(09/09/09 4:00am)
Due to a shortage of alcohol and substance abuse counselors in New York, the state has given approval for UB's Masters of Social Work program to use specific curriculum to fulfil requirements for accreditation.
In July, the New York State Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services approved courses within the school to partially fulfil a 350-hour certificate program requirement to become Credentialed Alcohol and Substance Abuse Counselors.
'The demand for addiction professionals and licensed treatment staff with graduate-level degrees is projected to increase by 35 percent [by 2010],' according to the Addiction Technology Transfer Center Network's Web site.
UB's social work program possesses an accredited Alcohol and Other Drug Problems concentration available to students in the MSW program, emphasizing one of its academic strengths as substance abuse counselor training.
'The workforce is composed of about 200,000 people, including 135,000 full-time employees, 45,000 part-time employees and 22,000 contract employees. Nearly 5,000 new counselors are needed annually for net replacement and growth,' according to the Web site.
According to Sharon Mitchell, director of Student Health and Wellness, UB's Alcohol and Drug Counseling Services has two social workers with expertise and experience in addictions counseling for students directly on campus. These counseling services offer both individual and group counseling for students who are alcohol and/or drug dependent.
UB's MSW program will be able to directly correlate the curriculum within the AOD concentration with effective CASAC training. Obtaining the New York State OASAS CASAC credential, in conjunction with an AOD concentration, puts graduate students at a greater advantage when applying to become CASAC workers.
'The 350-Hour Certificate Program requirement as part of the process of becoming a CASAC worker teaches these graduate students all the basic skills to be able to go into this specific field,' said Charles Syms, clinical associate professor.
Syms also emphasized the uniqueness of this program.
'[I] know of no other graduate program that offers students the ability to fulfil these requirements directly through the approved [MSW] curriculum,' Syms said.
As a result of the newly implemented program, school officials as well as NYS OASAS officials anticipate an increase in applicants for the CASAC program directly following graduate school. There have been a number of inquiries by students just within the first few weeks of the program's approval and the press release made by the UB Reporter, according to Lisa Fichte, director of the Continuing Education Office within the School of Social Work.
Completing the training program within the School of Social Work will give graduate students more skills and training, leading to more effective and available means of counseling those who need help.
E-mail: spectrum-news@buffalo.edu