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Posts Tagged ‘social work’

Question by Green: AODA counselor degree advice?
Hi there. I want to become an AODA counselor, I was wondering, hopefully for some advice from real AODA counselors, how is the schooling money/studying-wise? Is it worth the job? (Im sure I will find the job more than worthwhile no matter what, I don’t care for money, I want to help people more than anything)

What does the school consist of and how many years should I plan on going?

thanks in advance.

Best answer:

Answer by jannsody
If by AODA counselor, you’re referring to an “alcohol and other drug abuse” counselor, which is most likely similar to the credentials of CAC (certified addiction counselor) or CADC (certified alcohol and drug counselor), then obtaining a master’s degree can make a person more marketable in the field.

It’s great that you’re not considering “addiction counseling” for the money as most don’t enter the field for the salary 🙂 A lot of addiction counselors are “in recovery” (from addiction) themselves, but it’s not a prerequisite.

The substance abuse counseling student needs to get a passing score while completing several clinical fieldwork hours under the supervision of a clinical supervisor and having an actual patient caseload.

This site has more general info re: certification in addiction counseling: http://www.naadac.org/certification

Just an fyi that the social work/counseling (and nursing) field is supposed to have a high burn-out rate.

With regard to schooling, please do *avoid* those private For-profit schools, such as devry, ITT tech, strayer, U of P, capella, regis, argosy, walden, grand canyon, ashworth, full sail, ashford, pima medical, Stratford career, keiser, Everest, penn foster, icdc, Kaplan, art institute, concorde career and others. Their course credits usually do ** NOT ** transfer to other schools, even if the for-profit school is regionally accredited as opposed to only nationally accredited.

General career info: http://www.bls.gov/ooh and can search “substance abuse and behavioral disorder counselors”, “social workers”, “counselors” or such.

For U.S. colleges (though, please still forgo those for-profit schools): http://www.utexas.edu/world/univ

This government site has more general info re: “functional qualities and helping skills for AODA counselors and therapists”: http://www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/substabuse/docs/reports/Helpingskills3.pdf

You may want to consider volunteering at a “crisis helpline” of which the volunteer engages in “active listening” (including reflecting feelings) of the caller as opposed to providing counseling or giving advice.

Know better? Leave your own answer in the comments!

Substance counselor gets prison in DUI death
LOS ANGELES (AP) – A substance-abuse counselor who struck a pedestrian with her car and drove through a Los Angeles suburb with the dying man on her windshield was sentenced Thursday to 55 years to life in prison. Sherri Lynn Wilkins, 53, was … Read more on 7Online WSVN-TV

Woman who drove with dying man on car gets prison – KOAM TV 7
LOS ANGELES (AP) – A substance-abuse counselor was sentenced Thursday to 55 years to life in prison for hitting a pedestrian with her car and driving through a Los Angeles suburb with the dying man on her windshield. A jury earlier this year convicted … Read more on KOAM-TV

Sheriff disappointed in drug program results
Although Cahill is not a substance abuse counselor, he was hoping the lessons his company teaches would also help the program's participants. Three of the men in the program have been sentenced to prison, one for committing another crime and two for … Read more on The Daily Standard

News anchor Bert Roselle: 1933-2014
Mr. Roselle, a former television anchor and drug abuse counselor, has died at age 80. Colleagues remember Bert Roselle as the first “face” of Channel 17 news. He was the veteran professional in a relatively young newsroom and a mentor with a sense of … Read more on Florida Times-Union

New Beginnings Adolescent Recovery Center CEO Johnny Patout to Speak at
The conference is held by C4 Recovery Solutions and takes place in La Quinta, California from May 29 until June 1. Patout, a licensed clinical social worker, has worked in the field of addiction treatment for more than three decades. As a recovering … Read more on PR Web (press release)

Shreveport hopes to save bungalow
City Councilman Jeff Everson told The Times that the city plans to rehabilitate the 1890s cottage near Oakland Cemetery and move it to city-owned property on Elvis Presley Boulevard. "The idea is to renovate it and move it to a place where it will be … Read more on KATC Lafayette News

Lindsay Finale Shocker: Lohan Reveals She Had A Miscarriage
“It's learning to [find] a way to live so you can still have fun, but without drugs and alcohol in your life,” she told the camera, saying when she gets tempted, she flashes back to all the horrible things that came from her addiction, and that keeps … Read more on GossipCop

Swee'pea Daniels: "Too Beautiful To Be True"
His body looks old, and his game looks old: two-handed chest passes à la Bob Cousy; jump shots, with only the slightest lift, that he shoots off the glass like Jerry West; and old-fashioned lay-ups, from the side, never slamming. …. After listing … Read more on Deadspin

Question by -: Question about the study/education for psychology?
To become a clinical psychologist or a counseling psychologist, will you need to obtain a PhD? What is the difference between a therapist and a counselor? Some one suggested social work, but I’d rather not deal with people with drug/abuse/criminal problems that is usually prevalent in social work. I’d prefer to work with middle/upper class as far as clinical. What would be the best option if I did not want to opt for a PhD but still wanted to pursue in this field? Knowledgeable answers only please, thanks for your responses.

Best answer:

Answer by Z Z
<--- former psychology major... Anything less than a Master's degree in Psychology is a joke. If you as serious about Psych you're going to at least need an MA... I also hope you like research! :) And even in the middle/upper classes, one of the most common problems you will face are issues of drug addiction. Cocaine/Heroin/X/ Alcoholism/Meth do NOT discriminate according to class! Social Work does have a clinical side. You can get your MSW (Masters in Social Work) and practice as a therapist here in NJ. Difference between a counselor and a therapist... both having training. Therapists have more training/education... (That's my experience.) I have met counselors with only BA's... but I have yet to meet a therapist without a PhD. Talk to people in both fields. I thought I wanted to pursue psychology, but after discussing it with different professionals in the positions I wanted, I discovered that was not what I wanted. "Informational Interviews" They are also a great way to meet people and start networking. Hope I helped!

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Question by ???: Child Abuse Hotline?
My friend is thinkin about calling the Child Abuse Hotline, all of her friends believe she is emotionally abused & neglected. She has already tried to kill herself, & now she’s changing drastically. Im worried she has started doing drugs. I believe her home life is causing all of these problems. & Everytime i bring it up she says how she doesnt want to leave this school or town… (If she calls the Child Abuse Hotline, & they take action, will she remain in the same area, what are the chances?)… She is also afriad that they will just “warn” her parents (like people she has told so many times, but they didnt take any serious action–which caused her parents kinda to hate her more)…. Will she get to pick her “foster” parents?? (She is a former foster child, her “family” that she lives with now adopted her… idk y, if they treat her this way.. but they treat their biological daughters nicely..) She’s almost 16, does she get to make any choices in where she ends up if she calls?
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AolvYVcV58dUjhtaOKO46xzsy6IX?qid=20070424170114AAQVGj9

Teachers, friends, and others have offered to take her in…… will she get to choose??

If not, is there anyway to leave her home?? She turns 16 in June…. Can she get Emancipated from her home?? How can she get away, but stay close to the ones that she needs in this tough time in her life?
She lives in Nebraska.

She hasnt talked to a conselor, she hasn’t felt confortable…. but the principles, & conselors ALL know about her attempted suicide…. She was crying all day today b/c of her parents, & she went & talked for 50+ minutes with a teacher who she trusts, & even made the teacher cry with what she was saying

Also, another teacher, who has experience a some-what related experience has offered my friend her phone number, & address in any chance that they needed to talk.

It’s pretty much out in the open, she doesnt go into details about her parents with some people, but she’ll be the first to come right out and say “My parents dont love me.” Which from meeting her parents after ONE time, i can say for myself that i agree with that statement.
Im almost for sure she is being abused…. It’s been 2 years since i’ve known her… Ive talked to her mother–she talks with NO love for her daughter. She’s a sophmore && they dont allow her to go into the house (even on days like today, when its rainin, storming/lightening, windy && cold… or even when its cold & below 0)…. She HAS to wait until her parents get home from work… whether is in 30 min, or 2 hours…. I mean, they think she’ll break something

They wont allow her to get her permit or lisence, they told her she’ll never be able to lie

Never tell her they love her, or hug her… but the call her fat & ugly sometimes

Also, she’s 16 and still goes to a babysitter

walks/rides her bike miles & miles to the library, school, & practices, even though her parents drive in their car to MAKE SURE that’s where she went…..

*she has to ask to eat food, && shes an XC runner, && needs lots of calories, but they think she over-eats, but she doesnt.
She cant call her former social worker, b/c that was for one, b4 she was six && in North Dakota (she lives in Nebraska now), her “parents” were her foster parents that adopted her so they could move…

Best answer:

Answer by goldenrae9
It depends on what state you live in. Also, it does not matter how they treat one child as there are many cases of abuse wherein one child is treated worse than the others.

Has she talked to the school guidance couselor/social worker? They would be better trained and suited to deal with this.

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Public attitudes and policy toward drug addiction shift
Patrick last week ordered an outright ban on prescribing and dispensing Zohydro until it is marketed in a form that is difficult to abuse. Zohydro belongs to a family of medicines known as opiates or opioids. Others include morphine, heroin and … Read more on MassLive.com

LI drug overdose victim's family testifies at pain doctor's trial
Prosecutors say Li knew about Kingsley's history of substance abuse, but ignored demeanor and other warning signs out of pure greed — drawing patients to his one-day-a-week clinic from more than 50 miles away, including more than 400 from Long Island. Read more on Newsday

Father Whose Teen Overdosed Pushes for CT Drug Test Law
“Having a child fall into drug abuse is a nightmare come true for any parent. When a family looks to get a drug test and help for their teen, they need the way to be cleared for them, without bureaucratic obstacles. That's the opposite of what the Cruz … Read more on Patch.com

Question by Claudia: I want to be a rehab therapist what do I major in college for that?
I want to be a therapist that helps drug abused women or mothers but what do I major in college? I am currently a sophomore in high school and kind of struggling in science will that make a difference? Do I have to be extremely smart for this job because I am no where near. Please help!!

Best answer:

Answer by jannsody
I believe that you’re referring to a licensed substance abuse counselor. One may need to take college-level math while in college which may include statistics, however, I don’t believe that a counseling or social work student will need the rigorous type of mathematics such as calculus. The person majoring in counseling or social work needs to have empathy (being able to place oneself in another’s shoes) for the individual with the addiction. Communication skills and reasoning are also traits necessary for effective therapists.

A certified addiction counselor (CAC) or certified alcohol & drug counselor (CADC) needs to have gotten several hours of clinical fieldwork experience while under the supervision of a clinical supervisor and having an actual patient caseload. There are quite a few addiction counselors who are “in recovery” (from addiction/s) themselves. A lot of CACs or CADCs have a master’s degree, too.

This professional organization has more info re: certification(s) in addiction counseling: http://www.naadac.org/certification

With regard to schooling (for any field), please do *avoid* those private For-profit schools such as devry, ITT tech, strayer, university of phoenix, capella, walden, full sail, art institute, penn foster, icdc, keiser, argosy, westwood and others. Their course credits usually do ** NOT ** transfer to other schools, even if the for-profit school is regionally accredited as opposed to only nationally accredited.

This consumer site has a lot of negative posts by former students of those for-profit schools, and please heed the students’ warnings: http://www.complaintsboard.com and can search.

For U.S. colleges (though please still forgo those for-profit schools): http://www.utexas.edu/world/univ

General career info: http://www.bls.gov/ooh and can search “substance abuse and behavioral disorder counselors”, “social workers”, “counselors” or such.

Give your answer to this question below!

Question by Zach: Possibility that I will be on in-patient care?
I had an overnight stay in the hospital. I’m actually still there. I took drugs with the intent of suicide. A social worker talked to me and she said she is recommending me for in-patient care. Please refrain from saying, “You’re crazy, you need to go.” In all honesty I do not believe that. I had a huge revelation since I’ve been here, and I’m the one who got myself here. I still have to talk to a psych and a crisis response team. The social worker said something like, if I say I want to go, it will be treated as voluntary, etc. If I say I don’t need it then they need a mental expert to make the decision. That’s sort of how it went. So anyways… legally, what are my options? Can someone be more specific and precise with the information? What would the “rehab” be like? How long does it typically go for?

Best answer:

Answer by jeremytarbush
You need to be there. Legally they can keep you until you are of no danger to yourself. You’re not crazy. Just dangerous to yourself.
Normally it is 48 to 72 hours depending on your State. I can’t tell you what’d be like because hospitals vary and I normally stay in VA hospitals. Good luck to you.

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Addictiontreatment workers at Fitchburg forum: 'We can't afford to have it fail'
Program Director Traci Kasparian of the Fitchburg Habit OPCO, which provides methadone treatments for heroin addicts throughout North Central Massachusetts, said there has been a large influx of patients from Pepperell, which she called "the mecca of … Read more on Sentinel and Enterprise

Working Through Rehab: An Inside Look at Adolescent Drug Treatment
Each year nearly 2 million people are placed in drug rehab settings across the United States. They are placed in hospital-based programs: in group homes, inpatient or intensive outpatient programs. As a therapist, when I speak to kids, which I have … Read more on Diablo Magazine

Day Traders of Charity
Called Watsi, the charity allows users to read personal tales of medical woe in emerging markets and contribute up to the total amount needed to pay for a particular patient's treatment. Many might say, “How nice!” But I say, “Hold the applause.” The … Read more on Project Syndicate

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