Transcript Counselor Education Programs in MA for Wkspc

Counselor Education
Programs in MA
BSAS Approval Process
Agenda
9:30
Welcome and Introductions
9:45
Background, Current Process
10:00
Proposed Application and
Approval Process
Discussion and Feedback
11:15
Next Steps
Background
Workforce Development Efforts
 WF & Organizational Development Strategic Plan:
Vision
 Licensed Alcohol and Drug Counselors (LADCs)
 Levels of LADC
 Regulations
 Legislation
 Resources
 Careers of Substance website
 Trainings
 Educational programs
Background
Licensure of Alcohol and Drug Counselors Regulations
• 105 CMR 168.000 went into effect in 2004.
• Developed pursuant to MGL C 111J.
• Established eligibility requirements, application and
renewal process for three levels of licensure: LADC I,
LADCII and LADC Assistants.
• Developed by BSAS and an advisory group, which
included:
– Substance abuse treatment representatives,
– Education providers and
– Certifying bodies (including NAADAC, MAADAC and
ICRC).
Current process to approve
education hours
• Candidates provide evidence of education
completed
• If from an entity already approved for
another candidate: approved.
• If not from previously approved entity:
review description, hours, qualifications of
educator, method of testing, etc.
• Informal list of approved entities.
Current process to approve
education hours
To be considered eligible for licensure:
• LADC I and II must complete 270 hours of
approved education and
• LADC Assistants must complete 50 hours
of education.
When the regulations went into effect, it was
also decided that existing education providers
would continue to be recognized through the
LADC application approval process.
Current process to approve
education hours
Applicants for initial licensure complete their
required 270 hours:
• Through a comprehensive program run by a
single education provider, OR
• By combining coursework from multiple
education providers
– May or may not be part of an accredited college or
university.
– Applicants required to submit evidence of required
hours in the form of a transcript or certificate of
education.
Proposed Approval
Process
Purpose: To ensure that individuals obtain the
necessary rigorous education experience for
licensure.
The process must be simple and transparent for the licensure
applicant, the education provider, and the regulatory body.
Current Process
Proposed Process
Application
No
Yes
Link to Nat’l Standards
Informal
Formal
Incorporation of MA
Standards
Informal
Formal
Standardized process
Somewhat
Yes
National Standards
Standards for minimum training and
competencies for those entering the field have.
Based on a review by the BSAS internal working
group, these standards meet or exceed the
minimum educational requirements for MA LADC:
National Standards
• NASAC - the National Addictions Studies Accreditation
Commission
• NAADAC, the Association for Addiction Professionals
• IC&RC - the International Certification & Reciprocity
Consortium (refers to state approval processes – MA
process under review)
Massachusetts Standards
BSAS Approved Addiction Education Providers must
also prepare students to meet Massachusetts Licensed
Alcohol and Drug Counselor regulations.
Massachusetts Standards
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•
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Principles of Care and Practice Guidance
Terms and Conditions, Standards of Care, and
Management and Operations sections of periodic
Request for Response documents
Program Regulations
LADC Regulations
Massachusetts Standards
BSAS expects the following will be addressed by
educational programs, regardless of phrasing
differences in national standards:
A. Learning Experience
• Culturally and linguistically appropriate
teaching processes should be used.
• Adult-oriented learning approaches, such as
experiential learning, should be used.
• Quality Clinical Supervision should be provided
for any practicum.
Massachusetts Standards
B. General Content Requirements
• Addiction should be covered comprehensively, including both
process and substance addictions.
• All stages of substance use should be covered including
abstinence, use, abuse, and dependence.
• Addiction should be approached as a chronic disease which is
treatable, and for which effective treatment attends to the multiple
needs of an individual and family.
• Educational content should be continuously updated and based on
current science and research
• Evidence Based Practices in Prevention and Treatment must be
included, as well as ways to keep up on new techniques. For
example, Motivational Interviewing is a widely adopted evidencebased practice which is supported by BSAS.
• Adaptations of techniques for particular populations should be
taught.
• Prevention and Treatment should be approached as collaborative
activities.
Massachusetts Standards
C. Specific Content Requirements
1. Ethics and Boundaries, Consumer/Client Rights: Students
should be familiar with BSAS counselor licensure regulations,
and the Ethical Standards for Counselors per 105 CMR
168.023, as well as the rights of consumers/clients.
2. Culture and Special Populations: In providing education
about addictions in special populations, there should be
explicit discussion about cultural responsiveness to individual
clients and equity in access and outcomes. This should
happen not only in terms of race and ethnicity, but also
heritage, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation,
economic and social class, homelessness, criminal justice
involvement, age and developmental process. Reference
should be made to the National Standards for Culturally and
Linguistically Appropriate Services, DPH’s CLAS initiative and
the Making CLAS Happen manual, along with related BSASsponsored trainings.
Massachusetts Standards
3. Self-help: Integration of 12-step and other self-help
groups in the recovery process.
4. Medication: Medication-assisted addiction treatment
(methadone and Suboxone) and other commonly
prescribed mental health medications.
5. Trauma: Students should have a clear understanding of
Trauma-Informed approaches to care.
6. Family Issues/Involvement: Information about familial
cycles of addiction, theories of attachment, reference to
the Adverse Childhood Experiences study, effects of
substance abuse and addictions on children and other
family members, as well as how families can intervene
in a person’s addiction and play a positive role in their
recovery.
Massachusetts Standards
7. Behavior management: Understanding the meaning
behind typical client behaviors and responding
appropriately, using methods such as Motivational
Interviewing techniques.
8. Co-occurring conditions: Mental health and physical
health conditions co-occurring with addiction.
9. Infectious Disease: Understanding the interplay of
addiction and infectious diseases, including HIV/AIDS,
viral hepatitis, sexually transmitted infections (STIs),
tuberculosis, and others.
10. Outreach, Prevention and Early Intervention:
Information about Harm/Risk Reduction, Universal,
Selective and Indicated interventions, and selection of
strategies.
Massachusetts Standards
11. Integrated Care: Integration of treatment for behavioral
and physical health conditions, including pregnancy.
12. Quality: Process improvement techniques, such as
those used by NIATx (formerly the Network for the
Improvement of Addiction Treatment), methods of
incorporating consumer input, data collection and
interpretation primarily for the purposes of outcomes
measurement.
13. Safety: The importance of ensuring physical safety
(related in part to behavior management) and emotional
safety (related to being Trauma Informed) for staff and
clients.
14. Self-care: Information and resources related to
secondary trauma and professional self-care.
Massachusetts Standards
15. Culture of Recovery: Understanding that recovery
exists on a continuum, building on the positive notion
that recovery is possible and achievable; include
concepts such as “recovery capital” and peer supports.
16. Responses to relapse: Relapse should be
approached as a part of recovery, and relapse
prevention and constructive relapse responses should
be taught.
17. Holistic and nutritional approaches to recovery:
Students should be aware of holistic approaches such
as mindfulness, acupuncture, good nutrition, physical
exercise, etc.
18. Tobacco: Tobacco use, prevention and cessation
should be included in the curriculum
Massachusetts Standards
19. BSAS Levels of Care: Students should be familiar with
the BSAS Levels of Care (beginning on p. 42 of the
Program Regulations), the methods and goals of each
level of care, and how a person may enter, flow
through, exit and return to the system.
20. Developmental Stages: Treatment responses which
are appropriate for different developmental stages.
21. Compulsive Gambling: Understanding how gambling
and other process addictions relate to substance use
and can exist as a primary addiction.
22. Pharmacology/Neurobiology: Descriptive and up-todate information about common drugs of abuse, and
how they interact with and effect users’ bodies and
brains.
Application
Review and Discussion
Next Steps
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Application revisions
Feedback period
Application roll-out
Advisory Group
– Review and provide feedback on revised approval process
– Partner with peers and BSAS to look at trends, needed
adjustments to curricula
– Commitment: participate in discussions, act as a
sounding board, meet at least twice/year, respond to
requests for feedback in a timely manner
Further questions, thoughts,
recommendations?
Contact:
Jen Parks
Workforce Development and Training Coordinator
DPH - Bureau of Substance Abuse Services
617-624-5134
[email protected]