Addiction Counseling

Health, Technical, and Character Standards

The college must ensure patients/clients are not placed in jeopardy by students during learning experiences. Therefore, students in practica, service learning, and clinical experiences must demonstrate sufficient emotional stability to withstand the stresses, uncertainties, and changing circumstances that characterize patient/client care responsibilities. The student is expected to have the emotional stability required to exercise sound judgment, accept direction and guidance from a supervisor or faculty member, and establish rapport and maintain sensitive interpersonal relationships with employees, customers, and/or patients/clients and their families.

Health Considerations

All Human Service majors will receive NHTI health forms, which must be completed with requested health physical exams, and TB testing prior to the start of classes. Each student is required to obtain NHTI liability insurance starting in each academic year. Students will be billed directly. Students are also eligible to purchase health insurance through NHTI for their own health needs.

Character Expectations

• Human Service and Addiction Counseling students work closely with individuals of all ages. Many of the practicum sites and potential employers will perform a background check through the N.H. Department of Safety, police, and potentially the FBI. A student’s driving record will be examined and considered prior to acceptance into some practicum and employment opportunities. The student may be called on to pay for the background checks.
• Applicants who have been in difficulty with the law, depending upon the nature of the problem, may not be employable or even eligible for practica. Applicants need to discuss these issues in an interview or meeting so future goals will not be compromised.

Technical Standards

These have been established as guidance tools to inform program applicants of skills and standards necessary for successful completion of the Human Service programs. Any applicant who has concerns or questions regarding the technical standards is encouraged to contact the department chair. Students must be able to demonstrate the ability to:

• Communicate verbally in classes and as a professional in counseling situations
• Use sufficient verbal skills and language to collaborate with a variety of helping professionals in clinical, societal, and professional areas; deliver accurate and required information; and search for information
• Use sufficient writing ability to formulate written assessment, charting notes, reports, etc.
• Sustain cognitive integrity in areas of short- and long-term memory, written documentation, and follow-through of responsibilities
• Concentrate on the execution of treatment plans, assigned skills and tasks, and integration and communication for short and long periods of time
• Work in settings that may lend themselves to frequent interruptions, immediate crisis response, and role responsibility exchange
• Cope with a variety of stressors, including people-place occurrences, and demonstrate safe and required care for individuals and the workplace as a whole
• Secure transportation to practicum sites and classes
• Consistently attend and participate in classes
• Demonstrate and maintain organizational skills, time management, and professional respect and conduct, either at a practicum site or in the community
• Adhere to and practice the Human Service department’s ethical guidelines

Sobriety Statement 

The Human Service department abides by the accepted national standard that recommends a minimum of two years of sobriety for any prospective trainee in the field of alcohol and other drug-use counseling.

Internships/Practica

Our program provides supervised, hands-on training in the form of two 15-week practica, each 125 hours (~8 hours/week). Site options include SUD Tx facilities in N.H. (residential, IOP, OP, MAT) in a variety of settings and populations (adolescent, adult, families, correctional).

Students will practically apply classroom knowledge and theory while gaining confidence. They will build a solid foundation and a competitive advantage for future success and employment. This foundation also includes the development of soft skills. The practicum experience often leads to full-time entry-level positions.

Program Learning Outcomes

• Practice and engage in the competent, respectful, non-judgmental, supportive, and professional relationships in interactions with individuals in various situations, e.g., academically, one-on-one, groups, therapeutically, as treatment team members, and at a practicum site with clients and staff.
• Understand the facts, concepts, theories, and principles taught in core curriculum courses and how each informs and is related to the knowledge, skills, attitudes, capabilities, interest in life-long learning, professional development, self-care, and socially conscious behavior required of the competent, ethical, and
  multi-culturally aware substance use disorder professional.
• Identify, analyze, evaluate, and select the appropriate strategies, methods, and tools required for effective communication (verbally, non-verbally, in writing, and on computers and electronic devices) with individuals in a variety of substance use disorder professional contexts and settings.
• Actively listen, process information, ask questions, seek answers, integrate knowledge, search for meaning, and develop ideas and concepts that result in relevant and consequential therapeutic action.
• Understand the importance of developing healthy practices of self-care, self-reflection, increased self-awareness, and personal responsibility, all of which are critical to being a best practices substance use disorder professional and a productive member of society.
• In addition to the above, Addiction Counseling graduates will be able to:
  • Interact with counselors, other professionals, community resources, and a client’s collaterals as part of an interdisciplinary treatment team with regard to ongoing client treatment and provision of services.
  • Meet the educational and training requirements required by the state of N.H. for eventual licensure as a licensed alcohol and drug counselor.
  • Apply the 12 core functions and 46 global criteria required of the substance use disorder counselor.

Click here for the full PDF of learning outcomes.