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For majors only
Course is required for casac certification

This course will introduce students to the major theories of alcohol and illicit drug use, and their application in clinical practice. The course will cover assessment and diagnosis of Substance Abuse, the biopsychosocial model of treatment including coverage of psychodynamic, cognitive-behavioral, and motivational techniques.

Students should understand and be able to explain and apply the following: For all of the commonly abused substances, each of their specific impacts on the central nervous system State-of-the-art, substance-abuse assessment and diagnostic skills, including the ability to effectively identify presenting problem(s), develop a working case conceptualization, and assess readiness for change For all major substance-use disorders, their theoretical origins, course, and specific treatments to facilitate recovery for the individual user and their significant others in clinical practice Both substance-abuse prevention strategies and counseling skills to effectively intervene to encourage change, including establishing rapport with individuals who are help-rejecting

*The learning goals displayed here are those for one section of this course as offered in a recent semester, and are provided for the purpose of information only. The exact learning goals for each course section in a specific semester will be stated on the syllabus distributed at the start of the semester, and may differ in wording and emphasis from those shown here.