Interview with Addiction Studies
Coordinator,
JJ: How did you get started in substance abuse research and treatment at John Jay?
DY: I worked
in the substance abuse field for 18 years before coming to
JJ: What is the addictions study program at John Jay and who is it intended for?
DY: There
are three components to the program. There is an Addiction Studies
Minor. This is like any other academic minor at the college.
Students select six courses from the list of addiction studies courses.
This will then be on the student's transcript and demonstrate a concentration
in addiction studies. It should be useful for students who intend to do
graduate work in any area of human services including the criminal justice
field. The second component is CASAC education. The completion of
these 8 courses fulfills the 350 hour education requirement for the Credential
in Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Counseling of New York State. Upon
completion, I will issue the student a certificate which can be mailed to the
Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services (OASAS). OASAS will
then issue the student a Trainee Certificate. Treatment programs have an
incentive to hire those with this certificate and thus is helpful in getting
employment in the addictions field. But please note the actual CASAC
requires a training requirement, a work requirement, and the passing of an oral
and written exam. The third component is the Training requirement for the
CASAC. The student takes psy378-9. He must do his internship at an
OASAS-approved facility under proper supervision. He also must add
internship hours to total 300. Full
time students, undergraduate students, graduate students, part-time students,
and non-degree students are all eligible for the CASAC education and training
program.
JJ: What will it prepare the student for (job, research, etc.)?
DY:
The CASAC component prepares students for entry level substance abuse
counseling positions. The CASAC and Addiction Studies Minor will provide
good preparation for graduate study in human services.
JJ: Can you explain the difference between CASAC minor and completing the certificate training program? More specifically, what are the advantages and disadvantages to both (if applicable)?
DY:
First, if you complete the CASAC education program, you have completed the
requirements for the Minor. So you might as well get it as
well. I believe I have outlined the differences above. The
Addiction Studies Minor is more flexible than the CASAC training. Students
can choose from a variety of courses. The CASAC program permits students to be
eligible for substance abuse counseling positions upon completing the 8
courses.
JJ: How would you describe the typical drug addict or alcoholic, or isn’t there one?
DY:
Research has long shown that there is no alcoholic personality and that there
is no typical substance abuser. While the stigma
and stereotyping of alcoholics and substance abusers has
decreased, it is still common. This isn't surprising.
The small percentage of difficult abusers get all
of our attention. The majority who respond well to
treatment and get on with their lives quickly become invisible. One
of the many positive features of AA is that AA
members can become advocates for
alcoholics. And in general there is a movement
for those in recovery from all addictions and now in mental
health to become advocates for the treatment of these
illnesses.
JJ: Would you say that culture, ethnicity, and socio-economic status influence the type of substance abuse?
DY:
Yes, each of these factors contributes to risk
factors associated with substance abuse. Cultures
often have customs which promote or discourage
intoxication, socialize moderate use, regulate
availability which will act to either increase or
decrease hazardous use which leads to
higher rates of addiction.
Genetic differences among ethnic groups may
act as safeguards or risk factors. For
example, about half of Asians have
protection against alcoholism because of the genetically
controlled Asian Flush reaction.
Communities with low rates of employment are at
greater risk for higher levels of substance abuse.
JJ: Do you recommend a particular treatment model for substance abusers? More specifically, how would you determine the best treatment model for an individual patient?
DY:
This is an excellent question. In the substance
abuse field, there has been a great controversy
about the appropriate treatment for many
years. The short answer to the question is
that outcome research does not indicate any
treatment is superior, but that all treatments
are better no treatment. The fact is that there
are many options for treatment today and
those with the disorder should choose the
treatment that they think will work for
them. For alcoholism, there is traditional
12-step treatment, based on AA principles,
cognitive behavioral therapy, motivational
interviewing, and harm reduction approaches.
For opiate addiction there
is Therapeutic Community, methadone
maintenence, and buprenorphine. I believe
students should be familiar with all of these approaches and
I make a special effort to ensure all
approaches are presented completely and objectively.
JJ: Have you ever known anyone personally who struggled with a drug or alcohol addiction?
DY:
Yes. After I got my first counseling
job at an alcoholism clinic, I realized a
close relative was suffering from alcoholism.
JJ: Who would you recommend apply for CASAC certification?
DY:
Counseling is a profession that requires
patience, optimism, empathy, and acceptance
of emotions. I have found
it both challenging and rewarding. For
the CASAC, you must be emotionally
free enough to have empathy for substance
abusers. Not everyone does.