Certificate in Criminal Justice Addictions Professional

Certificate in Criminal Justice Addictions Professional - Online

The Criminal Justice Addictions Professional Certificate through Mount Aloysius College is a twelve credit, post-bachelor’s degree certificate program. This certificate is designed for working professionals in various human services fields, including substance abuse counselors, healthcare professionals, teachers, school administrators, school counselors, social workers, juvenile probation officers and other corrections-related occupations. The program is designed to assist professionals in understanding the complex dynamics of addiction and to enable them to work more effectively with clients, students, patients, inmates, family members and others affected directly or indirectly by substance abuse. The curriculum of this certificate meets the academic requirements for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Certification Board’s Certified Criminal Justice Addictions Professional (CCJAP) classification.

Program Goals and Objectives

Upon completion of this certificate, participants will be able to:

• Understand and analyze different methods and approaches applied to substance abuse issues in the American Criminal Justice System;
• Demonstrate a basic knowledge of the historical philosophies, policies and legal methods utilized to combat illegal substances in the United States;
• Research traditional and innovative treatment models being applied within residential and out-patient therapeutic communities;
• Demonstrate the ability to apply principles and concepts in effective counseling practices within the criminal justice system in the United States;
• Observe the on-site application of therapeutic rehabilitation and counseling programs in residential or out-patient facilities through an internship;
• Comprehend the application of different therapeutic methods and approaches in group and individual counseling sessions; and
• Comprehend the domains (dynamics of addiction, legal, ethical and professional responsibilities, criminal justice system and processes, screening, intake and assessment, case management, monitoring and client supervision and counseling) required by the Pennsylvania Certification Board.

Entrance Requirements

• An application with $30 fee
• An official high school transcript or GED diploma.
• Official college/university transcript, if applicable.

At the completion of the program. students receive a Certificate of Completion.

Course Descriptions

CR 293 Substance Use and Abuse in Criminal Justice - 3 Credits
Study of substance use and abuse confronting American society. Alcohol and drug use and abuse education, philosophy, physiological effects and social aspects will be examined in terms of control measures and public safety.

PY 331 Introduction to Counseling - 3 Credits
An overview of the theoretical models of counseling and psychotherapy emphasizing their practical application in a variety of social settings. There is a particular emphasis on legal, ethical and professional responsibilities, including those based on state and federal laws and policies, and past and present protocols of American corrections.

CR 310 Treatment of Addiction in the Criminal Justice System - 3 Credits
This course will deal with substance abuse treatment of individuals who are adjudicated to the criminal justice system. Treatment and rehabilitation philosophies and models will be discussed. Treatment programs in correctional and out-patient settings will be covered as well as substance abuse issues directly related to the criminal justice system.

CR 420 Criminology Internship - 3 Credits
Students will experience working in the criminal justice field under the supervision of a practitioner and an instructor.