Behavioral Health Counseling Advanced Certificate

Important Information

Short Description

The certificate program is designed for students seeking employment in Behavioral Health Counseling and prepares students for certification as Alcohol and Drug Counselors by the Maryland Board of Professional Counselors and Therapists. This program will prepare students with the knowledge, skills, and abilities for entry-level or advanced job opportunities in Behavioral Health Counseling, as appropriate to the student’s degree. Students may be required to pass an examination administered and approved by the Maryland Board of Professional Counselors and Therapists in the application for certification.

Type of Credential

Credit Certificate

Program Code

728

Contacts and Additional Information

Program Coordinators:

Ted McCadden, D.Ed., LCADC
443-840-3783 or tmccadden@ccbcmd.edu

Additional Information:

Statewide program (Note: The Human Services Generalist Certificate is not designated as a Statewide program.)
The Human Services Counseling A.A.S. degree is offered both face to face and fully (100%) online.
Opportunities for Prior Learning Assessment (PLA) - see Portfolio, Departmental Exam, and DSST Examination. Several General Education classes also have PLA opportunities.
Articulation and Transfer Agreements
Graduates of the Behavioral Health Counseling Area of Concentration are academically eligible to apply for certification as a Certified Supervised Counselor-Alcohol and Drug and will be required to pass the NCAC-1 Exam in their application process.

Semester Sequence

This is a suggested schedule for a student who has completed any developmental course work and has no transfer credits.

Semester 1*

HUSC 139 - Interviewing and Counseling Techniques 3 Credit(s).
HUSC 141 - Introduction to Psychopharmacology 3 Credit(s).
HUSC 142 - Counseling Clients with Substance Use Disorders 3 Credit(s).
HUSC 205 - Group Counseling 3 Credit(s).
HUSC 210 - Behavioral Health Counseling with Families 3 Credit(s).

Semester 2

HUSC 233 - Ethics in Human Services Counseling 3 Credit(s).
HUSC 224 - Delivery of Addiction Services 3 Credit(s).
HUSC 244 - Counseling Clients with Co-Occurring Disorders 3 Credit(s).
HUSC 246 - Applied Theories of Counseling 3 Credit(s).
Program Elective 3 Credit(s).

Courses Needed for This Program*

Program Requirements and Electives - 30 Credits

Program Requirements:

HUSC 139 - Interviewing and Counseling Techniques 3 Credit(s).
HUSC 141 - Introduction to Psychopharmacology 3 Credit(s).
HUSC 142 - Counseling Clients with Substance Use Disorders 3 Credit(s).
HUSC 205 - Group Counseling 3 Credit(s).
HUSC 210 - Behavioral Health Counseling with Families 3 Credit(s).
HUSC 224 - Delivery of Addiction Services 3 Credit(s).
HUSC 233 - Ethics in Human Services Counseling 3 Credit(s).
HUSC 244 - Counseling Clients with Co-Occurring Disorders 3 Credit(s).
HUSC 246 - Applied Theories of Counseling 3 Credit(s).

Program Electives:

Choose one of the following, with approval from the Program Coordinator:

HUSC 240 - Supporting Clients Experiencing Psychopathology 3 Credit(s).
HUSC 263 - Clinical Field Placement in Behavioral Health Counseling 3 Credit(s).
HUSC 273 - Internship: Human Services Counseling 3 Credit(s).
PSYC 103 - Principles of Human Growth and Development 3 Credit(s).

Total Number of Credits Required for Certificate: 30*

Note

*Credit students who are new to college (no successfully completed transferable college credits from other institutions) are required to take ACDV 101 - Academic Development: Transitioning to College . This 1-credit course is designed to be taken in the first semester at CCBC. Students must provide an official transcript(s) from an accredited institution to document successful completion of college coursework for the ACDV 101 requirement to be waived.

Program Description

The Behavioral Health Counselor Advanced Certificate is designed for students interested in the field of Behavioral Health Counseling. This certificate, coupled with a degree in a relevant field and an additional internship experience, provides students with the necessary credits to apply certification with the Maryland Board of Professional Counselors and Therapists. This 30-credit program can be completed in a relatively short period of time, particularly for students who have earned the Behavioral Health Counselor Trainee certificate. Students often earn this certificate along the path to pursuing the A.A.S. degree in Human Services Counseling.

Program Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this certificate, students will be able to:

utilize a variety of counseling skills and abilities to function effectively as counselors in a variety of behavioral health counseling contexts;
assess and document a client’s current status and apply basic therapeutic techniques;
accurately evaluate the outcome of one’s own clinical practice;
develop, prioritize, and implement a plan to address a client’s presenting problem;
conduct themselves professionally and ethically as counselors in culturally-diverse settings; and,
express themselves professionally, both verbally and in writing, to a variety of audiences, including clients, other professionals, and external monitoring agencies.