WINGATE — An increase in substance abuse during the pandemic has been well documented, coinciding with an upward trend in opioid overdoses in the United States. At the same time, there is a dearth of behavioral health counselors ready to treat patients.
Wingate University is planning to help alleviate the problem by adding a minor in addiction counseling to its human services major. Students who are not majoring in human services can earn a certificate in addiction counseling. The program will begin in the fall 2024 semester.
“Addiction counselors help individuals overcome substance abuse and other destructive addictive behaviors,” says Dr. Daya Patton, assistant professor of human services. “Currently, there is a nationwide shortage of trained addiction counselors. There is a growing need for programs that prepare students to work with addictive behaviors across different treatment settings.”
Counseling is expected to be among the fastest-growing career fields in the U.S. over the next decade. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the number of jobs available for substance-abuse behavioral health counselors is projected to grow 22 percent from 2021 to 2031, considerably more than the rate for other occupations.
The minor and certificate offered by Wingate are designed to meet the North Carolina Addiction Specialist Professional Practice Board’s educational requirements to be certified as an alcohol and drug counselor and as a criminal justice addictions professional.
The addiction counseling minor and certificate prepare students to meet the increasing needs of individuals and families dealing with addiction disorders.
The 18-credit-hour certificate can be completed entirely online or through a combination of in-person and online courses.
Program start dates are available each term on a rolling basis. Students can complete the certificate in as little as three semesters. Students can also complete an addictions-specific internship to satisfy the field-placement experience required by the NCASPPB.
Patton, a licensed clinical addictions specialist and clinical mental health counselor, designed the minor and certificate program.
