Substance Use & Recovery Counseling Emphasis & Undergraduate Certificate

The Department of Counseling and Human Services within the College of Education at UCCS offers students who have been accepted into the Master of Arts in Counseling and Human Services program the opportunity to seek certification as a Licensed Addictions Counselor (LAC) candidate upon graduation. The university curriculum is designed to meet the core curriculum standards set forth by the Office of Behavioral Health (OBH). The UCCS Substance Use and Recovery Counseling program has maintained the status NAADAC Approved Provider since 2016. For further information regarding NAADAC's Approved Education Provider programming, see the NAADAC Approved Education Provider landing page at http://www.naadac.org/providers. Students may complete the Master of Arts in Counseling and Human Services and the addictions emphasis simultaneously. UCCS is one of the few Masters of Arts degree programs in the state of Colorado that embeds the competencies to meet LAC credentialing. 

Once admitted to the Master of Arts in Counseling and Human Services program at UCCS, students declare an emphasis in Substance Use & Recovery Counseling which requires specific coursework (18 credit hours). In addition to being able to complete all the academic requirements, students who engage in substance use and recovery counseling during their practicum and internship and receive supervision from a Licensed Addictions Counselor (LAC) can count those hours toward their LAC certification upon graduation from the program and completion of the Master Addiction Counselor Exam (MAC). The Substance Use and Recovery Counseling program at UCCS is a NAADAC Approved Education Provider, and all addictions courses can be used when applying for the Master of Addiction Counseling (MAC) credential through NAADAC. 

The Substance Use and Recovery Counseling undergraduate certificate program contributes to the mission of the Department of Counseling and Human Services by preparing students to provide culturally- responsive, trauma-informed substance use counseling services. Students completing the course sequence engage in the rigorous training and fieldwork experiences necessary to develop the knowledge, skills, awareness, and advocacy competencies necessary for high-quality client care.

Students must complete the following courses with a passing grade of 70% in each class:

• COUN 2400 - Ethics I & II
• COUN 2500 - Introduction to Principles of Addiction Treatment
• COUN 2990 - Introduction to Addiction Counseling Skills
• COUN 3000 - Culturally Informed Treatment
• COUN 3040 - Pharmacology I, II & Infectious Diseases
• COUN 3410 - Clinical Assessment and Treatment Planning
• COUN 3500 - Group Dynamics and Group Process
• COUN 3600 - Motivational Interviewing I & II
• COUN 4830 - Co-Occurring Disorders and Trauma Informed Care
• COUN 4950-002 - Fieldwork in Human Services II
• COUN 4960 - Clinical Supervision for Addictions Counselors

Admissions

Students interested in completing the certificate must apply to UCCS as non-degree or degree seeking student. Upon admission, schedule an advising session with an academic advisor. Students who are interested in seeking a degree AND certificate must declare the Human Services major. If non-degree seeking, meet with an academic advisor regarding next steps.

Please use link below to access a copy of the COE SURC Certificate Flier:

220323_COE_SURC_Certificate_Flier.pdf

Substance Use and Recovery Counseling Program Mission 

The University of Colorado Colorado Springs Substance Use and Recovery Counseling undergraduate and graduate programs maintain rigorous, high-quality coursework, that exceeds the requirements for the Office of Behavioral Health (OBH) curriculum. The Substance Use and Recovery Counseling program are a NAADAC Approved Education Provider, and all courses attend to the requirements outlined by NAADAC, and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) (as outlined in the SAMHSA Practitioner Education Expansion grant). Our program recognizes that addiction counselors and the clients they serve are multicultural beings whose identities and lived experience significantly impact the treatment process. Thus each class attends to the knowledge, skills, and awareness necessary to provide culturally responsive, clinically competent care to persons from all backgrounds. Students completing these courses will cultivate increased awareness, cultural humility, and cultural empathy through reflective practice. Additionally, students will engage in experiential activities and skills-focused role-play assignments; these activities enable the instructor to provide timely feedback regarding the use of clinical skill, and professional development. All Substance Use and Recovery Counseling courses train students in the use of trauma-informed evidence-based treatment modalities, with an emphasis on holistic and healing-centric care.

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) Practitioner Education (Prac-Ed) Expansion Program at UCCS 

In September of 2020, the UCCS Substance Use and Recovery Counseling program was awarded a 2 year $198,205 grant through the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) Practitioner Education (SAMHSA Prac-Ed) Expansion program. This SAMHSA Prac-Ed grant has enabled the Substance Use and Recovery Counseling program to further develop the existing curriculum, and create new addictions courses. As part of the Prac-Ed grant, the program has hired a full-time Field Placement Coordinator, and part-time Graduate/Research Assistant.

Core (18 credits)

Application Process

Schedule an admissions and information interview with a Department of Counseling and Human Services faculty member early in the process. The goal of this appointment is to answer questions you have about the program, clarify the procedures for admission to the program, and to determine your level of interest in and preparation for the program. Call (719) 255-4996 or education@uccs.edu to set up the appointment.

The University of Colorado Colorado Springs (UCCS) substance use and recovery counseling program is currently seeking employer partners for the development of apprenticeship programming.

Interested in learning more?

Please use the link below to access a recorded information session regarding apprenticeship programming for substance use counselors, and for a copy of the slides from this session:

https://uccs1.hosted.panopto.com/Panopto/Pages/Viewer.aspx?id=49ccc5f8-32a9-45b3-acdc-ae7601730668&start=0 

Behavioral Health Apprenticeships 2.0.pdf

Consider reaching out to our apprenticeship experts, Nancy and Melissa –

• Nancy Murray, Statewide Apprenticeship Consultant, Colorado Urban Workforce Alliance (CUWA), email: nmurray@arapahoegov.com, phone: (720)467-6712
• Melissa English, Apprenticeship Specialist, Colorado Department of Labor and Education (CDLE), email: melissa.english@state.co.us

Or our UCCS collaborators -

• Cortny Stark PhD LPC LAC CRC, Assistant Professor, Substance Use and Recovery Counseling Program Coordinator, email: cstark@uccs.edu, phone: (719)255-4212
• Kelley Harrow LPC LAC NCC, Fieldwork Placement Coordinator, Adjunct Lecturer, email: kharrow@uccs.edu, phone: (704)728-9124