Basic Chemical Dependency Counselor (CERT1)

• The Human Services Program is designed for students interested in one day working in one of the helping professions as a Counselor, Case Worker, Behavior Specialist, Community Outreach Worker, Social Worker, or Client Advocate.
• Program Highlights
• Human Service classes are small and focus on the development of the basic skills and knowledge required to enter the field. All classes are taught by licensed Social Services professionals who are actively working in the field.
• Credentials and Careers
• Students can study on one of two concentrations or tracks: Substance-Abuse Counseling or General Human Services. Both tracks contain an entry-level Certificate: The Basic Chemical Dependency Counselor Certificate, and the Human Services Certificate. Students on both tracks can also pursue an Associate of Applied Science (AAS) degree in Human Services. Completing the Basic Chemical Dependency Counselor Certificate enables students to begin the application process to become Licensed as a Chemical Dependency Counselor Intern (LCDC-I), while completing the AAS enables students to become fully licensed as an LCDC (Licensed Chemical Dependency Counselor).
• Career opportunities include becoming a fully licensed LCDC once the student has completed all their intern requirements.
• Transferability
• Students completing the AAS degree have several transfer options available that enable them to continue their education as they pursue bachelor's degrees.
• General education courses (Core) are designated for easy transfer to Texas public institutions and applicable to requirements at private and out-of-state institutions.
• Technical coursework may be transferrable to other institutions.
• Please consult with a program advisor for more information about transferability.

• This award requires 31 credit hours in total.
• Lone Star College reports 736 contact hours for this award.
• Where the course list shows "Choose N credit hours", those courses are the options for one elective slot, not additional requirements.

• Demonstrate group management skills.
• Explain the ethical principles of Competence, Professional Boundaries, Confidentiality, and Self-Determination as they relate to the helping profession.
• Demonstrate basic interviewing/counseling skills.
• Demonstrate knowledge of accepted principles of clinical documentation.
• Differentiate between the Psychodynamic, Behavioral, Humanistic, and Cognitive theoretical approaches as they relate to the counseling and helping professions.

• Tuition shown is the in-district rate of $111.00 per credit hour for 31 credit hours.
• Out-of-district Texas residents pay $249.00 per credit hour ($7,719.00); international and out-of-state students pay $313.00 per credit hour ($9,703.00).
• Lab fees vary by course and liability insurance, uniforms and supplies vary by program, so Lone Star College publishes no all-in total for this award. Tuition above excludes them.
• Financial aid and payment plans are available to most students.
• Application fee: none. Lone Star College applications are free.

Upon completing the Program’s Basic Chemical Dependency Counselor Certificate, students can complete the application process with the State of Texas to become Licensed Chemical Dependency Counseling (LCDC) Interns. Completing the Program’s Associate of Applied Science (AAS) degree allows students to apply to become fully licensed.

Students hoping to pursue licensure as a Chemical Dependency Counselor must pass the state’s criminal background check to have their application approved. Program staff can assist students with the specific details of these requirements, which can also be located on the state’s License Chemical Dependency web page.