Alcohol and Drug Counseling | Metropolitan State University

Skills & Competencies

Skills developed through this program

Auto-populatedfrom O*NET via SOC 21-1014.00

Skills

Social PerceptivenessActive ListeningSpeakingReading ComprehensionWritingJudgment and Decision MakingCritical ThinkingService Orientation

Knowledge

Therapy and CounselingPsychologyCustomer and Personal ServiceEnglish LanguageSociology and Anthropology

Abilities

Oral ComprehensionOral ExpressionProblem SensitivityWritten ComprehensionWritten ExpressionDeductive ReasoningInductive ReasoningSpeech RecognitionSpeech ClarityFluency of Ideas

Tasks

Maintain confidentiality of records relating to clients' treatment.
Encourage clients to express their feelings and discuss what is happening in their lives, helping th
Counsel clients or patients, individually or in group sessions, to assist in overcoming dependencies
Guide clients in the development of skills or strategies for dealing with their problems and coping with triggering factors.
Respond to client communications by monitoring voicemail and email, returning phone calls, and making follow-up calls for missed appointments.

Technology

Medical softwareData base user interface and query softwareElectronic mail softwareProject management softwareEnterprise resource planning ERP software

Tools

Desktop computersDigital medical thermometersFlatbed scannersNotebook computersPersonal computersSphygmomanometers

Work Values

RelationshipsAchievementIndependenceRecognitionWorking ConditionsSupport

Career Pathways

Occupations this program prepares you for

Auto-populatedfrom O*NET + BLS

Occupations matched to this program, with median wage, top wage, growth, and openings
SOC	Occupation	Method	Wage	Growth	Openings
Match confidence: medium21-1014.00	Mental Health Counselors	title_inference	$57,480 median$96,620 top	—	—

Program Pathways

Credentials this program stacks toward

No program pathways.

What You'll Learn

Key competencies developed through this program

Auto-populatedfrom NSX Competency Framework

Mastery: proficient (Level 3)(based on Bachelor's Degree)

Full-scope individual and group therapy — deliver autonomously across diverse presenting concerns including trauma, addiction, and grief in community, hospital, or private practice settings.
Complex suicide and homicide risk assessments — conduct comprehensive clinical evaluations, document findings, and initiate appropriate level-of-care decisions independently in high-acuity environments.
Crisis intervention — lead real-time response for clients in acute psychiatric crisis, coordinating involuntary hold procedures and community resources without supervisory direction.
Diagnostic formulation — integrate psychological, sociological, and cultural factors to develop nuanced case conceptualizations and individualized treatment plans for non-routine presentations.
Client insight development — employ advanced therapeutic techniques to help clients recognize unconscious patterns, relational dynamics, and behavioral drivers across extended treatment arcs.
State and federal compliance documentation — manage all mandated clinical records, audit-ready progress notes, and reporting obligations independently across a complex and varied caseload.
Negotiation and persuasion — apply clinical communication skills to engage resistant or ambivalent clients in treatment planning and behavioral change within motivational interviewing frameworks.
Complex problem solving — analyze multifactorial client situations involving legal, medical, housing, and relational variables to design integrated intervention strategies.
Telehealth and technology platforms — utilize medical software, ERP systems, and secure electronic communication tools to deliver and document services across in-person and remote care environments.
Learning strategies — select and apply differentiated psychoeducational approaches tailored to clients' literacy, culture, and cognitive capacity within community mental health and specialty care contexts.

Program Details

Detailed information about this program

No detailed information available.

Requirements

What you need to earn this credential

No requirements listed.

Financial Aid

Eligible funding programs

No funding information available.

Scholarships

No scholarships listed.