Careers in Social & Human Services
Community Health Advocate

AAS-T, Certificate

Program Curriculum

Core CoursesCr
SHS 106 PRINCIPLES OF INTERVIEWING AND COUNSELING 5
Intro to interviewing and basic counseling skills. Exploration of personal values, motivations, biases and needs. Development of beginning-level counseling skills and awareness of unique qualities each brings into the helping profession.
SHS 108 * GROUP DYNAMICS & COUNSELING 5
Intro to group work, including group processes, communication patterns, group and individual goal-setting, leadership and decision-making. Includes group participation, role-playing and simulations.
Technical Specialty Courses (31-35 Credits)Cr
SHS 150 * HIV/AIDS WORKSHOP 1
Meets requirements for Social and Human Services professionals in the fields of counseling, alcholism and/or substance abuse. Includes topics on etiology and epidemiology of HIV, transmission and infectioncontrol; testing and counseling; clinical manifestations and treatmentand psychosocial issues. Approved by the Washington State Division of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse.
SHS 210 * MULTICULTURAL COUNSELING 3
Covers effective counseling approaches which take into account client differences in culture, gender, sexual orientation, physical abilities and ethnicity. Learn to interview client group representatives and assess community resources.
SHS 215 * ADOLESCENT DEVELOPMENT AND TREATMENT 5
Focuses on adolescent development and concurrent social, cultural and sexual problems. Includes theory of normal and deviant behavior development, treatment theory and practice and effective use of community resources.
SHS 231 * PHYSIOLOGY ALCOHOLISM 3
Effects of chemical dependency on the body, including basic biochemical action, organ/system effects, poly drug interactions and physiological management of the disease.
SHS 232 * CHEMICAL DEPENDENCY AND THE FAMILY 3
Examines chemical dependency problems in the family, including family roles and dynamics, adult children of alcoholics, interventions and family work as focus of treatment.
SHS 233 * CHEMICAL DEPENDENCY COUNSELING 5
Provides an overview of specialized recovery techniques, including individual, group and family approaches.
SHS 235 * INTRODUCTION TO CHEMICAL DEPENDENCY 5
Surveys use and abuse of legal and illegal drugs. Analyzes patterns of dependency and addiction associated with prescription, over-the-counter and illegal substances. Explores methods of prevention, control and treatment.
SHS 270 * LAW AND ETHICS IN CHEMICAL DEPENDENCY 3
Studies the role of law and professional ethical standards in the delivery of chemical dependency services. Covers theoretical and practical applications using Washington Administrative Code requirements as case examples.
SHS 280 * CHEMICAL DEPENDENCY CASE MANAGEMENT 3
Emphasis on oral and written communication skills. Formulate up-to-date, accurate and understandable case files and records. Learn federal and state confidentiality regulations in handling chemical dependent client records. Formulate concise treatment plans in accordance with legal requirements.
SHS 296 ** HUMAN SERVICES WORKSHOP 1
Receive credit for participation in approved human services professional workshops on topics such as stress management, welfare rights, aging, alcoholism, family therapy, depression, law and mental health.
SHS 297 HUMAN SERVICES WORKSHOP 2
Receive credit for participation in approved human services professional workshops on topics such as stress management, welfare rights, aging, alcoholism, family therapy, depression, law and mental health.
SHS 298 HUMAN SERVICES WORKSHOP 3
Receive credit for participation in approved human services professional workshops on topics such as stress management, welfare rights, aging, alcoholism, family therapy, depression, law and mental health.
Field Placement Courses (10 Credits)Cr
CDS 197 FIELD PLACEMENT: CHEMICAL DEPENDENCY 5
Work experience in human services agencies, with individual and group supervision provided by agency professionals to share experiences and further develop work-related skills.
CDS 198 FIELD PLACEMENT: CHEMICAL DEPENDENCY 5
Work experience in human services agencies, with individual and group supervision provided by agency professionals to share experiences and further develop work-related skills.
CDS 199 FIELD PLACEMENT: CHEMICAL DEPENDENCY 5
Work experience in human services agencies, with individual and group supervision provided by agency professionals to share experiences and further develop work-related skills.
Related Instruction (15 Credits)Cr
ENGL&101 ENGLISH COMPOSITION 5
(Formerly ENG 101 - Composition) Intro to the writing process. Writing assignments focus on non-fiction prose, with subject matter drawn from first-hand experience and observation.
PSYC&100 * GENERAL PSYCHOLOGY 5
(Formerly PSY 110) Intro to the scientific study of human behavior, including learning and thinking, development, perception, motivation, emotion, personality and individual differences, social and abnormal behavior, and research methods.
PSYC&200 * OR LIFESPAN PSYCHOLOGY 5
(Formerly PSY 206 - Developmental Psychology) Survey of human physical, psychological, and social development from conception through death. Emphasis on major developmental theories, research and research methods of studying life-span development.
PSYC 207 * DEVELOPMENTAL PSYCHOLOGY 5

* These courses meet current minimum state requirements for registration as chemical dependency counselors with the Department of Health. In addition, an associate degree or its academic equivalent in any area, and 2,000 clock hours of supervised clinical work are required to become a fully state-qualified chemical dependency counselor.

** Multicultural Counseling, Adolescent Treatment, as well as Relapse Prevention, can be taken as a SHS 296 Human Services workshop

Note: In order to complete the certificate, a 2.0 grade or above is required in all courses.