Work Experience provides supervised employment experience in the field of substance use disorders treatment that helps the student apply the knowledge and skills from classroom instruction. It also helps them to acquire desirable work habits, attitudes, and career awareness. Each unit of credit requires 54 hours of employment during the semester. Work Experience is available to all students, regardless of major or educational goals. Field trips may be required. Prerequisites: ADS R200A. Corequisites: ADS R210B. Transfer credit: CSU.

This course is designed to teach students basic interviewing and counseling techniques appropriate for paraprofessionals. Emphasizing motivational counseling and client-empowering approaches, students will develop basic competency in the one-on-one counseling skills most relevant to addiction treatment. They will learn to use electronic medical records to document individual counseling sessions. Students will also learn about the importance of ethics and establishing professional boundaries with clients as well as the clear distinction between professional counseling and self-help group sponsorship. This course fulfills one 3-unit skills requirement for the California Association for Alcohol/Drug Educators (CAADE). Field trips may be required. Transfer credit: CSU.