathway to Graduation
The following is a suggestion for completing this program in one year. The actual time needed to complete the program may vary according to each student’s individual needs.
First Semester
| CRJ-108 | Substance Abuse Education | 3 |
| ENG-101 | Composition I | 3 |
| HSV-111 | Human Service Methods | 3 |
| HSV-135 | Intro to Community Resources | 3 |
| PSY-107 | Introductory Psychology | 3 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 15 |
Second Semester
| HSV-151 | Field Work Seminar I | 1 |
| HSV-161 | Field Practicum I | 2 |
| HSV-210 | Addiction Counseling | 3 |
| HSV-225 | Addiction Treatment Modalities | 3 |
| PSY-208 | Interviewing and Counseling | 3 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 12 |
Notes
Berkshire Community College seeks to provide equal access to its programs, services and activities for people with disabilities. Therefore, to the extent practicable, the College will endeavor to make a reasonable academic adjustment for an applicant with a disability who is otherwise qualified.
CORI Check Any prior criminal offense could hinder placement in fieldwork agencies. See Criminal & Sex Offender Record Information Checks.