Introduction & Overview of Alcohol and Other Drugs (45 hours).

This course will examine the history of alcohol and other mood-altering drugs in the United States. Course content includes cultural and lifestyle issues in alcohol and drug abuse, human behavior (personality, development, emotions, motivation and denial process), family dynamics (codependency, family roles, and family treatment), treatment and recovery approaches, and program and educational planning in treatment.

Course Content

Cultural/Lifestyle Consideration; norms and differences; issues specific to special populations (e.g., ethnic minorities, women, youth, elderly, homosexuality, physically disabled or impaired); the nature and extend of alcoholism/drug dependency problems among target populations.

Human Behavior: theories of personality and human development; emotional states (e.g., dependency, resentment, guild); theories of human needs and motivation; denial process.

Family Dynamics: Recognition of family roles, modalities of treatment; communication issues; role play.

Treatment and Recovery Approaches: Treatment and recovery modalities; (e.g., psychiatric, psychosocial, clinical; Alcoholics Anonymous (and other support groups); Aversion Therapy; medical modalities; behavioral modification, social models, drinking driver programs. (etc.)

Program Planning and Client Education: Goals and objectives; program policies and procedures; program strengths and limitations, service delivery planning, client education, lectures.