Social Sciences and Human Services Division

This program is designed to prepare students to work in paraprofessional positions in the varied field of human services and addiction treatment. Students will learn the skills needed to be effective professional helpers, addressing client problems related to addiction, mental health and social needs. Graduates of the program will demonstrate knowledge rooted in social science research surrounding aspects such as: counseling models; drug pharmacology and physiology; and addiction and recovery. Graduates of the program will also demonstrate competence in implementing research-based interventions, including: case management; attending skills and facilitation of psycho-educational groups. The program will also prepare students to enter a baccalaureate program in Behavioral Health Studies or Human Services on the junior level.

Program Competencies

Upon successful completion of this program, the student should be able to:

• Demonstrate effective attending skills.
• Complete the steps of effective case management.
• Facilitate psycho-educational groups.
•  Explain and analyze contemporary counseling models.
• Discuss the history, basic pharmacology, physiological effects, social costs and laws relating to drugs of abuse.
• Describe and analyze the biological, psychological and social-culture theories that explain the causes of substance and behavioral addictions and the processes of recovery and prevention from such addictions.
• Identify various forms of abnormal behavior exhibited by individuals and the current therapeutic methods used in the treatment of such individuals.