Ohio Substance Abuse and Behavioral Counselors: Schools and Careers

Alcoholism, drug addiction and eating disorders are just some of the things that substance abuse and behavioral counselors will advise their clients on. They'll provide the correct support and treatment, giving their client the best chance of modifying their behavioral problem or recovering from their addiction.

Ohio Substance Abuse and Behavioral Counselor Schools

To succeed as a substance abuse counselor, education in a relevant field is required with some employers accepting high school diplomas and others requesting bachelor's degrees. You will also need to gather the right accreditation from the Ohio Chemical Dependency Professionals Board too. The substance abuse counselor schools in Ohio include:

• Tiffin University: Founded in 1888, Tiffin University provides undergraduate, graduate and degree completion programs, including their Bachelor of Arts in Psychology program, which has a focus on Addictions Counselling.
  
  
• Southern State Community College: Serving Highland, Fayette, Clinton, Brown and Adams counties, Southern State Community College was established in 1975. One of their programs is the Human & Social Services: Chemical Dependency associate degree program, which addresses the competencies required by the Ohio Department of Alcohol and Drug Addiction Services (ODADAS).
  
  
• University of Cincinnati: UC serves over 44,000 students each day in a variety of subjects and also offers distance learning via their online facilities. They offer a bachelor's degree program in Substance Abuse Counseling as well as an undergraduate degree in the same topic.
  
  
• Columbus State Community College: Serving students for over 50 years, Columbus State Community College has two campuses -- Delaware and Columbus -- which offer a range of programs. This includes their Social and Human Services program, which takes place over five semesters and covers the requirements needed for students to go on and become a chemical dependency counselor assistant.
  
  
• Sinclair Community College: Over 220 programs are available at Sinclair, including the short-term technical certificate in Chemical Dependency Counseling. This program aims to meet the number of clock hours required by the Ohio Chemical Dependency Professionals Board.

Coursework for Ohio Substance Abuse and Behavioral Counselor Programs

A wide range of topics will be included by substance abuse counseling programs in Ohio, equipping you with all of the necessary skills you need to become a certified counselor. In the majority of programs, you'll find your time divided between classroom-based studies and real-life experiences within a center that deals with drug and alcohol abuse. Your course may cover a range of things, including:

• Chemical dependency counseling
• Counseling adolescents
• Counseling theories
• Counseling women
• Public speaking
• Social problems
• Social work
• Techniques for group counseling
• Working with families of drug and alcohol abuse

Ohio Substance Abuse and Behavioral Counselor License

A license is required in Ohio for those who want to pursue a career in substance abuse counseling. The Ohio Chemical Dependency Professional Board provides a number of different licenses, including the Chemical Dependency Counselor Assistant Preliminary (CDCA) and the subsequent phase II course. They also offer Licensed Chemical Dependency Counselor examinations (LCDC), with the chance to become an independent counselor (LICDC) or a clinical supervisor (CS).

Each of the certifications they offer comes with strict guidelines and requirements, which will need to be met in order for you to start practicing as a licensed substance abuse counselor. For example, when undertaking phase II of the CDCA, you will need to have a high school diploma or GED, have held a phase I certificate for 10 or more months, have achieved thirty hours of education in chemical dependency and have completed an online application.

Resources for Substance Abuse and Behavioral Counselor in Ohio

• National Association for Alcoholism and Drug Abuse Counselors (NAADAC)
• Ohio Chemical Dependency Professional Board
• National Board for Certified Counselors
• Addiction Technology Transfer Center Network