Addiction: Dx, Tx, & Recovery

Catalog description

This course provides an in-depth exploration of substance use disorders through the lens of diagnosis, treatment, and recovery. Students will examine risk and protective factors contributing to the development and maintenance of addiction, utilizing this knowledge to inform culturally responsive prevention, assessment, and treatment planning. Emphasis is placed on recognizing symptoms related to psychoactive substance use, including toxicity, intoxication, and withdrawal, and responding to these symptoms through integrated client care and crisis intervention strategies. Students will engage with evidence-based approaches to enhance client motivation, manage cravings, and support relapse prevention across stages of change and diverse populations. The course critically explores abstinence-based and harm reduction models of recovery, evaluating their use within varying clinical and cultural contexts. Learners will also develop individualized treatment plans that align with stage-appropriate interventions and incorporate recovery supports such as vocational, familial, legal, and community-based systems, including considerations for court-mandated clients.