English 51
Joel Murphy
Career Research
2 May 2009
Substance Abuse Counselor
It seems odd to me that at one time in my life, I had a substance abuse problem, and now I am investigating the profession of counseling to others in order to help them achieve sobriety, as I have over the last 21 years. It is fitting, however, that once you have gone through an experience, it is easier to identify with someone else. My goal is to assist, as many people as I can that are still suffering with addiction in their lives. I will explore all the pertinent components required to make an educated decision based on the information I collect regarding the training required, duties I would perform, salary, and in job outlook for my future as well as the big question – Is this what I really want to do?
Training
In order to achieve the California Association of Alcoholism and Drug Abuse Counselors (CAADAC) certification, 36 credits are required, which are broken down into an average of two to three credits each of 13 courses. (College of the Desert 1,2). Some of these courses can be taken simultaneously depending on the pre-requisite classes. Supervised positions can be obtained also if I choose to continue and complete a non-transferable Associates of Arts (AA) degree, whereby 61 credits would be required (College of the Desert 1). A Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree is required if I want to conduct more therapeutic activities in my work. A Masters (MA) degree is preferable, especially for clinical counseling psychology, social service work, marriage and family therapy and education with addiction psychology. California recognizes certifications as being sufficient (Jones-Cage). It is important for all types of counselors to be adequately knowledgeable and have a clear understanding of the nature of all various drugs and the vast differences between them in order to counsel alcohol/substance abusers with credibility (Kennedy and Charles 181). I will go as far as I need to go to enter the division of whatever field that I pursue.
Duties
The duties will depend on whether or not the certificate is completed. Some drug rehabilitation facilities will hire if the candidate is emerged in his/her studies. Some places will offer internship while still completing degrees/certificates. Charting a patient’s progress, as well as facilitating a twelve-step program may be just a few of the duties on the entry-level job. According to Professor Jones-Cage, other duties may include intake interviews, assessments, and individual therapy sessions. Many treatment and rehabilitation facilities have different approaches, and will take into consideration the degree of education the counselor has (Jones-Cage).
Counselors usually first survey the symptoms of drug abuse, but are not generally the primary agents of treatment. They work as a team with medical professionals and are helpful by assisting in the appropriate treatment decision for each individual. General symptoms that are evident are changes in schoolwork and attendance, changes in physical appearance, unusual emotional outbreaks and changes in social patterns and behaviors. These are just a few of the signs that counselors look for in determining if a patient has a substance abuse problem (Kennedy and Charles 189).
The counselor should be active in the following four functions: prevention, therapy, open lines of communication and by keeping current on the drug scene. These functions will help the counselor in assessing certain conditions and help determine which type of treatment a patient should be referred to. Sometimes long-term treatment involves group therapy, family therapy and self-help groups such as Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous (Kennedy and Charles 191). A strong desire to help people, inspire, respect, trust and exhibit confidence should be the main qualifications for anyone interested in becoming a counselor.
Salary
I am finding out that the starting salary can be between $31,340 and $53,750 dollars a year (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics1). These variations will depend on which category of employment is pursued: elementary and secondary schools, junior colleges, colleges, Universities professional colleges as well as individual and family services and vocational rehabilitation services, are just some of the options. (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics 6). Professor Jones-Cage suggested in her email to me that here in the Coachella Valley, entry level salaries can be as low as $25,000 dollars and can go up to as much as $60,000 dollars annually. These broad ranges also take into account whether or not the facility is a non-profit or for-profit organization (Cage-Jones). It seems that the highest paid counselors among substance abuse, mental health and rehabilitation counselors are those employed by the government. Hospitals and social service agencies follow. The least paid are usually employees of residential care facilities (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics 6).
Job Outlook
During my recent Alcohol and Drug studies class last Monday, April 27, Professor Cage-Jones mentioned that she had attended a convention last week end where she found that this industry would have a much greater demand as compared to now, as well as more stringent qualifications. The industry wants to standardize counselors, in almost the same way that the nursing profession does. Mental health professionals and medical doctors are not as trained in the studies of addiction as the addiction counselors are (and some do not want to be). This will put a greater demand in the field of substance abuse and dependence counselors (Jones-Cage). There is also a more explicitly accepted train of thought in this field, as we see in society today, especially with the flood of media attention as soon as a celebrity announces s/he has a substance abuse problem.
Working with others, mentoring and guiding both young children and adults have always come easy for me. I see I have a long road ahead of me, but my clear view of what I want to accomplish after my education has not changed. I feel confident that my current studies along with my personal experiences with substance abuse will help solidify a strong career path for me in this growing industry.
Works Cited (Doesn't paste correctly)r
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2008-09 Edition Apr. 2008. Counselors. 25 Apr. 2009 < http://data.bls.gov/egi- bin/print.pl/oco/ocos067.htm>
“Human Services.” College of the Desert. 23 Apr. 2009
Jones-Cage, Chris. Personal Interview. 27 Apr. 2009
Jones-Cage, Chris “A few short questions from Debbie Suer (HSAD 001-Mon nt class).”
E-mail to Debbie Suer. 29 Apr. 2009
Kennedy, Eugene and Sara C. Charles, M.D. On Becoming a Counselor. New York: The
Crossroad Publishing Company. 2001
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