ADCN 500 Orientation to Addiction Counseling

This course introduces students to concepts regarding the professional functioning of addiction counselors, including history, roles, professional organizations, and credentialing processes. It also provides an introduction to the essential concepts, theories, and practices involved in addiction counseling. Students will explore the nature of addiction, including its psychological, biological, and social aspects, while also focusing on evidence-based treatment approaches used in the field. The course covers other key topics such as assessment techniques, ethical and legal considerations, and the role of the counselor in working with individuals struggling with substance use and co-occurring mental health disorders.

For information regarding prerequisites for this course, please refer to the Academic Course Catalog.

Orientation to Addiction Counseling provides the student with a foundational understanding of addiction, including its psychological, biological, and social dimensions. It familiarizes the student with central concepts in addiction work and explores the role of the counselor in preparation for future courses and the field. The introduction to assessment techniques, therapeutic approaches, and ethical considerations establishes a foundation that is critical for effective addiction counseling. This course serves as an essential first step in preparing the student for the rest of the Addiction Counseling program and his/her future work supporting individuals in addiction recovery.

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After reading the Course Syllabus and Student Expectations, the student will complete the related checklist found in the Course Overview.

Discussions are collaborative learning experiences. Therefore, the video discussions provide the student with the opportunity to demonstrate an understanding of the material while practicing professional communication skills. The student must respond to discussion prompts professionally on camera with a video thread that is 3-5 minutes in length and at least 1 video reply that is 1-3 minutes in length. The main video thread must be supported with the course text along with at least 1 other supporting scholarly resource (stated verbally and posted in writing below the video). Video replies must be supported by at least 1 scholarly resource (stated verbally and posted in writing below the video). Acceptable sources include the textbook and/or academic, peer-reviewed journal articles. APA formatting must be used. (CLO: A, B, D, E)

The student will purchase a background check with fingerprints from ADB and: 

1. Upload a receipt of purchase showing proof of purchase.
2. Upload a Compliance Summary Report showing submission of the background check application.
3. Upload a new Compliance Summary Report showing submission of fingerprints to DTIS (Daon).

The student will research addiction counseling credential requirements in his/her state and complete questions and a chart related to identifying his/her professional goals and aligning state requirements with program courses. (CLO: A)

The student will write a 6-8 page research-based paper in current APA format that focuses on developing an approach to addiction treatment. The paper must include at least 5 references in addition to the course textbooks and the Bible. (CLO: B, C, D, E, F, G)

Quiz

The student will complete a brief quiz demonstrating his/her understanding of 2 experiential assignments later in the course, including attending 12-step meetings and interviewing a practicing addiction counselor. The quiz contains 2 true/false questions, has no time limit, and allows 2 attempts. 

Quiz

The student will use the MA ADCN Online Handbook to complete a quiz in order to become familiar with the policies and procedures applicable to the student and Liberty University’s Department of Community Care and Counseling. The quiz is open-notes, contains 15 multiple-choice and multiple-answer questions, has a time limit of 45 minutes, and allows 1 attempt. 

Each quiz will cover one chapter of the Capuzzi and Stauffer text for the assigned Module: Week. The student will take multiple quizzes in each module, which will allow the student to focus on a single chapter for each quiz. Each quiz is open-book/open-notes, contains 10 multiple-choice/true-false questions, allows for 1 attempt, and has a 30-minute time limit. (CLO: A, B, C, D, E, F, G)

Quiz

The student will rate him/herself on the nine dispositions required for this program. The quiz will contain 9 multiple-choice questions and 1 essay question and is limited to 60 minutes. The student is allowed 1 attempt to complete the quiz.