Behavioral Health
Put your heart into your work. Chemeketa offers credentials to prepare you for a career helping people. Scholarships are available for this program.
topics Service Professions
Skills & InterestHelping People
CareersSocial Sciences
Why choose Behavioral Health?
The Behavioral Health degrees are limited enrollment programs that admit students fall term. An application for admission to the program is required.
You can apply for our post-baccalaureate addiction counselor certification at any time. The National Association of Alcohol and Drug Abuse Counselors identifies our addiction studies program as an education provider.
What will you learn?
You will have the opportunity to gain the skills and credentials necessary for this caring profession. Instruction takes place in the classroom and in practice with clients. By completing the AAS degree and the ACCP certificate you should be able to –
- Describe the nature of human systems: individual, group, organization, community, and society and their major interactions
- Describe the conditions that promote or limit optimal functioning in the major human systems
- Identify and select interventions that promote client growth and goal attainment
- Plan, implement and evaluate interventions
- Select interventions that are congruent with the values of ones self, clients, the employing organization, and the human services progression
- Use process skills to plan and implement services
- Adapt assessment skills and interventions to a variety of settings
- Comprehend and recognize the worth and uniqueness of the individual, including race, culture, ethnicity, gender, religion, learning style, abilities, sexual orientation, age, social class and other expressions of diversity
If you complete the Behavioral Health degree and the Addiction Counselor Preparation certificate you will be able to –
- Describe, identify, assess and treat substance use disorders
What will you do?
Graduates are employed in occupations such as –
- Services to seniors
- Department of Human Services
- Adult and juvenile corrections
- Employment services
- Crisis intervention services
- Services to people with physical and/or emotional challenges
- Addiction studies graduates are prepared to work in public and private agencies treating chemically dependent people and their families
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Behavioral Health, Associate of Applied Science
All first level courses in the Behavioral Health program are open for enrollment. Students can work with the advising department to map out an academic plan part-time or full time. Once students finish all the first-level courses, they will be officially enrolled and coded into the Behavioral Health program to progress and complete their second-year courses and practicum.
Students will have the option to designate their focus, determined by their practicum of choice.
The BH program is designed as a two-year program. It combines academic work with twenty-five credits of field work practicum. The Addiction studies pathway requires 15 of the 25 practicum credits to be completed in the addiction field. The Direct Support and Mental Health Services pathway requires 25 practicum credits in the field. Two terms in one agency count as one practicum site. Review your responsibilities as a practicum student.
Completion of the Behavioral Health degree, will allows students:
- to qualify for the Qualified Mental Health Associate, (QMHA) credential upon completion of coursework and post-degree supervision
- to be eligible to obtain cross credentials in both; Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor and QMHA
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Field Work (Practicum)
Involving you as an active member of a helping agency integrates academic and practical experience. Practicum is literally instruction in the field. You will be placed in a Behavioral Health/Human Services agency under the direct supervision of agency personnel. Each practicum placement will reflect your interests, ability and educational goals.
Students with criminal histories may be prevented from obtaining the necessary field experience required for program completion.
Practicum Objectives
- System Skills
- Develop an awareness of the philosophy, activities, and practices of the agency
- Develop a capacity to work with agency staff in establishing and maintaining your place in the agency
- Service Skills
- Develop and practice the skills necessary to work with clients served by the agency
- Personal Skills
- Develop, practice, and evaluate the values, attitudes, and skills that you possess and/or acquire as a human service worker
- Practicum Sites
- We collaborate with the leading agencies in the area. Follow the link and click on an agency’s name for a description of what you can expect from your practicum at each site.
Ask about your responsibilities as a practicum student.
- System Skills
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CRIMINAL BACKGROUND CHECK & DRUG TESTING
This program does not require background checks or drug screening before entering into the program. However, you will want to familiarize yourself with how future employers might use these procedures. Whether you are hired or promoted for a job may depend on the information revealed in a background check. Job applicants, existing employees, and volunteers may be required to submit to background checks and/or drug screens by federal or state law. For more information, visit privacyrights.org.
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Continuing Education Classes (CEU’S) for CADC I
We offer the following continuing educations classes for CADC I training
- Alcohol & Drugs of Abuse Pharmacology (2 day course/ $210)
- Infectious Disease Risk Assessment & Risk Reduction ( 1 day course/ $105)
- Clinical Evaluation ASAM (1 day course/ $105)
These are offered on an as needed basis, if you are interested please fill out our interest form linked here.
For addition information regarding CADC I requirements please visit the MCACBO website linked here.
*fees are subject to change