Mental Health and Addictions

Mental Health and Addiction Minors

The Counseling Program's Mental Health and Addiction minors are designed to complement a variety of undergraduate majors for students wishing to incorporate a mental health addiction focus. Four minors will be offered, focusing on alcohol and drug counseling, criminal justice, social welfare, or wellness.

The Alcohol and Drug Counseling Minor is a pre-licensure academic program. An optional COUN 390 Internship course is available for students who wish to identify a site and complete the 300-hour internship in addiction counseling within a CSC structured class. Students may also choose to complete the 300 state-required hours on their own time without the internship course. These internships will allow students to accrue supervised direct client contact hours toward a Provisional Licensure as an Alcohol & Drug Counselor (PLADC). Students in their final Mental Health and Addictions course are eligible to enroll.
Students who complete a minor focusing on criminal justice, social welfare, and wellness will accrue three of the seven courses leading toward licensure as a Provisional Alcohol and Drug Counselor (PLADC) in Nebraska. Additional requirements for licensure include the completion of COUN 127, 133, 225, 235, and 300 hours of supervised practical training in the 12 core functions.
Students who complete COUN 127, 133, 225, 235, 321, 323, & 331 and 300 hours of supervised practical training in the 12 core functions have completed this pre-licensure program. Along with an internship, they will be eligible to apply for licensure as a Provisional Alcohol and Drug Counselor (PLADC) in the state of Nebraska. An undergraduate major or minor is not required to apply for a PLADC in Nebraska.

Mission

The Mental Health and Addiction minors provide students with an opportunity to focus on Mental Health and Addiction from four distinct perspectives: alcohol and drug counseling, criminal justice, social welfare, or wellness. In addition, we support rural health by providing opportunities for students to meet academic requirements for licensure as a Provisional Alcohol & Drug Counselor (PLADC) in the state of Nebraska.

Student Learning Outcomes

Students will identify the professional theories and techniques of addiction counseling.
Students will explore aspects of counseling ethics and diversity.
Students will identify medical and psychosocial aspects of addiction.
Students will explore addiction from an alcohol and drug counseling, criminal justice, social welfare, or wellness perspective.

Provisional Alcohol and Drug Counselor (PLADC)

A Provisional Alcohol and Drug Counselor (PLADC) Is a person working toward full licensure as an Alcohol and Drug Counselor (LADC). He or she is working to obtain the required 6,000 hours of supervised paid clinical work experience in alcohol and drug counseling. An Alcohol and Drug Counselor (LADC) is a person who provides the 12 core functions of screening, intake, orientation, assessment, treatment planning, counseling (individual, group, and significant others), case management, crisis intervention, client education, referral, reports, record keeping, and consultation, with other professionals regarding client treatment and services. These core functions are in accordance with the IC&RC/AODA, Inc.

COUN 127 LIFESPAN DEVELOPMENT3 Credits

This course will study the nature and needs of individuals at all development levels from birth to death. (LADC Clock Hours-30).

COUN 133 CLINICAL ADDICTION TREATMENT ISSUES3 Credits

This course will study treatment issues specific to addiction and chemical dependency, such as denial, resistance, minimization, co-occurring disorders, family dynamics, spirituality, and influences of self-help groups. It will incorporate the study of chemical dependency clinical treatment needs of individuals while taking into consideration gender, culture, and lifestyle. (LADC Clock Hours-30).

COUN 202 SEMINAR/TOPICS IN COUNSELING1-3 Credits

To meet the individual needs of students, it may become necessary to offer seminars or special topics that are not within the range of counseling courses described in this publication.

COUN 225 ADDICTION COUNSELING WITH GROUPS3 Credits

This course will identify theories, processes and dynamics, techniques, and methods of group counseling and facilitation. (LADC Clock Hours-45)

COUN 235 ADDICTION ASSESSMENT AND CASE PLANNING3 Credits

This course will explore the process of collecting client data for decision making on alcohol/drug disorder diagnosis, level of care placement, treatment, and referral. It will also study the practice of record keeping, assessment summaries, treatment plans, progress notes, discharge plans, clinical case reviews, assessment instruments, and case management activities designed to achieve client treatment goals (LADC Clock Hours-30).

COUN 321 ADDICTION COUNSELING THEORIES AND TECHNIQUES3 Credits

This course will include the study and practice of theories, principles, and techniques of counseling. Major counseling theories to include Adlerian, Cognitive Behavioral, Reality, Client-Centered, Gestalt, and others. We will also cover counseling techniques to include attending skills, reflective feedback, paraphrasing, summarizing, therapeutic confrontation, and empathy development. (LADC Clock Hours-45).

Prerequisites: Sophomore or above status

COUN 323 ADDICTION COUNSELING ETHICS AND DIVERSITY3 Credits

This course will explore the ethical standards of addiction counseling. This will include the application of ethical principles such as non-discrimination, integrity, competence, and client welfare to diverse populations. It will also address cultural, social, lifestyle, spiritual, and economic factors relevant to the provision of competent counseling to varied and multicultural populations. (LADC Clock Hours-45).

Prerequisites: Sophomore or above status

COUN 331 MEDICAL AND PSYCHOSOCIAL ADDICTION ASPECTS3 Credits

This course will study the physiological, psychological, and sociological aspects of alcohol/drug use, abuse, and dependence. It will explore the processes of dependence, addiction, and withdrawal along with associated signs, symptoms, and behavior patterns. It will also include the study of drug types and pharmacology. (LADC Clock Hours-45).

Prerequisites: Sophomore or above status

COUN 390 COUNSELING INTERNSHIP1-12 Credits

This course provides an opportunity for practical field experience in a drug and alcohol counseling setting for the prelicensure program. Students will accrue supervised direct client contact hours toward a provisional license in alcohol & drug counseling (PLADC). Students in their final Mental Health and Addictions minor course are eligible to enroll. Students must identify and secure their internship site placement.

Add Consent: Department Consent

Notes: This elective can be taken concurrently with the student's final pre-licensure Mental Health and Addictions course. Eligibility to apply for a Provisional License in Alcohol & Drug Counseling (PLADC) requires completion of 300 hours of supervised training in the 12 core functions with a minimum of 10 performance hours in each core functions. This supervised training can be accrued during approximately six COUN 390 Internship credit hours.

Requirements: Interested students should contact the Internship and Career Services Office to secure application materials. Submit your application the semester before you intend to enroll in the course. The amount of credit will be based on the availability of a suitable counseling internship position and the applicant's qualifications.

COUN 402 SEMINAR/TOPICS IN COUNSELING1-3 Credits

To meet the individual needs of students, it may become necessary to offer seminars or special topics that are not within the range of counseling courses described in this publication.

Prerequisites: Junior or above status