Certificate in Addiction Studies

Be the help your community needs.

This program is NOT designed to lead to state licensure. This degree is offered by Antioch University’s New Seattle campus and is available fully online and in a hybrid format. 

Program Overview

The Antioch University Seattle Addictions Studies Certificate (ASC) Program is an opportunity to learn about current approaches to treating Substance Use Disorders, effective trauma-informed interventions, and the social justice issues many clients with SUD’s and mental health issues face.

The (ASC) will not only fulfill the Washington State Department of Health education requirements for the Substance Use Disorder Alternative Learning option, but the curriculum will be based on the most recent, cutting edge theories, practices, and techniques made available by the leaders in this field. The Addictions Certificate Program will include a framework to address larger socioeconomic and political issues connected to treating addiction, the social justice issues that these clients, and the agencies treating them face, as well as an orientation to various treatment center milieus and cultures.

The spirit of our program is in service of integrating the fundamentals of addiction counseling that have proven to be effective, the explosion of neuroscience research supporting the strong relationship between trauma and addiction, as well as cutting edge clinical interventions that honor the relationship between mental health issues, attachment injury, trauma, and addiction.

The purpose of the Addiction Studies Certificate is to prepare students and professionals with the knowledge and clinical skills required to become an SUDP in the State of Washington via the SUDP Alternative Learning path. The ASC aims to increase participants’ knowledge and skill to provide for the therapeutic needs of clients struggling with substance use disorders and mental health issues. Students and professionals who complete this Certificate will be knowledgeable and clinically competent to treat significant others as well, as this curriculum is heavily influenced by family systems theories. Aligned with our mission statement, course curriculum is infused with learning experiences that raise awareness about social justice issues related to addiction treatment and skills to become an ally and advocate. Antioch University Seattle will be providing a graduate-level, integrated, cutting edge program to educate counselors with a desire to work with individuals suffering from addiction. 

Curriculum

The Certificate in Addiction Studies is combined with the MA in Counseling with Clinical Mental Health Counseling (CMHC) degree and can be combined with other counseling programs at Antioch as well. The degree offers you comprehensive clinical training for a career as a licensed mental health counselor. With a focus on developing multicultural counseling competencies, you accomplish these goals through a combination of required coursework, electives, and a supervised internship. The Certificate combines online and in-classroom time to allow for the flexibility and convenience of completing course work using digital resources, as well as benefiting from the face-to-face interaction of classroom instruction and peer discussion. For a detailed curriculum, degree requirements, and course descriptions, please visit the AUS catalog.

Addiction Studies Certificate Program Plan of Study

Fall Quarter

Winter Quarter

Spring Quarter

DOH SUDP Alternative Learning Path

In order to infuse the health care field with competent professionals able to work with clients with Substance Use Disorders, in a variety of settings, the WA State DOH created a learning pathway (with supervised work experience hours) that allows for a significant reduction (for certain professions) in the education credits in addiction specific coursework, required to become an SUDP. Alternative training education requirements (as stated on DOH website) *The alternative training education requirements is for applicants with a license in good standing in one of the following credentials, as outlined in WAC 246-811-076:

• Psychologist under RCW 18.83.
• Marriage and family therapists, mental health counselor, advanced social worker, or independent clinical social worker under RCW 18.225.
• Osteopathic physician under chapter 18.57 RCW.
• Osteopathic physician assistant under chapter 18.57A RCW;
• Physician under chapter 18.71 RCW; or
• Physician assistant under chapter 18.71A RCW.

*Requirements include 15 quarter or 10 semester college credits from an approved school in the courses specific to alcohol- and drug-addicted people for each of the following topics:

• Survey of addiction;
• Treatment of addiction;
• Pharmacology;
• Physiology of addiction;
• American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM) criteria;
• Individual, group, family addiction counseling; and
• Substance use disorder law and ethics.

*Applicants must complete course topic identification forms. Official transcripts must verify course topics. If course topics don’t clearly identify the course, applicants will be asked for course syllabi.

Career Opportunities

Community mental health agencies, For-Profit and Non-Profit treatment centers, hospitals, schools, and other community organizations need dually credentialed providers. The alternative training track approved by the WA State DOH is now available to licensed mental health counselors and licensed marriage and family therapists, and other specific professions. The alternative training track significantly reduces the education requirements and work experience needed to become a SUDP, for certain advanced degree professionals. You may complete the SUDP education requirements and work experience hours before you are licensed as an LMHC or LMFT, and then submit your SUDP application documenting your completed coursework and experience hours once you have obtained your LMHC or LMFT. Being a dually credentialed provider affords you the ability to provide a wider range of services and more effective services to clients. In some settings, dually credentialed providers receive increased compensation. The Certificate in Addiction Studies is available to matriculated and non-matriculated students and alumni. For more detailed information on the requirements for obtaining a SUDP via the alternative training track please visit doh.wa.gov.