Program length
This program can be completed in 1 – 2 years
School of Health Professions
Department of Social Work
Opioid Impacted Family Support Specialist Certificate
Enhance and expand your knowledge, skills, and expertise to help fight the opioid and substance use crisis our country is facing.
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Program Overview
Through a grant from the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), Concordia is providing education and training to professionals in Wisconsin and Michigan to treat individuals suffering from opioid abuse/addictions free of charge to the students.
Wisconsin and Michigan have significant populations experiencing substance use disorders (SUD), as there is a disconnection in treating these individuals in a meaningful manner that will help to move them toward discontinued use or overcoming their addictions. To address the needs, Concordia is providing education to those who express an interest in positively impacting the lives of individual’s suffering from the effects of opioid use disorder (OUD).
This program will enhance and expand paraprofessionals knowledge, skills, and expertise. It aims to increase the number of Care Coordinators and other behavioral health-related paraprofessionals who work on interprofessional teams to provide services to children whose parents are impacted by opioid use disorders (OUD) and other substance use disorders (SUD), and their family members in guardianship roles.
There's a special focus on demonstrating knowledge and understanding of the specific concerns for children, adolescents, and transitional aged youth in high need and high demand areas who are at risk for mental health disorders and SUDs.
What to Expect
Those who participate will:
- Demonstrate increased knowledge and capacity to help individuals and families with opioid use disorders (OUD) or substance use disorders (SUD)
- Receive tuition support and living stipend
- Complete a pre and post-test to demonstrate knowledge gained
- Be eligible to continue on into a state-approved registered apprenticeship to expand their learning
- Complete required coursework to be eligible to apply for the Wisconsin Substance Abuse Counselor – In training (SAC-IT) license
This project is supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of a financial assistance award totaling 1.8 million over the course of 4 years with 100% funded by HRSA/HHS. The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement, by HRSA/HHS, or the U.S. Government.
