Becoming a Substance Abuse Counselor in Hawaii
Find Programs for Substance Abuse Counseling Degrees in Hawaii
With a background in the field of psychology, there are dozens of career paths you can follow to make a difference in your community, improve the lives of the people you serve, and encourage further research. The field of substance abuse, due to its stigma in society, often has an extremely high demand for counselors and social workers with specialized training.
In Hawaii, substance abuse is part of a larger epidemic of behavioral health issues, which is why the state recently received a $47,000 grant to develop more substance abuse prevention and treatment programs (Maui Times, 2016).
In a Hawaiian substance abuse and addiction degree program, you can focus on this specific area of counseling and work toward become a certified addiction counselor.
Get in touch with the Hawaii training programs listed below to get started.
Substance Abuse Counselor Training in Hawaii
The first step in a psychology career is a Bachelor’s degree. If you already have a Bachelor’s degree, you may want to go straight to a Master’s-level counseling program.
However, if you have yet to earn an undergraduate degree, look into Bachelor’s-level substance abuse counseling certification preparation degree programs. These programs combine general education with coursework that is specific to the field of substance abuse counseling.
You may earn your 120 required credits in approximately four years. At many schools, you get the chance to work with patients while being supervised and guided by licensed counselors.
Bachelor‘s-Level Substance Abuse Counseling Courses
- Survey of Substance Abuse Problems
- Prevention Specialist Training
- Individual Substance Abuse Counseling
- Ethics in Public Services
- Group Counseling
- Core Functions of Substance Abuse Counseling
Master’s in Substance Abuse Counseling—Hawaii Requirements
Another way to become a certified substance abuse counselor is through a graduate CSAC certificate Hawaii program. These programs require that you already have a Bachelor’s degree, since they skip general education courses and delve into high-level counseling theories and techniques.
Credit requirements vary from school to school, but on average, you need to earn 40 credits in approximately three years to earn a Master’s degree. During each semester, you complete supervised clinical experience to improve your ability to connect with and treat your patients.
Addiction Counselor Hawaii Graduate Courses
- Assessment of Addiction
- Addiction Treatment for Diverse Populations
- Program Management in Addiction Treatment
- Ethical issues in Addiction Treatment
- Principles of Addiction Treatment
- Survey of Research for Addiction Professionals
Substance Abuse Counselor Careers in Hawaii
The next step in the process of becoming an addictions counselor is a substance abuse counseling Hawaii license. The State of Hawaii Alcohol and Drug Abuse Division only has one licensure level.
To become a Certified Substance Abuse Counselor, you need 4000 hours of supervised work experience and a Bachelor’s degree or 2000 hours of supervised work experience and a Master’s degree. It can take several years of supervised work to earn your license, but once you do, you can work independently with patients.
In Hawaii, substance abuse counselors earn an average of $42,400 per year (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2016). A 19% increase in job openings is expected by the year 2024 (O*Net, 2016).
In addition to substance abuse counselor careers, consider the opportunities in substance abuse social work. The average salary in this field is $53,180 per year (BLS, 2016). By 2024, job openings for social workers may jump 14% (O*Net, 2016).
The work you put into becoming an addictions counselor can pay off for years to come. Those who beat their drug addictions can raise healthier families, build more stable careers, and avoid long-term health problems, which means that this field essentially benefits every part of society.
Discover how you can earn an accredited counseling degree by contacting Hawaii schools below.
