The Drug & Alcohol Studies Certificate at CCSF

The Drug & Alcohol Certificate at City College of San Francisco is a 38.5-unit program, which emphasizes a public health, harm reduction approach that addresses community, social/economic and individual factors of addiction. We believe the main strategy for addressing addiction should be treatment on demand, expanded education and employment opportunities. All of our classes are offered in the evenings and the Certificate takes approximately 2.5 years to complete. Credits are applicable towards a CCSF Associate Degree and are transferable to San Francisco State University.  This program is made possible in part by a grant from the City and County of San Francisco Department of Public Health, Community Behavioral Health Services.
 

Check out the latest Schedule! Current Semester Schedule

Find Out What Classes You Need! Passport to Your Certificate

Look at course descriptions!  Drug & Alcohol Course Descriptions

JOIN OUR YAHOO GROUP!  WWW.YAHOOGROUPS.COM/GROUP/CCSF-DRUG

 

State Certification through C.A.A.D.E.

The CCSF Drug and Alcohol Certificate is accredited by the California Association for Alcohol and Drug Educators (CAADE, visit them on the web at www.caade.org) . Successful completion of the 38.5-unit Certificate Program is the first step towards California State Certification as a Drug & Alcohol counselor.  Once the student has received their certificate from City College, they will be eligible to take the Certified Addiction Treatment Counselor (CATC) exam.  Once they successfully complete the exam, they will be expected to submit all the necessary paperwork, including a copy of their completed field work hours in order to be certified as a Drug and Alcohol counselor in the state of California.  These requirements meet the regulations by the California Department of Alcohol and Drug Programs.

Check out the certification timeline

 Steps for State Certification Through CAADE

Career Opportunities

Graduates of the Drug & Alcohol Certificate will find opportunities in treatment and prevention programs such as:

• Inpatient Alcohol & Drug Treatment Programs
• Outpatient Alcohol & Drug Treatment Programs
• Men’s & Women’s Residential Programs
• Education & Prevention
• Harm Reduction Recovery Programs
• Criminal Justice System Counseling Programs
• Juvenile Services
• Mental Health Services
• Social Model Recovery Programs

The Certificate is also designed for in-service development of professionals already working in health and human services.

Certificate Curriculum                         Drug & Alcohol Studies Program
All courses have been developed in accordance with CAADE guidelines and must be taken in the order listed below.  The classes have been divided into four levels, and all students must successfully complete the class in each level (with a final grade of C or higher) PRIOR to taking classes in the following level. New students seeking a Drug & Alcohol Certificate must successfully complete Health 100 prior to entering the program.                        REQUIRED INTRODUCTORY COURSE Units     Health 100 -- Introduction to Drug & Alcohol Studies 1
REQUIRED (TAKE ANY SEMESTER)	Units
Health 38 -- Trauma Response and Recovery (prereq. HLTH 30)*	3
Health 90B -- Harm Reduction and Health	0.5
REQUIRED COURSE SEQUENCE
LEVEL ONE CLASSES
Course	Units
Health 30 -- Drugs and Society	3
Health 70 -- Physiological Effects of Addiction	3
Health 78 -- Fieldwork Prep: Ethical & Legal Issues	2
LEVEL TWO CLASSES
Course	Units
Health 72  -- Cultural Aspects of Addition	3
Health 74  -- Criminology and Addiction	3
Health 75  --  Treatment Modalities	3
LEVEL THREE CLASSES
Course	Units
Health 73   -- Case Management/Individual Intervention Skills	3
Health 79A -- Beginning Fieldwork*	3
Health 83   -- Motivational Counseling Skills	3
LEVEL FOUR CLASSES
Course	Units
Health 76   -- Group Facilitation	3
Health 77   -- Co-Occurring Disorders	3
Health 79B -- Advanced Fieldwork *	3
Total Units for Certificate	38.5

*Field experience is an integral part of the certificate and is required by CAADE.  Students will complete a minimum of 250 hours in the field (125 hours each semester) to complement the classroom experience by putting theory into practice.   *Students wanting to take Health 38 should first take Health 30 as a prerequisite. Teaching Methodology The curriculum for the Drug & Alcohol Certificate is reality-based and student-centered.  We emphasize a harm reduction approach that addresses community, social/economic and individual factors of addiction. We are committed to developing professional skills in the field of alcohol and other drugs.  Great effort is made to keep the curriculum current and reflective of prevalent trends and issues in the field.  A distinguished and diverse teaching team leads classes and internships with extensive experience in the field of alcohol and other drugs.