FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Maria College has been approved as a Credentialed Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Counselor (CASAC) Training Site
Albany, NY – Maria College is pleased to announce it has received approval from the New York State Office of Addiction Services and Supports (OASAS) to serve as a CASAC training site. The CASAC program is intended for individuals providing direct clinical care services and substance use disorder counseling. The Maria College program, which encompasses 8 courses of 27 credit hours of education and training on diagnostic assessment, evaluation, intervention, referral, and substance use disorder counseling in both individual and group settings, covers the educational hours required for credentialing by OASAS.
The program may be undertaken by anyone in the allied health fields, either on its own or as part of the four-year Bachelor of Science in Psychology degree program. To become a CASAC, students must meet work experience requirements, minimum education and training requirements, and pass the International Certification and Reciprocity Consortium, Inc. (IC&RC) examination for Alcohol and Drug Counselors (ADC).
Peter Byrne, Ph.D, Maria College’s Associate Vice President of Academic Affairs and Director of the Psychology Program said, “This training is a natural fit with our Bachelor of Science in Psychology degree program, but qualified, non-matriculated individuals can also undertake the training as part of a pathway to employment.”
The substance abuse treatment field is facing a nationwide shortage of trained addiction treatment counselors with approximately 5,000 new counselors needed annually to keep up with the current demand for services.
“We are extremely excited to offer the CASAC training to Maria College students,” said Dr. Anne Jung, Vice President for Academic Affairs at Maria College. “The program can be completed over a relatively short time frame and lead to a wealth of employment opportunities. There is a desperate need for credentialed substance abuse counselors nationwide and this program aligns with Maria College’s mission of services to others.”
To learn more about Maria College’s CASAC program, visit http://mariacollege.edu/academics/liberal-arts/casac-training-program.
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About Maria College: Founded in 1958, Maria College is one of 17 colleges and universities in the United States sponsored by the Sisters of Mercy of the Americas. The private, co-educational, Catholic college in Albany serves approximately 800 students in a variety of bachelor degree, associate degree, a master’s degree, and certificate programs including liberal arts, healthcare management, nursing, psychology, occupational therapy, and health and occupational sciences. mariacollege.edu.