RICHLAND, Wash. – Columbia Basin College is starting a new program to address the growing need for substance use disorder professionals. According to the Centers for Disease Control, Washington, Oregon, and Alaska saw a twenty-seven percent increase in overdose deaths from 2022 to 2023.
The substance use disorder professional program is a 45-credit, three-quarter program with an emphasis on substance use counseling. Doug Hughes, CBC’s Dean for Health Science, said the program is different from other programs.
It’s open enrollment, so you don’t have to apply to the program if you’re a student at CBC. Students can sign up for the three courses CBC teaches per quarter as part of its Health Sciences program. The program can take thirty students starting in the fall of this year, Hughes said.
“If you already have at least an associate degree in a field related to substance use or addiction counseling, You can come to us and just take the 45-credit certificate,” Hughes said. “Or if you don’t have a degree yet, you’ll want to take it within the context of that associate of science degree.”
According to Hughes, the State of Washington requires substance use counselors to have a credential from the state to provide counseling to those who are going through addiction treatment.
Hughes said one of the fastest-growing professions in the country over the next ten years is substance use and addiction counseling.
According to Hughes, there is currently a significant increase in addictions, not only in our community, but throughout the country. He said a lot of it is the state of mental health in the country.
People are looking for outlets and ways to handle it. Hughes said growing up, he’s seen what substance abuse can do firsthand.
“My mom was addicted to IV drugs and cocaine when I was a child,” he said. “We had to work through that as a family. It was extremely rough. My dad has substance use issues as well. My parents were divorced. Being bounced back and forth from one bad situation to the next. I understand the impact that this can have on families.”
Hughes said it’s awesome to see the resources available to help those in the community who are struggling with addiction.
He said another reason the program is starting is the new recovery center being built in Kennewick at the old KGH building.
Hughes says this program is over a year in the making. Along with other community partners, they collaborated to move this program along. He says that when you graduate from CBC’s program, you’ll be eligible to be hired as a substance use counseling trainee. After that, you’ll complete three thousand proctor hours to qualify for a state license.
The program starts in the fall of 2024.
