Frequently Asked Questions
1. What is the DARC program?
The Drug and Alcohol Recovery Counselor program provides
education and training for those seeking state of Connecticut
credentialing, employment, job advancement and increased proficiency in
the field of addiction counseling.
2. How long will it take me to complete the program?
That depends on a variety of factors. The DARC program offers
learning opportunities designed to meet students’ individual
needs. Some students are taking their first college-level course
while others have already earned college degrees in other areas; some
are able to attend full time, while others attend on a part-time
basis. The schedule of classes is designed to meet the needs of
working adults who have multiple life responsibilities.
The best way to determine how long it will take to meet your goal is to call the program coordinator, Cheryl Shannon, at (203) 285-2321 or Eileen Russo, DARC academic advisor at 285-2360, to schedule a personal advisement session.
3. What kind of job will I be qualified for after I complete the program?
Many DARC students become marketable during their internship year and
are hired as entry-level counselors during, or immediately following,
internship. DARC graduates are qualified for case manager
positions, or to work as an addiction counselor in many types of
treatment settings, including; detoxification, residential,
out-patient, intensive out-patient, alternate to incarceration and
others.
4. How do I get started in the DARC program?
The first thing you need to do is apply to Gateway Community College (Admissions)
The process following the application depends on where you are in your
educational journey. If this is your first college
experience, you need to contact our Center for Educational Services
(203.285.2217) and make an appointment to take the English and the Math
placement tests. Once we have your placement test results, we can
devise a plan of study to help you reach your educational and
occupational goals.If you have earned previous college credit, you must
request official transcripts from past colleges be sent directly to
Gateway Community College.
5. What is the difference between the associate degree and the certificate?
An
associate degree in Drug and Alcohol Recovery Counseling is a 60 credit
college degree. It consists of 30 semester hours of specialty courses
and 30 semester hours of general education courses.
The DARC Substance Abuse Training Certificate provides students with the knowledge and training essential for the certification exam used by the state of Connecticut. Most students complete the certificate on the way to the degree. The certificate includes the six core DARC courses and English 101.
6. When I took the English placement
test, the results indicated that I have to take developmental classes,
but I would rather get started with the DARC classes. Why can't I
just take the DARC classes first?
Many DARC students
are returning to college after being away from school for many
years. It is not uncommon for students to require an English
refresher to prepare for college-level classes. Taking the time
to build a good foundation in English is the best way to insure your
success in the DARC classes. It's an investment that will be well
worth your time.If you test into ENG 043 (Writing: Paragraph to Essay)
you need to successfully complete this class before enrolling in any
DARC classes. If you test into ENG 063 (Introduction to the
Essay) you may enroll in DARC classes, but must be enrolled in ENG 063
at the same time. Likewise, if a you test into ENG 073 (Academic
Reading), you may enroll in DARC classes, but must be enrolled in ENG
073 at the same time. If you test into ENG 101 (Composition) you
may enroll in DARC classes. Successful completion of ENG 101 with
a C or better is required for the DARC Internship.
7.
I already have a college degree. Do I need to complete the entire
associate degree in order to be certified as an alcohol and drug
counselor?
Generally students who already have a degree
(associate, bachelor and/or master) are able to meet their career goals
by completing the Substance Abuse Training Certificate (SATC).
The certificate consists of six drug and alcohol specific courses (DAR
101, 111, 158, 112, 213 and one of the DAR electives - either 114,
119, 220 or 212) and English 101. Students should request
official transcripts from their undergraduate institution in order to
have the English class transferred to Gateway Community
College. Students who have a degree in an unrelated field and/or
those who are not working in the field of addiction counseling should
add the internship to their certificate program. The internship
portion of the DARC program is a selective admission only.
8.
I don't have a college degree and I don't have the time to do the whole
associate degree. Why shouldn't I just do the Substance Abuse
Training Certificate?
You should do both the certificate and the degree! Most
students complete the SATC on their way to completing the associate
degree. An advantage of the DARC program at Gateway Community
College is that you will be marketable as an entry level counselor when
you complete your internship. Many students are hired by the agency
where they intern. Most students in the DARC program attend
college part-time. Often, during the first year of study
(semesters 1 and 2), students complete the courses that are
pre-requisites to the DARC internship (DAR 101, 111, 112, 158 and ENG
101). During the second semester, students apply to the
internship class which starts the following September. During the
third semester, most students continue on a part-time basis, taking the
internship class and DAR elective (DAR 114, 119, 212 or 220). In
the fourth semester, students take the second half of internship and
DAR 213. At the end of four semesters, students have completed
the SATC and more than half of their associate degree. At this
point, many students are able to begin working in the field of
addiction counseling while they continue, on a part-time basis, to
complete the general education requirements of the DARC degree.
Students who earn a college degree have greater earning potential and
career opportunities than those who do not.
9. I have already completed some training (i.e., PACCT, DMHAS Training, NESAS), can I get credit for that?
Students
who have completed a significant amount of addiction-specific training
are invited to earn credit by exam for DAR 101 and, under certain
circumstances, one of the following: DAR 111, 112, 158, 114. Students
must earn a score of 80 or higher on the exam to receive credit for the
class(es). A maximum of 6 DARC credits may be awarded via the
credit by exam process.
10. If I earn the DARC degree or certificate will I be certified or licensed by the State of Connecticut?
No, but you will have completed one component of the
certification/licensure process. Completing the DARC degree
and/or SATC will meet the Connecticut Certification Board (CCB) and State of Connecticut Department of Public Health (DPH)
requirements for the educational component of
certification/licensure. The degree or the certificate plus
internship meet ALL of the educational requirements. The
certificate alone meets all of the substance abuse specific training
requirements. There are many components to the process of
certification. Please visit the CCB at and/or Department of Public Health for
more information. Once you have completed the DARC program, the
DARC program coordinator and faculty will continue to be involved and
supportive as you move through the process of certification.
11. What is the difference between certification and licensure as an addiction counselor?
The State of Connecticut Department of Public Health (DPH)
has a two-tier system for recognizing qualified addiction counselors;
certification and licensure. The major difference is the
attainment of a master's degree in counseling or a related field (i.e.,
marriage and family therapy, community counseling, social work), which
is required to become licensed by DPH. Generally, licensure is
required if a counselor in private practice is to be reimbursed by
third party payers (insurance companies). DPH has virtually the
same requirements for certification as outlined by the Connecticut Certification Board.
Those who are certified by the CCB are routinely awarded certification
by DPH, upon application. Students, who are certified as an
addiction counselor and later go on to complete a master degree, can
easily convert certification to licensure. In DAR 101 (Public
Health Issues: Abuse and Addiction), we will spend time teaching you
about certification and licensure and all that it entails.
12.
I have just completed my bachelor degree and am thinking about doing
the DARC certificate and a master's degree. Why should I do the
DARC certificate first?
There are a number of reasons to
complete the DARC certificate, and in some cases, certificate plus
internship, before going on to graduate work. Many students find
that employers are seeking credentialed staff; addiction specific
training and becoming ‘certification eligible’ increases job
opportunities. Most students attend graduate school part-time
while working. A student who completes the DARC
degree/certificate, may be able to work in the field of addiction
counseling, accruing hours toward certification, while attending
graduate school. When the student completes the master degree
s/he is eligible to become not only certified, but licensed. In
most graduate disciplines (i.e., social work, marriage and family
therapy, community counseling, school counseling), additional years of
work experience are required before becoming licensed in that
discipline. Whatever specialty a student chooses;
addiction-specific knowledge and counseling skills will be an
asset. Addiction impacts every segment of society. Whether
a student pursues school counseling, genetic counseling or any other
type of helping profession; addiction specific skills will make the
student a more desirable job candidate than someone who does not
possess this specific training or credential.
13. I already have a master's degree in a related field, what are the benefits of completing the DARC program?
The most important benefit is the care you provide to current
and future clients by having specific training and skills to address
addiction issues in counseling. Adding the DARC training to your
master degree has the potential to result in becoming eligible to hold
two DPH licenses. Additional benefits depend on your career
goals. If you plan to have a private practice, by holding
multiple licenses you may be eligible to be a preferred provider for
more insurance policies (to collect reimbursement for private-practice
counseling sessions). If you hope to move into a supervisory
position, completing the DARC classes and becoming licensed will allow
you to provide credentialed supervision to your addiction counseling
staff.
14.
I already have a master's degree but it is not in a related field, can
I still become licensed as a drug and alcohol recovery counselor?
To become licensed, the master degree must be in a related
field. When you complete the DARC certificate, you will have met
the addiction-specific educational requirements for certification by
the Connecticut Certification Board. You will then have to complete the
supervised work hours and begin the certification process.
Students who hold a master degree in unrelated fields (i.e., MBA, MPA,
etc.), generally add the internship to their program of study in order
to complete the career transition.
15. What does the program cost?
This link will
bring you to the Connecticut Community College Finance and
Administration Web page, where you will find tuition information. There
are many resources available to help fund a college education, please
visit our Financial Aid Office for more information.
16. OK, I’m interested. What should I do now?
The next step is to call Eileen Russo, DARC Academic Advisor at 203. 285.2360 (erusso@gwcc.commnet.edu) or Cher Shannon (cshannon@gwcc.commnet.edu), Coordinator of the DARC Program, at 203.285.2321 for advisement.
We look forward to assisting you in your educational and occupational journey!