A Rewarding Career Helping Others Addiction Treatment and Prevention

Transcription

1 A Rewarding Career Helping Others Addiction Treatment and Prevention

2 a field with a future If you ve always wanted to help others, consider the growing field of addiction services. Addiction treatment and prevention agencies across New Jersey employ thousands of dedicated individuals working hard to make a difference in the lives of the people they serve. And more are needed. When someone is suffering from the disease of addiction, professional help is often the first step on the road to recovery. Professionals in the addiction treatment field provide counseling, support and help individuals get back on their feet. They keep families together and help make broken families whole again. With the right attitude and the right training, you could be on your way to an exciting and rewarding career in addiction services. Specialized trainings as well as internships in the field can help you get started. New Jersey s Department of Human Services, Division of Addiction Services is committed to ensuring that the addiction workforce has the training and support it needs to serve people suffering from addiction in New Jersey. That s why they provide the New Jersey Prevention Network with a grant to offer free trainings across the state to help individuals interested in the field get the training they need to succeed. opportunities for growth personal satisfaction 2 diverse career paths

3 you can make a difference in someone s life You know you want to help others, but how? What interests you? If you re interested in working with children, a career in prevention may be right for you. Professionals work in our schools and communities helping children develop the skills they ll need to avoid problems with drugs and alcohol. They educate them on the dangers of drug use and show them how to deal with peer pressure. Just as important, they foster critical life skills and nurture positive attitudes kids need to thrive. If you have a passion for working with teens, you ll have a wide variety of options from which to choose. Prevention, treatment and jobs dealing with the criminal justice system can all lead to rewarding careers helping our youth avoid drugs, find recovery from an alcohol or drug problem, or put their lives back together if they ve had problems with the law. Working with adults offers unique opportunities to help people rebuild their lives. Someone suffering from addiction doesn t suffer alone. Often families are torn apart, children are taken away from parents, and marriages struggle to survive. Helping individuals find recovery, work things out with their families and reconnect with their children can have rewards all its own. Being someone s guide and support on the challenging road to recovery can give you the personal satisfaction that few jobs can. But don t take our word for it. There are people all across New Jersey who know just how rewarding a career in addiction services can be. Call us, and we can connect you with someone who can share their personal experiences with you and answer any questions you may have. 3

4 career paths The field of addiction services offers a wide variety of opportunities and career paths. Clinical treatment involves helping clients work through and overcome their addiction. Clinical opportunities can be found in both in-patient and out-patient treatment facilities, and they offer the most up-close, personal chance to help someone find recovery. Individual as well as group treatment techniques are used by highly-skilled clinicians often working with a treatment team of physicians, psychiatrists, nurses and social workers. Clinical supervision and administration positions involve overseeing client treatment, managing programs and facilities, and ensuring the quality of services provided at New Jersey treatment facilities. Leaders in the field advocate for change and can have an impact on treatment trends and public policy regarding addiction issues. They help to continually move the field of addiction services forward. Criminal justice positions often require training as an addiction professional. Whether working with the drug courts, probation, parole or the juvenile justice system, you ll find that many individuals entering the criminal justice system have a long history of abusing alcohol or other drugs. To turn their lives around, these individuals must receive treatment for their addiction. Employee assistance programs (EAPs) often provide the chance to help someone deal with an addiction problem before it gets out of hand. Some large corporations have their own individual program offering employees a wide variety of support services. Others contract with companies that offer the services on an as-needed basis. Since 80 percent of individuals with a substance abuse problem are employed, EAPs offer an excellent opportunity for both prevention and treatment. Prevention professionals work to educate children, families and communities about the dangers of alcohol and other drugs. But their work goes far beyond. They also help children develop the life skills they ll need to avoid destructive behaviors that can lead to problems. They help families learn how to communicate better, and give parents the skills they need to raise children who make healthy choices. They also play a critical role in interventions with drunk drivers and relapse prevention programs for individuals who have completed traditional treatment. 4

5 find out more about addiction issues Is a career in addiction treatment or prevention right for you? Before you make important decisions about your career path, it s always a good idea to do your homework. There are numerous websites and other resources that provide information about the disease of addiction and current trends in treatment and prevention. Before you decide if addiction treatment or prevention might be the right career for you, we encourage you to find out more. Websites with more information about addiction treatment and prevention Center for Substance Abuse Prevention (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration) Center for Substance Abuse Treatment (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration) Northeast Addiction Technology Transfer Center New Jersey Department of Human Services, Division of Addiction Services New Jersey Prevention Network National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence (NCADD)-New Jersey 5

6 certification and licensure requirements Professionals interested in working in the addiction field have the opportunity to become a Chemical Dependency Associate, Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor, Licensed Clinical Alcohol and Drug Counselor, Prevention Associate or a Certified Prevention Specialist. These certifications will help advance your career, and in some cases, are required for some positions in the field. Free training to obtain these credentials is available statewide. The following educational requirements apply for each certification: Licensed Clinical Alcohol and Drug Counselor (LCADC) Master s degree or Doctorate required Certified Prevention Specialist (CPS) Bachelor s degree required Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor (CADC) No college degree required Chemical Dependency Associate (CDA) No college degree required Associate Prevention Specialist (APS) No college degree required Other certifications in addiction treatment and related fields Master s degree required: Certified Mentally Ill Chemical Abuser Specialist (CMS) Certified Clinical Supervisor, Track II (CCS) Bachelor s degree required: Certified Clinical Supervisor, Track I (CCS) Certified Perinatal Addiction Specialist (CPAS) Certified Tobacco Treatment Specialist (CTTS) 6 No college degree required: Recovery Mentor Associate (RMA) Criminal Justice Counselor (CJC) Community Mental Health Associate (CMHA) Certified Mentally Ill Chemical Abuser Associate (CMA)

7 for more information Alcohol and Drug Counselor Committee State Board of Marriage and Family Therapy Examiners P.O. Box Newark, NJ Phone: Fax: Web: For information about obtaining a CADC and an LCADC Addiction Professionals Certification Board 1200 Tices Lane, Suite 104 East Brunswick, NJ Phone: Fax: Web: info@certbd.com For information about certifications other than a CADC and an LCADC New Jersey Prevention Network 150 Airport Road, Suite 1400 Lakewood, NJ Phone: 866-FOR-NJPN or Fax: Web: info@njpn.org For information about free trainings available statewide for professionals working towards a CDA, CADC, LCADC, APS or CPS 7

8 about the New Jersey Prevention Network NJPN provides a statewide, coordinated approach to advocacy, collaboration and education to promote wellness and to keep individuals, families and communities healthy and safe. NJPN plays a key role in training professionals in the field of addiction services and related topics. For more information about the trainings we offer, please visit our website at To get in touch with someone in your community who works in the addiction or treatment field, call us at If you know someone who has a problem with alcohol or drugs and needs help, call New Jersey Prevention Network 150 Airport Road, Suite 1400 Lakewood, NJ Phone: 866-FOR-NJPN or Fax: Web: info@njpn.org Funding for this brochure and the Addiction Training and Workforce Development Program is made possible by a grant from the New Jersey Department of Human Services, Division of Addiction Services.