Psychology Department

Program Goals

 

Our Mission

Our mission is to develop professionals with the knowledge and values to be career-long learners, and effective and ethical providers in the treatment of addiction. We serve the state of Connecticut by providing the highest quality training in best practices for treating and preventing substance use disorders through integrated behavioral health services with a focus on treatment and recovery in high need and high demand areas.

Our core objectives are to:

  • Provide the highest quality training in evidence-based interventions.
  • Increase the number and diversity of professionals in the addiction prevention and therapy field.
  • Provide community-based outreach education in prevention and treatment of problems associated with alcohol, opioids, cannabis, tobacco, and other drugs.
  • Prepare our graduates to obtain Connecticut licensure as alcohol and drug counselors (LADC).

 

The MS in Addiction Studies will produce professionals who can:

  1. Apply evidence-based principles to lead effective individual, family and group counseling for SUDs.
  2. Develop and implement best-practice treatment plans and propose risk reduction interventions.
  3. Employ and articulate the professional values and ethics specific to intervention and prevention in this field.
  4. Utilize the diagnostic criteria for Substance Use Disorders (SUD; DSM-5) and related psychological disorders across diverse populations, and provide referral, consultation and collaboration with mental health providers and/or medical providers to ensure continuity of care, adherence to best practice treatment standards for the individual’s Co-occurring Diagnosis (COD), and achieve through the treatment of SUDs & CODs, optimal treatment outcomes.
  5. Demonstrate the ability to conduct effective program reviews on addiction services and psychopharmacological treatment.